National School Lunch Program

Serving nearly 31 million children every school day, the federally-funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides nutritionally balanced low-cost and free meals to students. The program requires school meals to meet federal nutrition standards:


Dietary guidelines dictate no more than 30 percent of calories can come from fat and less than 10 percent from saturated fat

Over the course of one week, lunches must provide 1/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories

Well-balanced school lunches must include protein, fruits and vegetables, grains and low-fat milk and be served in age-appropriate portions