THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM
Summary
What is the National School Lunch Program?
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally
assisted meal program operating in public and nonproft
private schools and residential child care institutions.
It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost
lunches to children each school day. The program was
established under the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act, signed into law by President Harry Truman
in 1946.
About 7.1 million children participated in the NSLP in its
first year. Since then, the Program has reached millions
of children nationwide: 1970: 22.4 million children; 1980:
26.6 million children; 1990: 21.1 million children; 2000:
27.3 million children; 2010: 31.8 million children; and
2016: 30.4 million children.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture (2017). The National School Lunch Program.