The National School Lunch Program makes it possible for school children in the United States to receive a nutritious lunch every school day. Meals served must meet federal nutrition standards and any public school, nonprofit private school, or residential child care institution can participate in the program and receive federal funds for each meal served.

The program is administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and in each state typically through the state department of education or agriculture. To find the agency that administers School Lunch in your state, check USDA’s list of state administering agencies.

Quick Facts:

  • Nearly 29.4 million children participated in the National School Lunch Program, with 21.1 million children receiving a free or reduced-price lunch, on a typical day in the 2023–2024 school year. 
  • Free and reduced-price lunch participation increased by just over 1.3 million children (6.8 percent) in the 2023–2024 school year when compared to the 2022–2023 school year.  
  • Over 94,000 schools, the vast majority, participate in the National School Lunch Program. 
  • 42 states and the District of Columbia saw an increase in school meal participation in the 2023–2024 school year compared to the 2022–2023 school year, likely driven by the growth in the number of schools offering meals to all students at no charge through the Community Eligibility Provision and state Healthy School Meals for All policies.  
  • The National School Lunch Program is the nation’s second largest food and nutrition assistance program behind SNAP. 

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