The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions, providing 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.
All meals claimed for reimbursement must meet federal requirements, though decisions about the specific foods to serve and the methods of preparation are made by local school food authorities. Meals are reimbursed based on children’s free, reduced price, or paid eligibility status.