National School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program that runs through over 101,000 public and non-profit private schools as well as residential child care services. In 2010, the NSLP provided more than 31 million children with a nutritionally balanced low-cost or free lunch at school each day.  The schools that decide to take part in the NSLP receive cash subsidies as well as USDA foods front eh U.S. Department of Agriculture to create healthier meals to serve the children. In order to meet the requirements, those schools participating must serve lunches that meet the Federal standards and they also must offer free or reduced priced lunches to those students who are eligible of obtaining them. The nutritional requirements for school lunches must meet the applicable recommendations stated by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. There recommendations state that no more than 30 percent of an individual's calories can should come from fat and less than 10 percent of the calories should come saturated fat. The regulations also state school lunches must provide the students with one third of the recommended Dietary Allowances which includes protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and specific calories. The school food authorities are allowed to prepare and provide the students with whatever meals they wish as long as the follow and complete the standards and regulations. If we could get more schools to hop on the band wagon and participate in this healthy school lunch program obesity rates would tremendously decrease and academic performance in schools would increase and sky rocket towards success.

Resource: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/lunch/AboutLunch/NSLPFactSheet.pdf