The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential childcare institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost, or free lunches to children each school day. The NSLP was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
In Colorado, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates in line with federal guidelines to provide nutritious, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children during school days. The program is available in public schools, nonprofit private schools, and residential childcare institutions. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by federal income guidelines, and the program aims to ensure that all students have access to healthy meals to support their learning and development. The NSLP is administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and at the state level by the Colorado Department of Education's Office of School Nutrition. Schools participating in the NSLP receive cash subsidies and USDA Foods from the federal government for each meal they serve, with the requirement that the meals meet specific nutrition standards set forth by the USDA.