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 Georgia, as in all states, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates to provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children during school days. The program is federally funded and administered at the state level by the Georgia Department of Education. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by children's household income levels, which must fall below certain thresholds set by the federal government. The program aims to ensure that all students have access to healthy meals during the school day, which is essential for their physical and academic development. Schools participating in the NSLP must adhere to nutrition standards set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which funds the program. Compliance with these standards is mandatory for schools to receive federal funding and support under the NSLP.