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 Idaho, as in other states, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates to provide nutritious, low-cost or free lunches to children in public and nonprofit private schools, as well as residential childcare institutions. The program is federally funded and administered at the state level by the Idaho State Department of Education. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by federal guidelines, which consider family income and size. Schools participating in the NSLP are required to serve meals that meet federal nutrition standards, and in return, they receive cash subsidies and food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each meal they serve. The goal of the NSLP in Idaho is to ensure that all students have access to healthy meals during the school day, which supports their ability to learn and thrive academically.