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 Indiana, 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 Indiana Department of Education. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by family income levels, which must fall below certain thresholds set by the federal government. The NSLP in Indiana follows federal guidelines that are designed to meet the nutritional needs of children and are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Schools participating in the program receive cash subsidies and USDA foods from the federal government for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet federal meal pattern requirements and offer free or reduced-price meals to eligible children.