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 Louisiana, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates in line with federal guidelines 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 Louisiana Department of Education. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by child's household income and adherence to the guidelines set forth by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The state must ensure that schools comply with the nutrition standards established by the USDA, and it also provides training and technical assistance to schools to help manage the program effectively.