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 Maine, 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 Maine 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 Maine aims to not only alleviate child hunger but also to promote healthy eating habits by ensuring that the meals provided meet the nutritional standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).