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 Nebraska, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates in line with federal guidelines established by the National School Lunch Act of 1946. This program is administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and at the state level by the Nebraska Department of Education's Nutrition Services. The NSLP provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day. Eligibility for free or reduced-price meals is determined by family income levels, which are set in accordance with federal poverty guidelines. 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 nutritional standards, and they must offer free or reduced-price meals to eligible children.