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 South Carolina, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) operates in line with federal guidelines to provide nutritious lunches to children in public and nonprofit private schools, as well as residential childcare institutions. The program offers free or reduced-price meals to eligible children, based on household income and size, in accordance with the eligibility criteria set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The South Carolina Department of Education works to administer the NSLP within the state, ensuring that participating schools adhere to the nutrition standards established by the USDA, which include requirements for serving fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat or fat-free milk. The goal of the NSLP in South Carolina is to contribute to the health and educational readiness of the state's children by providing them with access to healthy meals during the school day.