The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federal program that provides free or reduced-cost lunches to eligible students in public and private schools. The program was established in 1946 to address child malnutrition and has since expanded to include breakfast and after-school snacks in addition to lunch. NSLP is administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and serves over 30 million children daily in more than 100,000 schools nationwide.

Schools participating in NSLP must offer meals that meet specific nutritional guidelines set by the USDA. These guidelines include requirements for minimum and maximum calorie intake and recommendations for servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources. The guidelines also limit the amounts of saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars in school meals. In recent years, NSLP has been working to improve the quality of meals offered to students, focusing on increasing the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources.

NSLP benefits students by providing regular access to healthy and nutritious meals during the school day. This can help reduce food insecurity and improve overall health, which can, in turn, have positive impacts on academic performance. Studies have shown that students who participate in NSLP are more likely to consume a healthy diet, have better attendance rates, and perform better on tests than students who do not. Additionally, NSLP can help level the playing field for students from low-income families, who may otherwise be disadvantaged due to a lack of access to healthy food options.