School Lunch 101

What is the National School Lunch Program?

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program administered at the state level by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

School Food Nutrition

School lunches must meet Federal nutrition requirements, but decisions about what specific foods to serve and how they are prepared are made by local school food authorities.

How School Food Works

Schools in the lunch program get cash subsidies and donated foods from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced-price lunches to eligible children.

In 2015, the combined federal and state reimbursement rate for each meal served was:
Free Meals: $3.73
Reduced Meals: $2.93
Paid Meals: $0.35

This means that the food service staff must meet all nutritional guidelines for under $3.75 per student meal!

In addition to cash reimbursements, schools are entitled by law to receive food from USDA , called “entitlement” foods. States select entitlement foods for their schools from a list of more than 60 different kinds of food purchased by USDA and offered through the state school lunch program. About 17% of the total dollar value of the food that goes on the table in school lunch programs is provided
directly by the USDA.

Managing School Meals – Who’s in Charge?

Different school districts choose to implement their school lunch program in different ways. Some districts choose to manage the school meal program themselves. These districts are referred to as “Self-Operating”. All management staff are employees of the district and the district sets all rules and regulations regarding food procurement.

Other districts contract with an outside food management company to manage the school meal program. Common management companies that you may have heard of include Chartwells, Whitsons, Aramark and Sodexo. In these districts, the management company answers to the school business manager, but will have its own rules and regulations regarding procurement.

It is important to know if your district is self-operating or uses a management company as this fact can dictate who is involved in any conversations you want to initiate about the school meal program.

Using Local Foods in The School Lunch Program

School districts across the state are incorporating local foods into their meal programs. Using local foods can improve the nutritional value and taste of the meals and supports the local economy.