This week, schools around Lower Bucks County will celebrate National School Lunch Week with free or price-reduced lunches while students learn to value the treasure hunt of lunch.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offers students fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and fat free or low fat milk with every school lunch. Balanced nutrition throughout the day contributes to student success in and out of the classroom.
Even though National School Lunch Week was declared in 1962, the National School Lunch Program actually started in 1946. It was created to provide nutritious meals to children from low-income families who might not otherwise have access to a daily meal. Fast forward to current day, the NLSP serves nearly 30 million children every school day. Not only does it reduce childhood hunger, but it also supports American agriculture.
School Nutrition Association (SNA) praised USDA’s release of much needed funds for school meal programs. As schools struggle to manage persistently high costs since the lapse of pandemic funding, SNA has urged Congress to increase federal reimbursements for school meals.
As part of a broader funding package, USDA announced the release of $500 million in Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to support the purchase locally sourced foods for school meals.
For more information on school nutrition, visit the Pennsylvania Farm to School Network website or the SNA website.
