Why We Need The National School Lunch Program

In 1946, President Harry Truman established the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), a federally assisted meal program designed to offer healthy, low-cost meals to students in public and not-for-profit schools. The program, operated through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), offers participating school districts reimbursement for the meals they serve, allowing schools to offer free or reduced lunches to qualifying students. However, in order to receive reimbursement, foodservice programs must adhere to strict nutritional guidelines set forth by the USDA. As of 2010, schools must follow additional requirements established by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed by President Barack Obama, which increased the ratio of fruits, vegetables and proteins that must be included in school lunches. While
In early 2013, nearly $5.2 million dollars was given to 19 states in an effort to help implement NSLP standards. Michigan received one of the highest grants, coming in at $333,420, just behind Missouri at $342,609. However, the most severe issue facing the program is not a matter of government funding, but rather student participation. Fortunately, there have been attempts made to further market the healthier options to students. The USDA has been heavily promoting its “Smarter Lunchrooms”, a program that aims to encourage children to make healthy choices and reduce plate waste by diversifying product placement and using creative names. By changing the display and placement of fruit, researchers from the Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics saw a doubling of sales. Similarly, by giving a creative name and unique display to a variety of vegetables, researchers saw an increased selection of vegetables by 70%. While the USDA has attempted to change the mindset of students, further marketing attempts will need to be made in order for the National School Lunch Program to be a feasible