This week, we celebrate National School Lunch Week to highlight a program paramount to improving the health and well being our Nation’s children. And it’s an effort receiving this important recognition for good reason…
Did you know the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free and reduced-price lunches and snacks to more than 31 million students each school day? NSLP meals are designed to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and in some cases represents a needy child’s primary meal.
President Obama and Secretary Vilsack believe that in our country, it is unacceptable for anyone, particularly our children, to go hungry. We are committed to not only improving the nutritional quality of school meals, but also to ending childhood hunger by 2015. USDA’s 15 nutrition assistance programs, especially the school lunch program, make significant contributions to ending childhood hunger.
National School Lunch Week was established in 1963 by Presidential Proclamation to raise awareness and support for the National School Lunch Program and the critical nutrition service it provides.
Read President Obama’s National School Lunch Week proclamation for more about his commitment to our nation’s children.