‍Free lunch and breakfast programs can help you get a healthy meal for your kids. Summertime meal programs provide nutritious meals when school is out.

Kids need healthy meals to grow and full stomachs to fuel their minds to meet daily challenges. If you’re struggling to provide food, there are food assistance programs that provide healthy meals or milk for school-aged children. There are two possible options for free or reduced-price meals at school. All options are based on the latest research in nutrition science. To promote your child’s healthy eating habits, free and reduce-priced meals provide healthful choices by:

• providing both fruits and vegetables every day of the week
• increasing offerings of whole grain foods
• offering only fat-free or low-fat milk
• limiting calories based on the age of children being served to ensure proper portion size
• increasing the focus on reducing the amounts of saturated fat, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium
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What programs are available?

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National School Lunch Program. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program for public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. 

School Breakfast Program. The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally assisted meal program operating for public and non-profit private schools and residential child care institutions. Depending on your school, the breakfast program might offer a traditional, cafeteria-based breakfast or a less traditional “Breakfast in the Classroom” or a “Grab & Go Breakfast.”

What about summer break?

Of course, kids need healthful meals all year long, not just during the school year. The Summer Food Service Program, also known as the Summer Meals Program, ensures that children continue to receive nutritious breakfasts and lunches when school is not in session by providing free meals to kids and teens in low-income areas.

Is your family eligible?

Your children automatically qualify for free meals or milk if:

• You receive SNAP (food stamps), TANF (welfare), or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

• They are foster children under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court

• They’re enrolled in Head Start

Your children may qualify if your household income is within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. These guidelines are based on federal poverty guidelines.

• If your income is no more than 130 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for free meals.
• If your income is no more than 185 percent of the poverty level, they should qualify for reduced-price meals.

The summer food service program is open to all children and teens 18 and under at locations around the country. Find a site near you.

To apply for school meal programs for your children, submit an application from the school. You can do this at the beginning of the school year or at any time if circumstances change.