Since 1946, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has made it possible for schools throughout the nation to serve wholesome lunches to children to help meet their nutritional needs. These lunches make a vital contribution to children's mental and physical development.

School lunch programs help students by:

1. Making healthy eating choices available. In recent years, recipes have been modified to reduce the fat, salt, and sugar content of school lunches. Items purchased are reviewed and, where possible, selected to improve the nutritional quality of the meals.
2. Reinforcing classroom instruction by using the meals and dining areas as learning laboratories. Students now have more menu choices, including entrees, vegetables, fruits, and alternatives such as salad, potato, and pasta bars.
3. Promoting nutrition as part of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle. By increasing awareness of the federal "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," the program promotes health and helps reduce the risk of chronic disease.

All lunches must meet the nutritional requirements outlined in the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans," published jointly by the USDA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and must provide one-third of the children's nutritional requirements for the day. The NSLP is designed to reach all schoolchildren in the United States . Free and reduced price lunches are available for children who meet certain simple criteria. Local schools have information about eligibility and applications to receive these benefits.

These rates are exclusive of State Liquor Tax Funds which will be distributed on a per lunch basis to public schools only.

School Year
July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009

	Lunch	Severe Need Lunch *
Free	2.57	2.59
Reduced-Price	2.17	2.19
Paid	.24	.26
	Breakfast	Severe Need Breakfast **
Free	1.40	1.68
Reduced-Price	1.10	1.38
Paid	.25	.25

The reimbursement rate for Special Milk is $0.1825

The entitlement commodity value is $.2075 (plus bonus commodities)

*Severe Need Lunch Reimbursement (School Food Authority):

For those programs serving more than 60 percent free and reduced-price lunches in the second preceding year ( 2006-2007 )

** Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement (site):

Severe Need eligibility is limited to those schools in which (a) 40 percent or more of the lunches served in those schools were served free or at a reduced price during the second preceding school year and (b) for which the regular breakfast reimbursement is insufficient to cover the costs of the Breakfast Program.