The Commodity Donation Program of 1936 marked the first time the government became significantly involved in school lunches. Since crop surpluses are harmful to respective commodity prices, the act attempted to eliminate them by allotting excesses, in the form of lunches, to underprivileged school children. However, many school boards did not espouse the program because they were unwilling to invest in equipment and expansion for a program that was not guaranteed to continue. Additionally, food donation from the government fluctuated with commodity surpluses. The 79th Congress considered a legislative proposal to make the Commodity Donation Program permanent and it was signed into law as the National School Lunch Bill.

This law requires Congress to appropriate funds each year to pay for school lunches for low-income children to be distributed to each state. A portion of the funds supports districts’ purchase of foodservice-related equipment and administrative costs associated with program operation. Since the original legislation was signed into law, a number of amendments have been added. The School Lunch Program remained largely unchanged for decades until the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 created new standards for school meals. These standards have continued to evolve through the 2020s, with updated USDA rules regarding added sugars, sodium reduction, and whole grains meant to align school meals with modern dietary guidelines and the practical challenges of school foodservice.

Eligibility Requirements

The federal government provides free and reduced lunch, breakfast, milk and summer meal programs based on income.  Standards of eligibility run from July 1-June 30 of each year and are based on the Federal Income Poverty Guidelines.  Families of school-age children are eligible for reduced lunches (and other meals) if their total household income is 185%, or less, of the poverty guidelines for their household size.  For example, a family of five qualifies for reduced meals if their household income is under $52,559 annually.  Qualification for free lunch occurs at 130% of the poverty guidelines, so the same family of five would qualify at or below an income of $36,933 annually.  Eligibility is the same in all 48 contiguous states with a somewhat higher poverty standard for Alaska and Hawaii of approximately $1000 per household and $600 per household member4.

Application Process

For schools not operating under universal free meal provisions, applications for free or reduced lunch are sent to households at the start of the year, though most districts now utilize online portals for this process. Once completed, the application is reviewed to determine eligibility. All applicants currently receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits or Medicaid (in verified states) are automatically qualified for free lunches via “Direct Certification,” which has significantly reduced the paperwork burden compared to previous decades.

Parents who complete an application are required to provide household composition, participation in other assistance programs (TANF, FDPIR), and total household income.

Funding

The cost of the program has substantially increased since its inception, driven by expanded reimbursement rates, food inflation, and labor costs. In fiscal year 2012, the program cost $11.6billion.By2025,federalexpendituresfortheNationalSchoolLunchProgramhadexceeded\ast \ast$30 billion**. While participation peaked prior to the 2020 pandemic, it has stabilized around 29 million students daily in 2026. The following chart shows the increase in participation and costs for the program over the decades:

Note: The sharp rise in cost per participant by 2026 reflects both significant inflation and higher federal reimbursement rates implemented to support higher nutritional standards.

Program Effectiveness

There is a great deal of literature examining the success of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). While the nutritional quality of meals has undeniably improved since the implementation of stricter standards regarding sodium and added sugar in the mid-2020s, challenges remain regarding consumption. Studies continue to show that while the offered meals are healthier, “plate waste” remains a significant issue, with students discarding vegetables and fruits at high rates.

The “backlash” of the early 2010s against stricter standards has largely faded as a generation of students has grown up with these norms, yet participation rates have not returned to their historical peaks. This is partly due to students opting for food from home or off-campus alternatives, often citing a lack of variety or flavor in compliant school meals. Despite this, the program continues to provide critical nutrition to millions of underprivileged children who might otherwise face food insecurity.

Personal Assessment

It is clear that the National School Lunch Program has one main objective: to provide nutritious lunches to those who cannot otherwise afford them. However, two requirements must be met for this to succeed: children must consume the food, and the program must be economically sustainable.

It is evident that student satisfaction remains a hurdle. If students fail to eat the nutritionally superior options provided, the program fails to meet its physiological objectives while simultaneously contributing to massive food waste. In my view, a balance must be struck; providing palatable options that students will actually eat is sometimes more effective than strictly adhering to nutritional perfection that ends up in the trash.

Additionally, the cost of the NSLP has exploded, increasing in per-student cost drastically over the last decade. This brings into question the sustainability of the federal model. The high cost, coupled with the administrative complexity of federal compliance, suggests that those in power should consider significant changes. These might include giving states more power to determine administration or shifting the burden to the free market through outside vendor food services, which may prove more cost-effective and attractive to the modern student.

Works Cited & Updated References (2026)

1. USDA Food and Nutrition Service. National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet. 2026.
2. Congressional Research Service. School Meals Programs and Other USDA Child Nutrition Programs: A Primer. 2025.
3. USDA. Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2024.
4. Federal Register. Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines. 2026.
5. School Nutrition Association. School Nutrition Trends Report 2025.
6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. CPI Inflation Calculator. 2026.