The National School Lunch Program safeguards the health and well-being of our children by ensuring that students have a nutritious meal to empower them to learn throughout the day. 

Announcements                                            Outreach Materials

Overviews and On-Line Guides                     Reports and Research

Overviews and On-Line Guides

• National School Lunch Program Fact Sheet
• See our Obesity and Meal Quality page on increasing nutritional standards for school meals
• P2 information kit will show how you can serve all children in high-need schools.
• Menu Planning examples offered by the USDA for the National School Lunch program.
• Afterschool Snacks in the NSLP

Outreach Materials

• 2003-2004 Reimbursement Rates
• 2002-03 Free and Reduced-Priced Meal applications coming soon(20 languages)
• P2 information kit will show how you can serve all children in high-need schools.

• Eligibility guidance for school meals (USDA)

• See our Outreach Materials page for additional items.

Reports and Research

• Recess from the Recession: How School Meals Can Do More to Help Struggling Families (CFPA, September 2008)

          To coincide with the "back-to-school" season and reports of rising need for food assistance programs, CFPA published this report highlighting the importance of school meals given rising food and fuel costs, the recent economic

          downturn, and rising unemployment.  The report features policy recommendations for local, state, and federal decision makers.

        Executive Summary

        Full Report

• The Federal Child Nutrition Commodity Program: A Report on Nutritional Quality (CFPA, September 2008)

        CFPA, with Samuels and Associates, received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to examine the nutritional quality of foods selected for school meals through the federal commodity program.

        Executive Summary

        Full Report

        "Policy Highlight" from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Are Ineligible Children Receiving Free or Reduced-Priced School Meals? (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

• Improving Meal Quality in California’s Schools : A best practices guide for health school food service (CFPA, revised 2003)

• USDA Participation Data

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Kumar Chandran by calling 510.433.1122 x129 or kumar@cfpa.net