What Makes a School Meal

Through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP), every meal served at school meets strict nutrition standards set by the USDA, ensuring all students receive a healthy and delicious meal. See below for some highlights and guidelines.

The details below are also available in a decorative version in the What Makes a School Meal flyer (English | Spanish).

Breakfast

Breakfast consists of 3 components: fruits, grains, and milk, with meat/meat alternatives available. Students must take at least 3 of the offered items at breakfast, one must be a fruit or vegetable.

Lunch

Lunch consists of 5 components: fruits, vegetables, grains, meat/meat alternates, & milk. Students must take at least 3 components. A fruit or vegetable is required with all lunches.

Fruit

Grains

Vegetables

Milk

Did You Know?

Through the Offer versus Serve (OVS) provision in the NSLP and SBP, students are able to decline some of the food offered. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals program while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Nondiscrimination Statement

Nondiscrimination Statement for Food Services

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue
SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
Fax: 833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
E-mail: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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