School Nutrition

Afterschool Meal Programs

Afterschool meal programs are much more widely available as a result of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-296) which expanded reimbursement for at-risk afterschool meals from just a few states to all states. Reimbursement for at-risk afterschool snacks has been available since the 1990s.

Two federal nutrition programs exist to feed children after school:Read more

Institute of Medicine School Meal Recommendations

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) made sweeping recommendations on ways to make school meals healthier in its report, School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children, issued in October 2009. The report was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of an initiative to improve the nutritional profile of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and to help children in developing healthy eating habits.Read more

Improving Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs - Final Rule

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to set new nutrition standards for all food served in schools. Drawing on recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 132,000 public comments to the proposed standards, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) released its final standards in January 2012.Read more