It is National School Lunch Program Week. National School Lunch Week (abbreviated as NSLW) is celebrated each year in October. It was created by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to promote the National School Lunch Program (abbreviated as NSLP) and the healthy school meals included in it.
School lunch is very important for children. Students who receive free or reduced-price school lunches are less likely to be food insecure (not knowing where their next meal will come from), have reduced obesity rates, and have better overall health. Research shows that by participating in the NSLP, children are more likely to learn better, because they are no longer hungry. Children who experience hunger in school have lower math scores, lower grades, and are more likely to be hyperactive, absent, and tardy.
The NSLP provides nutrients to children who may otherwise be at risk of not getting enough of nutrients from particular foods or food groups. For example, research shows that low-income students that participate in both the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program have a much better diet than those who do not. Students who participate are consuming more fruits and vegetables as a result of the school meal nutrition standards that are part of the NSLP, requiring schools to serve whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in meals in accordance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americas. A table of the meal pattern required by the NSLP can be found on the USDA website. In addition, it is estimated that just by participating in the NSLP, those who receive free or reduced-price meals experience reduction in obesity rates by 17%!