School Lunch
The National School Lunch Program serves nutritious meals to K-12 students at little or no cost. In California, all public schools must make at least one such meal per day available to any enrolled student who is determined eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.
CFPA Primary Contact
Markell Lewis
Nutrition Policy Advocate
Oakland Office
510.433.1122 ext. 107
markell@cfpa.net
School Lunch Updates & News
New Online Toolkit to Promote School Meals in CA
4.26.2013 School Food Services now have a great new resources available to help them promote their program – an online “Outreach Toolkit”! Read more here…
Students more likely to choose and eat sliced fruit!
4.22.2013 A study by Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab found that by simply slicing whole fruit, students were more likely to choose it and to eat it. Cafeteria staff used low-tech fruit sectionizers (available for around $200) to quickly slice whole apples Read more here…
Support USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools Proposal
3.29.2013 USDA wants to hear from YOU about their Smart Snacks in Schools proposed rule. Read more here…
USDA Flexible On Meat & Grain Requirements, Not Calories
12.14.2012 This week, USDA released a memo stating that for the rest of the 2012-13 school year, schools would still be in compliance with the new school lunch pattern even if they exceed weekly maximums for meat/meat alternate and/or grains. Read more here…
LAUSD's Nutrition Policy Gets a Thumbs Up
12.12.2012 LAUSD’s Board of Education unanimously votes to adopt the “Improving Food and Nutrition Policy,” a policy introduced by Board Member Zimmer and Board President Read more here…
Just Released - New School Meal Analysis
11.16.2012 CFPA’s school meal analysis describes student participation in the National School Lunch Program and federal School Breakfast Program, and the resulting fiscal impact Read more here…
Schools Encouraged to Offer Plant-Based Vegetarian Options
11.8.2012 California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division released a management bulletin entitled “Vegetarian Options in School Meals”. The bulletin outlines the variety of benefits of eating plant-centered vegetarian meals, Read more here…
Reports & Data
School Meals Analysis 2010-11
Participation data for school lunch and school breakfast link
Statewide School Meal Statistics
Participation data for school lunch and school breakfast (2009-10) PDF
Improving Water Consumption
Challenges, Promising Practices,
and Next Steps PDF
Useful Links
Nutrition Programs Primer
School-based programs module link
USDA Program Data
Available program data from USDA link
Menu Planning Examples
Offered by the CA Department of Education for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program link
USDA Provision 1, 2 & 3
For more information on Provision 1, Provision 2, and Provision3 visit USDA FNS link