Title: School Meal Trends & Stats
Headings: School Meal Trends & Stats
School Meal Trends & Stats
School Meals During the Pandemic
Benefits of School Meals
Participation, Meals Served and Program Cost
SBP Annual Cost:
Reimbursement Rates
NSLP Reimbursement Rates for the 2020-21 School Year:
SBP Reimbursement Rates for the 2020-21 School Year:
Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals
School Meal Prices and Unpaid Meals
Unpaid meals and charge policies:
Eliminating the reduced price copay:
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP):
Cost to Produce School Meals
Breakdown in costs:
Typical expenses:
Lunch Period Scheduling

Content: Lunch
Breakfast
Elementary
$2.48
$1.46
Middle
$2.68
$1.53
High
$2.74
$1.55
Unpaid meals and charge policies: No one wants a child to go hungry or feel shame – especially those working in school cafeterias. School nutrition professionals work throughout the year to enroll struggling families in the free and reduced price meal program and to make the cafeteria a welcoming, safe space for students. School meals are as critical to learning as textbooks and teachers. To ensure every student is nourished and ready to learn, SNA advocates for providing all students school meals at no charge. Unfortunately, federal school meal funds only cover the full cost of meals served to students eligible for free meals. Schools must charge all other students to cover food, labor and other costs. In 2017, USDA regulations mandated that schools implement unpaid meal policies clarifying what happens when a student cannot pay for a meal. Schools have latitude on what types of policies they develop. Policies may limit the number of times students can charge a meal or offer students a free, lower-cost alternate meal, such as a cheese sandwich, fruit and milk.