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: Eliminating the reduced price copay: Some low income families, particularly those with multiple school aged children, struggle to afford the daily reduced price copay for school breakfast (30 cents) and lunch (40 cents). Some school districts and states have elected to cover the cost of the reduced price copay to ensure these students receive healthy school meals at no charge. This tactic can reduce unpaid meal charges and increase school meal participation among students from low income families. Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a federal program that allows the nation’s highest poverty schools or districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Research shows school meals contribute to the health, attentiveness, behavior and academic success of students. Allowing all students to receive free meals ensures students have equal access to the benefits nutritious school meals while reducing program administrative costs. Back to the top
Cost to Produce School Meals
In light of rising food costs and the increased cost of producing school meals to meet updated nutrition standards, school nutrition professionals face a delicate balancing act to keep their programs in the black. SNA is calling on Congress to provide increased funding and regulatory flexibility to help school meal programs manage higher costs.