Nutrition Requirements

Breakfast Nutrition Requirements

To meet the requirements of the National School Breakfast Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following three food components:

  • Grains/Bread - 2 servings
  • Fruit - 2 servings (a fruit and a juice)
  • Milk

A student must take at least three items for the breakfast to be counted under the National School Breakfast Program. One item must be a serving of fruit or a juice.

Students (whether paid, reduced, or free) taking fewer than three items must be charged a la carte prices, as those items would not meet the requirements under the program.

Lunch Nutrition Requirements

To meet the requirements of the National School Lunch Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following five food components:

  • Meat/Meat Alternative
  • Grains/Bread
  • Vegetable
  • Fruit
  • Milk

A student must take at least three of the five required food components and one of them must be a fruit or a vegetable for the lunch to be counted under the National School Lunch Program.

Students (whether paid, reduced, or free) taking fewer than three components must be charged a la carte prices, as those items would not meet the requirements under the program.