Skip to main content

USDA Support for School Meals

USDA works with states and school nutrition professionals to provide kids with nutritious school meals that support their health and well-being. We have offered schools across the country nearly $13.2 billion in financial support since January 2021. Learn more below.

  • Purchasing Foods

    two school meal professional inspecting a delivery of oranges
    • Nearly $4.1 billion in supply chain assistance funds for schools to purchase domestic foods.
    • $1.125 billion to offset emergency operating costs for school lunch during the COVID public health emergency.
    • Nearly $700 million for states to purchase local foods for schools through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program.
    dollar sign example

    Total

    $5.9 Billion
  • Supporting Program Operations

    woman working in a school cafeteria opening an oven
    • Provided schools $0.50 more per lunch and $0.18 more per breakfast for school year (SY) 2023-24, compared to the base reimbursement rates for SY 2022-23, through annual inflation adjustments and supply chain assistance (see Purchasing Foods above).
    • Extra reimbursements of $0.61 per lunch and $0.29 per breakfast served in SY 2022-23, through annual inflation adjustments and the Keep Kids Fed Act.
    • Extra average reimbursement of $0.84 per lunch and $0.26 per breakfast served in SY 2021-22, through reimbursement of Seamless Summer Option meals at the Summer Food Service Program rates.
    • $600,000 to support trainings that will improve food safety knowledge and communications for school nutrition professionals.

    *$7.0 billion does not include costs associated with annual inflation adjustments under normal program rules, nor the supply chain assistance funds under “Purchasing Foods.”

    dollar sign example

    Total

    Nearly $7.0 Billion*
  • Sparking Innovation & Modernization

    a teacher and two students smiling in front of their plates
    dollar sign example

    Total

    $210 Million
  • Improving Meal Quality

    a school meal professional standing next to two smiling girls holding lunch trays
    dollar sign example

    Total

    $115 Million
Page updated: October 15, 2024