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. The department has offered schools across the country nearly $13.7 billion in financial since January 2021. Learn more below.

• Purchasing Foods

  

  • Nearly $3.8 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 $178 million for states to purchase local foods for schools through the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program.

  

  Total

  $5.1 Billion

• Supporting Program Operations

  

  • Provided schools $0.50 more per lunch and $0.18 more per breakfast for school year (SY) 2023-24, compared to last school year's base reimbursement rates, through annual inflation adjustments and supply chain assistance.
  • Extra reimbursements of $0.43 - $0.68 per lunch and $0.17 - $0.32 per breakfast served in SY 2022-23, and reimbursement of seamless summer option meals at the SFSP rates, providing an extra $0.50 - $1.12 per lunch and $0.06 - $0.42 per breakfast in SY 2021-22.
  • $600,000 to support trainings that will improve food safety knowledge and communications for school nutrition professionals.

  *$8.3 billion does not include extra reimbursements for SY 2023-24, as data for the full SY is not yet available.

  

  Total

  Nearly $8.3 Billion *

• Sparking Innovation & Modernization

  

  • $150 million for Equipment Assistance Grants to help schools buy kitchen equipment.
  • $50 million to increase collaboration between schools, food producers and suppliers, and other partners to develop nutritious, appetizing school meals, through the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative.
  • $20 million for School Breakfast Program Expansion Grants to grow school breakfast programs in the U.S. states and territories.

  

  Total

  $210 Million

• Improving Meal Quality

  

  • $34 million to provide nutritious, local foods and agricultural education through expanded Farm to School engagement.
  • $30 million to improve the nutritional quality of meals at 264 small and/or rural school districts, through the Healthy Meals Incentives Initiative.
  • Nearly $28 million in Team Nutrition Training Grants to support nutrition education and training for schools.

  

  Total

  $82 Million