In 2008, the National School Lunch Program, or NSLP, served lunches to more than 50 percent of American children. Schools are required to meet the nutritional requirements of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA .
Calories
The number of calories in school lunches varies from day to day and depends on what is served. In order to meet the requirements set forth by the USDA, the calories in an average school lunch must be at least 1/3 of the daily caloric requirements.
Vitamins and Minerals
School lunches should provide children with 1/3 of their calories for the day, and they are also required to provide 1/3 of the Daily Reference Intakes for protein and several vitamins and minerals. These vitamins and minerals include: calcium, iron, vitamin C and vitamin A.
Fat and Sodium
In order to comply with the requirements of the NSLP, less than 30 percent of the calories in an average school lunch should come from fat, and less than 10 percent should come from saturated fat. According to the Institute of Medicine, there are currently no minimum or maximum requirements for sodium in school lunches.
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