National School Lunch Program

National School Lunch Meal Pattern

Food Components Grade K-5 Grade 6-8 Grade 9-12
Milk 5 cups/week
(1 cup daily)		 5 cups/week
(1 cup daily)		 5 cups/week
(1 cup daily)
Meat or Meat Alternates
  • Weekly minimum
 8 oz equivalent/week
(1 oz daily minimum)		 9 oz equivalent/week
(1 oz daily minimum)		 10 oz equivalent/week
(2 oz daily minimum)
Vegetables (total)
  • Weekly minimum
 3¾ cups/week
(¾ cup daily minimum)		 3¾ cups/week
(¾ cup daily minimum)		 5 cups/week
(1 cup daily minimum)
• Dark Green subgroup ½ cup/week ½ cup/week ½ cup/week
• Red/Orange subgroup ¾ cup/week ¾ cup/week 1¼ cup/week
• Legumes subgroup ½ cup/week ½ cup/week ½ cup/week
• Starchy subgroup ½ cup/week ½ cup/week ½ cup/week
• Other subgroup ½ cup/week ½ cup/week ¾ cup/week
Fruits
  • Weekly minimum
 2½ cups/week
(½ cup daily minimum)		 2½ cups/week
(½ cup daily minimum)		 5 cups/week
(1 cup daily minimum)
Grains / Breads
  • Weekly minimum
  • At least half whole grain beginning School Year 2012-13
  • All whole grain beginning School Year 2014-15
 8 oz equivalent/week
(1 oz daily minimum)		 8 oz equivalent/week
(1 oz daily minimum)		 10 oz equivalent/week
(2 oz daily minimum)
Minimum - Maximum Calories (kcal)
  • Weekly average
 550 - 650 600 - 700 750 - 850
Saturated Fat (% of total calories)
  • Weekly average
 <?10% <?10% <?10%
Sodium**
  • Weekly average
 ≤935 mg* ≤1,035 mg* 1,080 mg*
Trans Fat 0 grams/serving 0 grams/serving 0 grams/serving

*Effective School Year 2017-18
**Increasingly restrictive targets in School Year 2022-23