Which 1946 U.S. law created the National School Lunch Program?

The 1946 U.S. law that created the National School Lunch Program was the National School Lunch Act.

President Harry S. Truman signed the act on June 4, 1946. It established federal support for low-cost or free meals served to eligible students through participating schools. Before the law, school-lunch funding was mainly local or provided through less targeted federal assistance.

The legislation had two major goals: improving children’s access to nutritious food and creating a market for agricultural commodities. Federal reimbursements and donated food helped schools operate lunch programs that many communities could not otherwise afford.

The program has been amended repeatedly as nutrition standards, food prices, eligibility rules, and school-meal policies changed. In 1999, the law was renamed the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, honoring the senator who supported its passage.