Did you know that school lunch is available to all students no matter what their family income is? School lunch is a healthy meal, and it usually costs less to buy a school lunch than to bring a lunch of the same nutritional value from home.

• Children from households with incomes at or below 130% of the poverty level get free school lunches.
• Children in households with incomes between 130% and 185% of poverty level can buy school lunches at a reduced price.
• Children from higher income families pay full price for meals. The price is very reasonable.

School lunches are getting better all the time.

• The meals include foods that give your child energy needed for classroom work and playtime.
• Healthy foods are included -- milk, fruit, vegetables, grains, and meat, chicken or fish. Children get the nutrients they need to grow strong and to focus on learning.
• The people who plan the school menus try very hard to include foods that children like so they enjoy lunch and eat all of it.

Eating school lunch is good for your child.

• Well-fed children do better in their classroom work, and they get along better with their classmates.
• Children who eat school lunch drink fewer high-sugar beverages, and get fewer calories from chips, salty snacks, and candy.
• Eating school lunch does not seem to affect your child's risk of obesity.
• School lunch sometimes includes foods that are new to your child. Trying new foods is an important part of what they learn at school.

If you want to enroll in the school lunch program, contact your school nutrition department to fill out a school meal application.

To learn more about school lunch and other food programs in your child's school, check out this website: Maryland Public Schools.

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