National School Lunch Program

Students can refuel during the school day with a FREE lunch that includes food options from five food groups: 

• Fruit
• Vegetable
• Whole Grain
• Protein
• Milk

At lunch, students may select food from three, four, or all five of the food groups to complete their meal. At least one of these choices must be from the fruit or vegetable group. Students may choose milk but it is not required.

Lunch Food Groups & Examples of Items

Proteins	Whole Grains	Vegetables	Fruit	Milk
Beef Chicken Pork Yogurt Cheese Peanut Butter	Bread Varieties (sliced bread, buns, muffins) Pasta Rice Breading	Fresh Frozen Canned Subgroup Requirements Dark Green Red/Orange Legumes Starch Other	Fresh Cupped (in natural juices) Dried Juice (100% fruit)	Low-fat & Fat-free Unflavored Fat-free Chocolate Lactose Free Unflavored