*WINNER* The Benefits of Increased Funding for the National School Lunch Program in Elementary Schools

Abstract

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the United States exists to provide lunches to students in both public and private schools. Funding is dispersed among participating school systems. However, there is not enough funding given to schools, so schools are not able to provide a variety of nutrient-dense lunches, which then leads to lunches not being filling enough for students. The studies used for reference in this essay describe the benefits the NSLP has on student health, and support the claim that increasing funding for the NSLP will have a positive outcome on student health. Searching the keywords “NSLP funding”, “NSLP benefits”, “food insecurity”, and “NSLP nutritional standards” led to research articles that measured and assessed the benefits of the NSLP. This leads to the hypothesis that increasing funding for the NSLP will continue to result in beneficial outcomes for students; the research indicates that students will lead healthier lives with a lowered risk of disease. In conclusion, this essay will explore the data and will further support the needs and benefits of increasing the funding for the National School Lunch Program.