{"id":13519,"date":"2024-10-15T19:29:29","date_gmt":"2024-10-15T19:29:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/virginia\/?p=13519"},"modified":"2024-10-15T19:29:29","modified_gmt":"2024-10-15T19:29:29","slug":"hoist-the-sails-for-national-school-lunch-week-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/state.nokidhungry.org\/virginia\/2024\/10\/15\/hoist-the-sails-for-national-school-lunch-week-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Hoist the Sails for National School Lunch Week 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy National School Lunch Week!\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Across Virginia<\/span>, students, school nutrition professionals, and families are joining together to celebrate National School Lunch Week<\/a>. Established in 1962, this annual event highlights the crucial role school lunches play in supporting children both inside and outside the classroom. But why is school lunch so important?<\/span><\/p>\n

Research shows that school meals provide children with half of their daily energy intake, making them a key source of nutrition. School meals are also proven to be healthier than those brought from home or bought elsewhere\u2014students who participate in school lunch programs tend to consume more fruits, vegetables, and milk. The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a powerful tool in the fight against food insecurity, which is directly linked to negative health and educational outcomes.<\/span><\/p>\n

No Kid Hungry Virginia<\/span>\u00a0helps ensure that children receive the three daily meals they need to grow up healthy, happy, and strong by supporting school meal programs. These programs are essential to feeding children across the nation. Every day, more than 95,000 schools and institutions across the United States serve lunch to 28.6 million students, including:<\/span><\/p>\n