National School Nutrition Programs Reimbursement Rates for Fiscal Year 2026

To:	Local Education Agencies
From:	Robert M. Leshin, Director, Office for Food and Nutrition Programs
Date:	August 20, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the reimbursement rates for School Food Service Programs effective July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026 (SY 25-26). Breakfasts and lunches will continue to be counted and claimed by the income eligibility category and reimbursed at the federal "free" rate. The state share is based on a state matching funds formula established at the federal level.

The USDA Foods assistance level is at $0.45 per lunch served for 2023-2024. The published per meal rate from the Federal Register for SY 2023-2024 is .30 cents: an increase from the rate of .2950 in SY 2022-2023. The per meal rate (.30 cents) plus the 12 percent provision dollars and the 20 million breakfast dollars make the effective NSLP rate .45 cents for SY 2023-24.

**National School Lunch Program**
Lunch	Reimbursement Rates State Share	Reimbursement Rates Federal Share	Reimbursement Rates Total	Performance-Based Federal Share	Performance-Based Total
Paid Lunch	$0.05	$0.44	$0.49	$0.09	$0.58
Reduced Price Lunch	$0.05	$4.20	$4.25	$0.09	$4.34
Free Lunch	$0.05	$4.60	$4.65	$0.09	$4.74

Federal Severe Need Lunch Rate — Schools in which 60% or more of the lunches served in SY 23-24 were free or reduced price will receive an additional 2 cents per lunch for all reimbursable lunches.

Performance-Based Certification Rate — School Food Authorities that meet the requirements outlined in the final rule for Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch Program and approved will receive an additional 9 cents for each reimbursable lunch.

**School Breakfast Program**
Breakfast	Federal non-severe Reimbursement	Federal Severe Need Reimbursement
Paid Breakfast	$0.40	$0.40
Reduced Price Breakfast	$2.16	$2.64
Free Breakfast	$2.46	$2.94

School Breakfast Program — A "severe need breakfast school" is one in which 40% of lunches served through SY23-24 were free or reduced price eligible. Severe Need Breakfast schools will be eligible for up to $0.095 of state funds for each reimbursable breakfast for breakfast costs that exceed Federal Severe Need Reimbursement. These designated schools must provide documentation of costs through the monthly claim process to receive this additional state reimbursement.

Special Milk reimbursement is $0.2675 per half pint. Special milk recipients may not participate in other child nutrition programs. Pricing programs with the free milk option receive the average cost per pint for eligible students.

After School Snack Reimbursement ("All Free Snacks" are reimbursed at the Free Rate of $1.26).

**After School Snack Program**
Snack	Reimbursement
Paid Snack	$0.11
Reduced Price Snack	$0.63
Free Snack	$1.26

Adult Meal Pricing Guidelines — Adult meal charges must be priced at the Federal reimbursement for a free student lunch plus the USDA Foods per meal value; inclusive of covering the cost of preparing and serving the meal and must be charged state meals tax.

Paid Lunch Equity in Meal Pricing — Pursuant to FY 2026 State Budget funding, school meals will be free of charge this school year.

The USDA Foods assistance level (the NSLP rate) is $0.45 per lunch served for SY 25-26. The published per meal rate from the Federal Register for SY 25-26 is $0.3050 cents: an increase from the rate of $0.30 in SY 24-25.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Last Updated: August 25, 2025