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(877) TEX-MEAL (Se habla Español)
Public Resources > School Nutrition Eligibility
School Nutrition Eligibility for Households
What Food Programs Are Available for Households with School-Age Children?
Determine If You're Eligible

Qualified school-age students from low-income households may receive nutritious meals through programs managed by the Food and Nutrition Division at the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Two programs provide no cost and reduced-price meals at schools:

  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
  • School Breakfast Program (SBP)


Summer Meal Programs offer no cost breakfast and/or lunch during summer.


Not all schools participate in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Programs. Some schools operate their own programs separate from TDA and USDA. Be sure to check with your school to determine what programs they operate.


FAQ for Households - Use the + Button to Expand Each Section
Are my children eligible for no cost or reduced-price meals through their school?  Maximize 
Your children may qualify for no cost or reduced-price meals if your household income is within the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines, which are based on federal poverty guidelines. You can use the School Nutrition Program Income Eligibility Form to the right to see if your children qualify based on income.

Your children may also qualify for no cost or reduced-price meals if your household or children in your home participate in certain assistance programs:

  • All children in the household are eligible if any person in the household receives Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF or welfare) benefits.
  • Individual children may qualify if the child in your household is a foster child under the legal responsibility of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or a court. 
  • Individual children may qualify if the child is a student enrolled in Head Start, is homeless or a runaway, or is a member of a migrant family.

If you do not currently qualify, any change in employment status or participation in one of the programs listed above may cause all children or some children in the household to be eligible for no cost or reduced-price meals. If that occurs, you may submit a new application based on the change of circumstances.


Summer Meal Programs


In addition, Summer Meal Programs are open to all kids and teens 18 and under at locations across Texas. Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities, over age 18, who participate in school programs for people who are mentally or physically disabled.  Find a site near you here.



What is the definition of a household and how does it affect my eligibility?  Maximize 

A household is defined as a group of related or unrelated individuals who are not residents of an institution or boarding house but who are living as one economic unit. This means they generally reside in the same house and share expenses such as rent, utilities and food.

For example, if a parent and child are living with the child’s grandparent, the grandparent’s income would be considered as part of the household income in determining if the child meets the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.

In the case of joint custody where the child physically changes residence, the child is considered part of the household where he/she resides. If both parents apply for benefits under the same local education agency for the child and different eligibility statues result, the greatest benefit level is used. For example, if the mother’s situation results in eligibility for no cost meals but the father’s application is denied, the child would receive no cost meals regardless of which parent had custody at the time.


What items are included as part of a school lunch or breakfast and do my children have
to select everything offered?  Maximize 

Schools meals are required to meet specific nutrition standards for a site to operate a school meal program.

Students may decline to take any food item served to them. This includes the meals elementary and middle school students receive that are pre-plated. However, if a student declines to take certain food items, the meal may not qualify as a no cost or reduced-price meal.

High school students must be given a choice of food items—not pre-plated meals. This choice allows the students to take or decline food items they do not intended to eat. However, if a student does not take certain food items, the meal may not qualify as a no cost or reduced-price meal.

The school will place signs in the meal service area, so students will know what items they need to take for a meal to qualify as a no cost or reduced-price meal. Schools also have the option to give elementary and middle school students a choice of food items instead of pre-plated meals.



Are schools required to make menu substitutions for children who cannot eat the regular
lunch or breakfast?
 Maximize 

National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program are required to make reasonable accommodations for children who are unable to eat the meal as prepared. This requirement applies when the household provides a medical statement from a medical practitioner indicating the child has a medical disability that requires a meal modification. Meal modifications include, but are not limited to, offering different food items, special diets, and food texture modifications to individual food items. 

Schools are not required to provide meal accommodations for non-disability reasons. However, a school may do so as long as the school provides the same accommodation to all students. Information about the school allowing these types of modifications must be provided to all households.

Contact your local school or school district for more information on the process the school uses to provide accommodations. Please note, a school may have a special form for this purpose.



How do I apply for food help for school-age children?  Maximize 

Submit an application with your school. You can do this at the beginning of the school year or any time your circumstances/income changes.



Are there other programs my household may qualify for?  Maximize 

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call 877-TEX-MEAL (877-839-6325) for help. Additional translations services available as well.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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