Our Mission: CHILD NUTRITION    Shelby County Schools participates in the National School Lunch (NSL) and School Breakfast Programs (NSB). The United States Department of Agriculture administers these programs and has established guidelines that must be followed by the District.   School lunch, as it is known today, came into being in 1946 as a result of the National School Lunch Act. That law was intended to safeguard the health and well being of the nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities.   The School Breakfast Program began as a pilot program under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. We currently serve breakfast in over 50% of our schools.   NSL guidelines specify the type of meal to be served and the quantities of each food that must be offered. The school lunch provides 1/3 of the recommended daily dietary allowance for children ages 6-12 and sufficient calories to provide for the energy needs of growing children. An emphasis is placed on vegetables and fresh fruit. A variety of low fat milk choices are offered daily. The nutritive value of each item is evaluated so healthy choices are available to students but still provide familiar and desired foods.