Free and Reduced Meal Program
The USDA School Nutrition Program is a partnership between families, schools, and the federal government to make sure every child has access to healthy meals at school. Whitehall School District serves two meals a day, breakfast and lunch.
The USDA program is funded through tax dollars that working families contribute to, so participating is making use of a benefit you have already helped to pay for. When families participate, our schools also benefit. Each approved application brings more funding into the district, which means better meal options, fresher food, and stronger local programs that serve all students, not just those who qualify.
For families, this program can ease the burden of rising grocery prices and give peace of mind knowing that children are getting nutritious meals that fuel learning. In short, this program is about ensuring that our children are well-nourished and ready to learn.
USDA established 2025-2026 meal prices:
Breakfast (self-pay or not eligible for program) $2.06
Breakfast (reduced) $0.30 price for meal, savings of $1.76 per breakfast
Breakfast (free) $0.00
Lunch (self-pay or not eligible for program) $4.16
Lunch (reduced) $0.40 price for meal, savings of $3.76 per lunch
Lunch (free) $0.00
Extra milk (self-pay/reduced/free) $0.48
Second helping of lunch (self-pay/reduced/free) $2.00
The income guidelines for the school nutrition program for 25-26 are below. If you believe your family may qualify, please apply by accessing the application at this link: https://dca.opi.mt.gov/FRApp?sponsorNum=0453