--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The federal government spends about $2.51…" description: "\"The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay for labor, facilities, and administrative ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg" --- # The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per… ![“The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay for labor, facilities, and administrative costs, leaving about a dollar for food. Imagine trying to feed yourself a nutritious meal every day with only a dollar. Very difficult.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg) > “The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay for labor, facilities, and administrative costs, leaving about a dollar for food. Imagine trying to feed yourself a nutritious meal every day with only a dollar. Very difficult.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The government allocates roughly $2.51 per child daily for school lunch, but after overhead costs only about $1 remains for actual food, highlighting the difficulty of feeding a nutritious meal on such a budget. **In simple terms:** A dollar per day is barely enough for a healthy lunch. Key Takeaway Recognize the hidden costs in public services. Themes education nutrition public policy Mood concerned thoughtful Type informative analytical When to use this quote - school lunch planning - family budgeting - policy advocacy Key Concepts budgeting food insecurity government spending Questions to Reflect On - How could efficiency be improved? - What alternatives exist for low‑cost nutrition? A Different Perspective The figure may vary by region and year. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Administrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/administrative/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Costs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costs/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Dollar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollar/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Facilities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facilities/) [Federal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal/) [Federal government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/federal-government/) [Feed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feed/) [Feed Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feed-lunch-3340954/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government Spends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-spends-959065/) [Imagine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagine/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunch/) [Lunch Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lunch-pay-3340955/) [Meal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meal/) [Meal Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meal-day-587050/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Per](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/per/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Spends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spends/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [The problem is government spends too much. So raising taxes is what politicians do, instead of reducing spending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grover-norquist/the-problem-is-government-spends-too-much-so-raising-taxes-is-what/) [Grover Norquist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grover-norquist/) > [There is a role for government, but no matter how much money the government spends, it will never be able to take the place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/there-is-a-role-for-government-but-no-matter-how-much-money-the/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [We must have government that spends less and does less.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-coburn/we-must-have-government-that-spends-less-and-does-less/) [Tom Coburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-coburn/) > [The U.S. military has done a phenomenal job of creating these facilities almost over-night and dealing with these sworn enemies of America with more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-u-s-military-has-done-a-phenomenal-job-of-creating-these/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't eat breakfast. I know it's the most important meal of the day but my body doesn't respond to it well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-indelicato/i-don-t-eat-breakfast-i-know-it-s-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day/) [Mark Indelicato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-indelicato/) > [I take small meals three times a day - Breakfast at 6 or 7 A.M., let my body digest what I eat, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnel-pineda/i-take-small-meals-three-times-a-day-breakfast-at-6-or-7-a-m-let-my/) [Arnel Pineda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnel-pineda/) > [One meal a day is enough for a lion, and it ought to be for a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-fordyce/one-meal-a-day-is-enough-for-a-lion-and-it-ought-to-be-for-a-man/) [George Fordyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-fordyce/) > [Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you feed yourself what your body needs when it needs it, that's love. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-freston/breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day-when-you-feed/) [Kathy Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-freston/) > [Once abroad, I eat one meal a day picnic-style: Ive learned that no mature stomach can tolerate an endless routine of rich restaurant meals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frommer/once-abroad-i-eat-one-meal-a-day-picnic-style-ive-learned-that-no/) [Arthur Frommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frommer/) > [One meal a day is enough for a lion and would be for all of us if all we did all day was swat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/one-meal-a-day-is-enough-for-a-lion-and-would-be-for-all-of-us-if-all/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; this is where most people will make their first big mistake if they're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-hall/breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day-this-is-where-most/) [Eddie Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-hall/) > [I love bread and would happily eat it for every meal of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-morocco/i-love-bread-and-would-happily-eat-it-for-every-meal-of-the-day/) [Chris Morocco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-morocco/) > [“Nearly everyone wants as least one outstanding meal a day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-hines/nearly-everyone-wants-as-least-one-outstanding-meal-a-day/) [Duncan Hines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-hines/) > [Food is the most important meal of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/food-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“lunch (not breakfast) is the most important meal of the day,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-pink/lunch-not-breakfast-is-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day/) [Daniel H. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-pink/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay for labor, facilities, and administrative costs, leaving about a dollar for food. Imagine trying to feed yourself a nutritious meal every day with only a dollar. Very difficult.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51-per-child-per-day-to-feed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51-per-child-per-day-to-feed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/anonymous-1_about_the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51_364756.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The federal government spends about $2.51 per child per day to feed them lunch. Out of that, you have to pay…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The federal government spends about $2.51...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51-per-child-per-day-to-feed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-federal-government-spends-about-2-51-per-child-per-day-to-feed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```