In addition to the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture allows for dairy products to be served to school-aged children through the lesser-known, but still important, after-school snack module.

Schools serve the snacks mostly to kids in low-income areas and must offer two out of four food groups: milk, meat/meat alternates, grains or fruits and vegetables. Similar to the lunch and breakfast programs, cheese and yogurt qualify as meat alternates.

To learn more, read the March edition of USDA's Amber Waves or visit the Food Research and Action Center.