<human>:  When did the National School meal program start?
<bot>: The National School Lunch Program began in 1946. The goal of the program was to help ensure that children had access to nutritious meals during the school day. The program was established to address the problem of children not having enough to eat during the school day. The program was initially funded by the National School Lunch Act of 1946, which was passed by Congress. The law was amended in the 1980s and 1990s to provide more funding for the program.