On Dec. 2, 1969, the White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health (WHC) was a seminal event that influenced the nutrition agenda for the next several decades. The WHC brought together stakeholders from the policy arena, academia, and civil society. The conference produced ∼1800 recommendations, of which 1650 were implemented within 2 years of the WHC.

The landmark conference led eventually to the nationwide expansion of food stamps and the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); creation of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); permanent authorization of the National School Breakfast Program; and sowed the seeds for food-based dietary guidelines and nutrition labeling.

The early post-WHC controversies about the NSLP revolved around access to lunch, particularly for poor children, because historically the programs at the turn of the 20th century on which it was based were designed to feed poor immigrant and other children in cities like New York. Fortunately, this battle was won with the expansion of the NSLP and the later legislation that added the National School Breakfast Program targeted specifically to poor children.