The governing board of any school district may provide, without charge or at a reduced price, breakfasts for pupils within the district who are needy. The governing board may provide, without charge or at a reduced price, lunches for pupils who are needy. The governing board of any school district may provide, without charge, lunches for any or all other pupils whether they are needy or not, provided that the governing board has so provided such lunches without charge to all pupils of the district during the 1962–63 school year. The governing board of any school district may provide, without charge or at a reduced price, other nutrition periods during the schoolday during which foods or beverages, or both, are served to pupils.
For purposes of this article a pupil who is “needy” is one who meets the definition in Section 49552.
As used in this article “school meals” includes breakfasts, lunches, or the serving of foods or beverages, or both, during other nutrition periods, or any combination thereof.