Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Nutrition Standards for CACFP Meals and Snacks

Guidance, resources, best practices, and training for CACFP operators to support them in providing healthy, balanced meals and snacks to the children and adults they serve.

09/21/2023
Resource | Toolkits Tools for Schools

Tools for Schools offers topic-specific policy and resource materials to assist schools in meeting the new nutrition standards. Refer to the latest regulations, find free nutrition education curricula, or get ideas for adding tasty, kid-friendly foods to enhance your school meals program.

05/16/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Proposed Updates to the School Nutrition Standards

This proposed rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans - is the next step in continuing the science-based improvement of school meals and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security.

05/01/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance Proposed Implementation Timeline for Nutrition Standards

The proposed rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans - is the next step in an ongoing effort toward healthier school meals that USDA and the broader school meals community have been partnering on for well over a decade.  This table is a reference tool for stakeholders to visualize the proposed implementation timeline.

04/26/2023
Resource | Federal Register Documents Comment Request on Proposed Rule: Child Nutrition Programs - Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 DGAs

This rulemaking proposes long-term school nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, and feedback the USDA received from child nutrition program stakeholders during a robust stakeholder engagement campaign. 

03/29/2023
Resource | Webinars/Videos School Meals Standards: 2023 Proposed Rule Stakeholder Briefing

FNS held a stakeholder briefing that outlines the changes the proposed rule, entitled “Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” makes to the school meals nutrition standards.

02/14/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance School Nutrition Standards Media Toolkit

Media toolkit for USDA proposed updates to the school nutrition standards in a few key areas to give kids the right balance of nutrients for healthy and appealing meals. 

01/31/2023
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Child Nutrition Program Operations Study, School Year 2017-18

The Child Nutrition Program Operations Study is a multiyear study series that provides the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service with current information on National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program policies, practices, and needs from state agencies and school food authorities. Specifically, it covers policies related to school nutrition service operations, financial management, meal counting, eligibility, nutrition standards, and personnel. Results inform child nutrition program management and policy development. This study in the series covers school year 2017–18.

11/03/2022
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Nutrition Standards for School Meals

This page contains regulations, policy memos, and other guidance materials relating to the nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

03/11/2022
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings in USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (SNACS)

Centers and family daycare homes participating in CACFP play an important role in supporting the health and wellness of the children they serve. The Study of Nutrition and Activity in Childcare Settings  is the first nationally representative, comprehensive assessment of the CACFP. Data were collected in program year 2016–17 from CACFP providers and participating children on nutritional quality of meals served, nutrient intake of participating children, meal costs and revenues, and more. Findings serve as an important baseline for the subsequent updates to the meal pattern and nutrition standards, which were implemented in October 2017. 

10/25/2021
Page updated: October 14, 2021