FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum is meant to provide clarification and guidance on policies and procedures for donated food storage and distribution as they relate to product dating.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the final rule, Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments in the Federal Register (79 FR 71155) on Dec. 1, 2014.

This memorandum clarifies FNS policy regarding the calorie and nutrient requirements for meals planned using alternate menu planning approaches.

It has come to our attention that there may be some confusion concerning fluid milk, and how it is offered in reimbursable lunches. Under all menu planning approaches, fluid milk is a separate food component/menu item.

This memorandum provides instructions on how to reconcile the physical inventory conducted at a distributing agency- or subdistributing agency-level storage facility with the book inventory required to be maintained for that facility.

This memorandum provides guidance on how to reconcile physical and book inventories as part of the required annual physical inventory of distributing agency and sub-distributing agency storage facilities, and provides guidance on offsetting inventory shortages and overages that are identified during the reconciliation process.

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the recent regulatory changes, and to provide interim guidance for taking additional actions in advance of further regulatory amendments. 

This final rule makes a number of technical changes to the regulations governing the National School Lunch Program, the Special Milk Program for Children, the School Breakfast Program, state administrative expense funds, determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals and free milk in schools.

The National School Lunch Act requires that schools that are participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs claim reimbursements only for lunches or breakfasts which meet the nutrition standards of the National School Lunch Act, including compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 made a number of changes to the National School Lunch Act which governs the waiver process in the child nutrition programs. This memorandum identifies the changes and provides guidance to be used in developing and submitting waiver requests to the child nutrition division.