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Resource | Policy Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Programs - Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs

On April 25, 2024, FNS published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule includes minor updates to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program to better align Child Nutrition Program requirements. These updates represent continued progress toward supporting the nutrition quality of school meals, strengthening the Child Nutrition Programs, and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security. 

SP 19-2024, CACFP 07-2024, SFSP 12-2024
05/17/2024
Resource | Federal Register Documents Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs

This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings.

04/24/2024
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 | Research | Food/Nutrient Analysis Added Sugars in School Meals and Competitive Foods

This report responds to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which directs the FNS to provide a report on the amount of added sugars in school meals.

08/11/2022
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Evaluation of the Direct Certification with Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (DCM-F/RP) Demonstrations, Year 2

This report examines the impact of using Medicaid data to directly certify students for free and reduced-price school meals in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs in 15 states in school year 2017-18. Certification, participation and reimbursement outcomes for Cohort 1 states in their second year of implementation and Cohort 2 states in their first year of implementation are discussed.

09/15/2020
Resource | Comment Request Comment Request - WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Study 2020 and 2022

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection for the WIC Participant and Program Characteristics study.

03/22/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2018-0004 Providing Child Nutrition Program Benefits to Disaster Survivor Evacuees

This memorandum provides a reminder overview of options available under current program policy and regulation for connecting children and adult survivors, who have evacuated from areas subject to major disaster and emergency declarations, and may be staying in shelters, with child nutrition program benefits.

SP 05-2018, CACFP 05-2018
01/19/2018
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0026 2017 Edition: Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge - Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools

This is the 2017 Edition of Overcoming the Unpaid Meal Challenge: Proven Strategies from Our Nation’s Schools. This best practice guide is designed to support state agencies and local program operators in their efforts to find workable solutions to the challenge of unpaid meal charges.

SP29-2017
05/10/2017
Resource | Notices Comment Request - Evaluation of the Direct Certification With Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price (DCM-F/RP) Meals Demonstrations

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection. This is a new collection for the Evaluation of the Direct Certification with Medicaid for Free and Reduced-Price Meals Demonstrations.

02/24/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0042 Ensuring Access to Free and Reduced Price School Meals for Low-Income Students

This guidance provides steps state agencies and school administrators can take to improve access to school meal programs through the application, certification, and verification processes so that all eligible children in NSLP and SBP schools have the opportunity to participate in the school meal programs.

SP43-2016
08/10/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021