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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 | Technical Assistance & Guidance Manual de acreditación para el CACFP

El Manual de acreditación para el Programa de Alimentos para el Cuidado de Niños y Adultos (CACFP, por sus siglas en inglés) refleja los requisitos actualizados del patrón de comidas del CACFP.

FNS-425-S
08/07/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Crediting Handbook for CACFP

The Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program reflects the updated CACFP meal pattern requirements, which became effective October 2017.

FNS-425
05/08/2023
Resource | Policy Memos Meal Requirements Under the NSLP & SBP: Q&A for Program Operators Updated to Support the Transitional Standards Effective July 1, 2022

These questions and answers provide guidance for recently published transitional standards for milk, whole grains and sodium.

SP 05-2022
03/02/2022
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Mealtimes With Toddlers in the CACFP

Learn more about providing meals and snacks for toddlers by watching these short videos. 

878
02/24/2022
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance La hora de la comida con los niños de 1 a 2 años en el Programa de Alimentos para el Cuidado de Niños y Adultos

Esta herramienta de capacitación para los operadores del CACFP con bebés matriculados en su sitio de cuidado infantil cubre temas como el patrón de comidas para bebés, el desarrollo del bebé, las señales de hambre y de saciedad, el manejo y almacenamiento de la leche materna y la fórmula infantil, los alimentos sólidos, lo que es acreditable en el patrón de comidas para bebés y mucho más.

02/24/2022
Resource | Final Rule Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium - Final Rule

This final rule will establish transitional standards to support the continued provision of nutritious school meals as schools respond to and recover from the pandemic and while USDA engages in notice-and-comment rulemaking to update the meal pattern standards to more comprehensively reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

02/07/2022
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0150 Questions and Answers for the Child Nutrition Programs during SY 2020-21 – #5

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they transition to the upcoming school year. 

SP24 CACFP13 SFSP13-2020
08/21/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0077 Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

This memorandum supersedes policy memo SP 31-2013, “Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program,” dated March 27, 2013. This revision includes policy changes and general updates to outdated resources/website links and updated questions and answers.

SP41-2019
09/23/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0076 Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum clarifies juice and yogurt allowances based on the child care and preschool meal pattern updates and incorporates the meal pattern flexibilities related to flavored milk. The flavored milk flexibilities apply to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Milk Program for Children effective beginning in school year 2019-2020.

SP40 CACFP17 SFSP17-2019
09/23/2019
Page updated: October 14, 2021