FNS Documents & Resources

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.

Use these local school wellness policy tools and resources to bring your school community together to create strong school environments that support students’ growth, learning, and well-being.

The market basket costs in the Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 apply to the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia. By law, the USDA must make cost adjustments to the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect the cost of food in Alaska and Hawaii. The Thrifty Food Plan Cost Estimates for Alaska and Hawaii report provides updated estimates of the June 2022 cost of the reevaluated Thrifty Food Plan in Alaska and Hawaii.

Engage parents in school wellness using this ready-to-go communication tool. This flyer can help parents support the school wellness policy.

This document provides the initial study plan for the reevaluation of the Thrifty Food Plan, 2026. This initial study plan is based on information available as of April 2023. The USDA, FNS intends to publish a final study plan by early 2026.

This infographic encourages school districts to renew, strengthen, energize, and nourish their local school wellness policy efforts. Available in English and Spanish.

USDA Team Nutrition staff and guest speakers from South Carolina’s Local Wellness Policy State Technical Assistance Team and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shared how to energize, strengthen and assess local school wellness policies.

In September 2020, in response to a Congressional Directive, the USDA contracted with Insight Policy Research to conduct the Measuring the Cost of a Thrifty Food Plan in Puerto Rico study. The purpose of the study is to provide CNPP with options for measuring the cost of a TFP in Puerto Rico.

The Thrifty Food Plan, 2021 was released on Aug. 16, 2021. The TFP represents the cost of a nutritious, practical, cost-effective diet.