FNS Documents & Resources

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

We have been asked whether to adopt for food stamp benefit purposes the $48.17 average cost for prescription drug purchases that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) calculated. The answer is yes, with some caveats. We have prepared two new Q&As to outline how this should work.

We received a question as to how to treat disaster relief employment income received from a National Emergency Grant.

This notice announces a proposed Food Guidance System for the food guide's graphic presentation and education materials.

This report presents historical data on the nutrient content of the U.S. food supply. The data and trends presented in this report are invaluable for monitoring the potential of the food supply to meet nutritional needs; for examining relationships between food supplies, diet, and health; and for examining dietary trends of Americans.

The changes in this interim rule are primarily designed to improve Program operations and monitoring at the state and institution levels and, where possible, to streamline and simplify Program requirements for state agencies and institutions.

This notice announces the annual adjustments to: the national average payment rates for meals and supplements served in child care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and adult day care centers; the food service payment rates for meals and supplements served in day care homes; and the administrative reimbursement rates for sponsoring organizations of day care homes, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index.

This final rule makes a technical change to the regulations governing the nutrient analysis of meals served under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs.

This notice announces the national average value of donated foods or, where applicable, cash in lieu of donated foods, to be provided in school year 2005 (July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005) for each lunch served by schools participating in the National School Lunch Program, and for each lunch and supper served by institutions participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

This notice announces the Food and Nutrition Service's intent to continue a demonstration project through June 30, 2007, that allows selected processors to substitute commercial beef and pork for donated beef and pork supplied by the Department of Agriculture.