FNS Documents & Resources

Healthy Eating Index scores range from 0 to 100 and are a measure of diet quality used to assess how well a set of foods aligns with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. A higher score is ideal. The FDPIR Food Package scores an 84. This is higher than the average U.S. diet, which scores a 59.

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.

This factsheet explains how USDA Foods support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the school meal pattern requirements to make it easier for schools to prepare healthy meals using local foods.

A helpful resource for anyone managing school vending machines, fundraisers, or snack bars to better understand the smart snacks standards.

A compilation of resources for operators of USDA Foods in Schools and child nutrition programs.  

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 was released on December 29, 2020. These are the 9th edition of the Dietary Guidelines.

 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans can help us all eat healthy, be healthy, and save.

A number of tools and resources are available to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. See the resources below for information about the Smart Snacks requirement, helpful tools, and ways to encourage children to make healthier snack choices that give them the nutrition they need to grow and learn.

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. 

This is the third in a series of Questions and Answers related to the interim final rule titled, National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.