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.

USDA produces four food plans outlining practical, nutritious diets at successively higher cost levels: the Thrifty, Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans. The Thrifty Food Plan serves as the basis for maximum allotments in SNAP.

The Healthy Eating Index is a measure of diet quality used to assess how well a set of foods aligns with key recommendations and dietary patterns published in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (Dietary Guidelines). The Dietary Guidelines is designed for nutrition and health professionals to help individuals and families consume a healthful and nutritionally adequate diet. 

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.

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

Based on USDA’s re-evaluation, the Thrifty Food Plan is increasing by 21% and total national FY 2022 TEFAP entitlement food funding will increase by an estimated $57.75 million. We will be sharing additional details and final numbers after the budget is finalized.

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

The fiscal year 2021 TEFAP funding memorandum provides guidance on full-year FY 2021 TEFAP food and administrative funding allocations and requests the amount of food funding that states want to convert to administrative funding in FY 2021. The memo also includes information about the amended reallocation process for FY 2020 administrative funds and guidance on the prioritization of use of administrative funds from different sources.

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