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Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet

The Meats/Meat Alternates Tip Sheet is designed for program operators as a handy and easy-to-use reference on how to credit meats/meat alternates and incorporate them into the meal pattern requirements.

FNS-933
05/03/2023
Resource | Info Sheets Maintaining Integrity in School Meals Served Outside the Cafeteria

The tip sheet provides a list of suggested practices that program operators may adopt to assist with proper meal counting and claiming when meals are served in alternative locations.

02/04/2022
Resource | Guidance Documents | FNS-GD-2020-0130 Guidelines for Policy Statement When Serving Meals or Milk Without Separate Charge

All school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch, Commodity School, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs must submit a free and reduced price policy statement pursuant to 7 CFR Part 245.

07/16/2020
Resource | Instructions Refresher on FNS Instruction 709-5: Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods

This webinar provides USDA Foods recipients, USDA FNS regional offices, and state agencies a refresher on the FNS Instruction 709-5: Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods. The webinar highlights the five key areas involved with the shipment and receipt of USDA Foods: arranging shipment and delivery, guidance on inspecting the shipment, accepting and receipting the shipment, unloading the shipment, and disposition and replacement of USDA Foods. In addition, E-invoicing in WBSCM and filing complaints is covered.

09/06/2019
Resource | Guidance Documents Instruction 709-5: Shipment and Receipt of USDA Foods

This instruction establishes the general standards and procedures that the state distributing agency, Indian Tribal Organization, or other consignee must follow in receiving shipments of USDA Foods, and conveys established responsibilities for other entities such as USDA Foods vendors and carriers.

FNS Instruction 709-5
03/13/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0016 FNS-640: SY 2017-18 Instructions and Reporting Guidance

School programs policy memo SP 14-2019 provides SY 2017-18 reporting guidance for the FNS-640 report. The FNS-640 form became available in FPRS on March 1, 2019. State agencies may use the attached instructions and business rules/edit check to begin and/or finalize implementation of processes for reporting and any system updates for School Year 2017-2018 reporting.

FNS-640
03/06/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0058 Revised SY16-17 SFA-3 Administrative Review Form for FNS-640 Reporting

This memorandum provides the SY 2016-2017 SFA-3 with revised instructions that provide additional information and clarifications to the previously released form’s instructions. The revised instructions will assist with the completion of the FNS-640 report that is due on March 1, 2018.

SP43-2017
09/12/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0012 Reporting Instructions for Form FNS-874: Local Educational Agency Second Review of Applications

Section 304 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires local educational agencies that demonstrate high levels of, or a high risk for administrative error associated with certification, verification and other administrative processes to conduct an independent review of the initial eligibility determinations for free and reduced price school meal applications for accuracy prior to notifying households of eligibility. 

SP29-2016
03/09/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0065 Instructions for Reporting State Administrative Funds for Implementing the New Meal Patterns

To assist state agencies and FNS to better monitor the use of Section 201 funds, as mentioned in our August 15, 2014 memorandum SP60-2014 (Second Extension of Grant Period for State Administrative Funds to Implement New Meal Pattern Requirements), FNS has changed the frequency of financial reporting from annual reporting to quarterly reporting beginning with the fiscal year (FY) 2015.

SP65-2014
09/16/2014
Resource | Info Sheets Smart Snacks in School: Flexibility for Entrees Served as Part of National School Lunch and School Breakfast

The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 directed the USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods and beverages sold to students in school during the school day. The new Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will help schools to make the healthy choice the easy choice by offering students more of the foods and beverages we should be encouraging – whole grains, fruits and vegetables, leaner protein, lower-fat dairy – while limiting foods with too much sugar, fat and salt.

08/01/2013
Page updated: October 14, 2021