FNS Documents & Resources

These resources provide school nutrition professionals with the knowledge and tools to implement and meet the professional standards requirements within their programs.

In this webinar, Team Nutrition staff review the basic features of the Professional Standards Training Tracker Tool and highlight some of the latest updates to the tool, including the certifications feature.

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.

This brochure provides information on USDA Professional Standards for school nutrition professionals.

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.

The Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs introduces training reward badges – a fun way to promote training and recognize staff who have completed their annual requirements.

This webinar showcases the newest enhancements, such as a streamlined way to enter training titles, the ability to deactivate employees, and the ability to earn badges for completing one or more trainings under a specific key area and completing trainings in more than one key area.

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

The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans outline nutrient-dense foods and beverages, their amounts, and associated costs that can be purchased on three successively higher budgets, each supporting a healthy diet through nutritious meals and snacks at home. The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans are used by various federal and state agencies and the court system.