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Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance USDA School Meals: Together, We Can Give Kids a Healthier Future

For children to grow and reach their full potential, it is critical that they have access to nutritious foods and develop lifelong healthy dietary habits.

02/03/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance | FNS-GD-2018-0001 Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

The Food Buying Guide for child nutrition programs has all of the current information in one manual to help you and your purchasing agent buy the right amount of food and the appropriate type of food for your program(s), and determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements.

07/11/2022
Resource | Webinars/Videos Seeding Success: Farm to School Grant Requirements

This pre-recorded webinar features USDA Farm to School Program staff, who summarize grantee reporting requirements and review the processes for submitting no-cost extensions, as well as project and budget amendments.

03/21/2022
Resource | Toolkits Tools for Schools: Focusing on Smart Snacks

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.

08/22/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2015-0026 Voluntary Menu Labeling in the NSLP and SBP

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the final rule, Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments in the Federal Register (79 FR 71155) on Dec. 1, 2014.

05/19/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0012 Q&As Related to the “Smart Snacks” Interim Final Rule

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.

SP23-2014v3
03/31/2015
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0062 Smart Snacks Standards for Exempt Foods when Paired Together

The purpose of this memo is to clarify Smart Snacks standards for exempt foods that are paired together as a single snack.

SP63-2014
09/11/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0053 Transition of Foods and Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value to Smart Snacks in School Standards

This memorandum is to inform you that all foods of minimal nutritional value exemptions will end on June 30, 2014. Therefore, the attached list, Exemptions Under the Competitive Foods Regulation will become obsolete on July 1, 2014. Beginning July, 1, 2014, the interim final rule for Smart Snacks in School will go into effect for school year 2014-15. Therefore, any competitive foods and beverages must meet the nutrition standards specified in the interim final rule.

SP53-2014
06/30/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0033 Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards and Culinary Education Programs

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding the treatment of culinary education programs that operate in schools participating in the federal school meal programs.

SP40-2014
04/22/2014
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2014-0028 Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards and Exempt Fundraisers

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance regarding state agency responsibilities to establish limitations on the frequency of specially exempted fundraisers in schools.

SP36-2014
04/17/2014
Page updated: October 14, 2021