FNS Documents & Resources

The attached Questions & Answers provide guidance on the meal patterns and dietary specifications for meals offered under the School Breakfast Program. The meal requirements for the SBP were established by the final rule Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

On July 16, 2012, FNS issued memorandum SP 38-2012, which allowed Residential Child Care Institutions, with state agency approval, to serve the National School Lunch Program meal pattern in effect for the highest age/grade group served to all residential students.

The purpose of this memorandum is to streamline the requirements for participation of school food authorities in the at-risk afterschool meals component of CACFP.

This memorandum explains the grains requirements for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program and specifically addresses implementation of the ounce equivalencies and definition of whole grain-rich products.

This provision requires state agencies to certify whether participating SFAs are in compliance with meal requirements and, therefore, eligible to receive performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served (an additional six cents per lunch, adjusted annually, available beginning Oct. 1, 2012).

FNS published the subject interim regulation, and established the effective date as Dec. 15, 1999, because the customary effective date for regulations is 30 days after publication and given the health and reimbursement implications, we wished to implement the regulation as soon as possible.

This Instruction sets forth the criteria to be used to determine acceptable grains/breads, the criteria to be used to determine equivalent minimum serving sizes, and examples of foods that qualify as grains/breads for meals served under the food-based menu planning alternatives in all child nutrition programs