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Resource | Infographics How We Got Here: School Nutrition Standards Final Rule

School nutrition professionals continue to make school meals the healthiest meals children eat in a day! To take school meals to the next level, USDA is updating the school nutrition standards after considering recommendations from the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans and listening to a diverse range of voices with experience in child nutrition and health.

04/24/2024
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance USDA Foods Database

Check out this database to access vendor-specific product information for all direct delivered USDA Foods for the National School Lunch Program.

11/09/2023
Resource | Toolkits USDA Foods Toolkit for Child Nutrition Programs

The USDA Foods Toolkit is a collection of valuable resources to assist child nutrition professionals in effectively using their USDA Food entitlement and to help them educate students, staff, and the community about the healthy contributions that USDA Foods provide to their meal programs.

10/20/2023
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0024 Revised Prototype Free and Reduced Price Application for SY 2017-2018

Attached to this memorandum, please find a revised edition of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, with an accompanying instructions document. These materials may be adapted for direct use by state and local agencies, or as a reference for designing an effective application packet that meets all statutory and regulatory requirements. 

SP28-2017
05/11/2023
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

The USDA DoD Fresh program allows schools and ITOs to buy fresh produce. The program is operated by the Defense Logistics Agency at DoD. 

07/12/2022
Resource | Recipes USDA Foods in Schools Additional Resources

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

06/17/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2021-0003 Nationwide Waiver for Selected Child Nutrition Program Reporting Requirements

This waiver cancels selected administrative data reporting requirements in the child nutrition programs.

COVID–19: Child Nutrition Response #72
01/07/2021
Resource | Webinars/Videos COVID-19 Guidance for Managing USDA Foods Inventories in SY 2020-2021

This webinar provides guidance on flexibilities available to help you manage USDA Foods in Schools during these unprecedented times due to COVID-19. Topics include information on USDA Foods direct delivered products, USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and the National Processing Program. We cover some actions you can take to assist with utilization of USDA Foods inventories and minimize food loss. This webinar is intended for state distributing agency and FNS regional office staff who manage USDA Foods in Schools programs.

09/11/2020
Resource | Webinars/Videos It's a New School Year: What's Happening with USDA Foods in Schools

This webinar highlights recent updates and provides guidance on managing USDA Foods in Schools, including information on the USDA Department of Defense (DoD) Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program and National Processing Program. We cover updates on allocating funds and adding new sites to USDA DoD Fresh, monitoring USDA Foods inventories, and details on SY 2020-2021 entitlement calculations, including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act Opt-In Waiver for School Year 2020- 2021 National School Lunch Program USDA Foods Entitlement Calculations.

08/11/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0083 Q&As related to Food Service Management Company Contracts and Allowable Costs during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This memorandum includes questions and answers for state agencies and local program operators on flexibilities available under the child nutrition programs during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

SP21 CACFP12 SFSP12-2020
06/03/2020
Page updated: October 14, 2021