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Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Nutrition Standards for School Meals

This page contains regulations, policy memos, and other guidance materials relating to the nutrition standards for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.

03/11/2022
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Best Practices to Safely Handle and Store USDA Foods at Home

A set of three handouts on best practices to help you safely handle and store USDA foods at home.

04/12/2021
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0033 State Agency Food Safety Inspections Report for SY 2018-19

This memorandum provides guidance regarding continuation of the food safety inspections reporting requirement under the NSLP and SBP for fiscal year 2019.

SP19-2019
04/11/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0064 Donated Food Storage, Distribution, and Product Dating

This memorandum is meant to provide clarification and guidance on policies and procedures for donated food storage and distribution as they relate to product dating.

FD-107
11/21/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0041 Compliance with and Enforcement of the Buy American Provision in the NSLP

This memorandum replaces SP 24-2016, Compliance with and Enforcement of the Buy American Provision in the National School Lunch Program. It provides several updates, including suggested contract language to be utilized in solicitations, and serves to reinforce the importance of the Buy American provision to our economy and its positive effects on small and local businesses.

SP38-2017
06/30/2017
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Creating a School Food Defense Plan

This guide was developed to provide a framework for developing a school food defense plan. Four easy steps, along with tools, are outlined to create a viable plan. 

05/01/2017
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Administrative Reviews in the School Nutrition Programs

This final rule revises the state agency's administrative review process in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to establish a unified accountability system designed to ensure that school food authorities offering school meals comply with program requirements.

07/29/2016
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2016-0045 Unpaid Meal Charges: Local Meal Charge Policies

The purpose of this memorandum is to address the need for school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program to institute and clearly communicate a meal charge policy, which would include, if applicable, the availability of alternate meals.

SP46-2016
07/08/2016
Resource | Final Rule Final Rule: Nondiscretionary Amendments Related to the HHFKA of 2010

This final rule implements several nondiscretionary provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, including those related to categorical eligibility for foster children, removal of limits on private nonprofit sponsors, outreach to eligible families, simplification of area eligibility for day care homes, application of school food safety requirements, and permanent agreements for institutions and sponsors.

02/28/2013
Resource | Technical Assistance & Guidance Measuring the Ambient Storage Temperature in a Transport Unit Containing Shell Eggs Packaged For The Ultimate Consumer

USDA Agriculture Marketing Service guidance for recipients electing to check the ambient temperature in a transport unit for shell eggs contracted for delivery under the USDA Commodity Purchase Program.

08/18/2011
Page updated: October 14, 2021