FNS Documents & Resources

The Child Nutrition Labeling Manual provides food manufacturers with instructions on how to apply and obtain approval for a CN label. 

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.

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.

This is to notify current and future applicants seeking review and approval of CN labels by the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service that, effective Oct. 1, 2018, the hourly fee shall be $112.00 per hour for CN label review services.

CN labels, factsheets, and product labels provide a way for food manufacturers to communicate with school program operators about how their products may contribute to the meal pattern requirements for meals served under the USDA CN programs. Included are tips for acceptable documentation.

The purpose of this document is to provide industry with guidelines for preparing a quality control (QC) program for CN labeled products.

Sample documentation for products used as alternate protein products for child nutrition programs.