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Resource | Federal Register Documents Extension of Comment Period - CNP Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 DGAs

USDA is extending the public comment period on the proposed rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” to May 10, 2023.

03/31/2023
Resource | Federal Register Documents Comment Request on Proposed Rule: Child Nutrition Programs - Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 DGAs

This rulemaking proposes long-term school nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, and feedback the USDA received from child nutrition program stakeholders during a robust stakeholder engagement campaign. 

03/29/2023
Resource | Policy Memos Meal Requirements Under the NSLP & SBP: Q&A for Program Operators Updated to Support the Transitional Standards Effective July 1, 2022

These questions and answers provide guidance for recently published transitional standards for milk, whole grains and sodium.

SP 05-2022
03/02/2022
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2020-0150 Questions and Answers for the Child Nutrition Programs during SY 2020-21 – #5

This memorandum includes questions and answers intended to provide clarification to state agencies and program operators as they transition to the upcoming school year. 

SP24 CACFP13 SFSP13-2020
08/21/2020
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0077 Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

This memorandum supersedes policy memo SP 31-2013, “Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program,” dated March 27, 2013. This revision includes policy changes and general updates to outdated resources/website links and updated questions and answers.

SP41-2019
09/23/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0076 Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum clarifies juice and yogurt allowances based on the child care and preschool meal pattern updates and incorporates the meal pattern flexibilities related to flavored milk. The flavored milk flexibilities apply to the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Special Milk Program for Children effective beginning in school year 2019-2020.

SP40 CACFP17 SFSP17-2019
09/23/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0074 Meal Requirements under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Q&As for Program Operators

This memorandum rescinds and replaces memorandum SP 10-2012 (v. 9), Questions and Answers on the Final Rule “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, dated Aug. 3, 2015.

SP38-2019
09/23/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2019-0073 Q&As on the Final Rule Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements

Attached are Q&As on the final rule Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements (83 FR 63775, Dec. 12, 2018), which provides menu planning flexibilities in the child nutrition programs beginning July 1, 2019.

SP37 CACFP16-2019
09/23/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0062 Updated Infant and Preschool Meal Patterns in NSLP and SBP: Q&As

On April 25, 2016, FNS published the final rule, “Child and Adult Care Food Program: Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010” to update the National School Lunch Program’s and School Breakfast Program’s meal pattern requirements for infants and preschoolers.

SP01-2018
10/19/2017
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2017-0045 Flexibility for Co-Mingled Preschool Meals: Questions and Answers

This memorandum provides guidance on meals served to preschoolers when they are in the same service area at the same time as grade K-5 students, and it includes Questions and Answers. Additional guidance on the National School Lunch Program’s and School Breakfast Program’s infant and preschool meal pattern requirements will be issued soon.

SP37-2017
06/30/2017
Page updated: October 14, 2021