FNS Documents & Resources

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

Promoting Fruits and Vegetables in Schools: Wellness Policy Opportunities

This is the fifth in a series of annual reports that examines administrative error incurred during the local educational agency’s (LEA) approval process of applications for free and reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).

In response to several inquiries, this memorandum provides guidance on the allowable consumption of FFVP fruits and vegetables by teachers.

This Instruction clarifies the FNS policy regarding the reimbursement of meals and milk served on weekends through the National School Lunch Program, the Commodity School Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the Special Milk Program.   

This Instruction sets forth the policy regarding fees, other than the basic meal charge, assessed against children participating in the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs to support the meal or milk service.

This report responds to the legislative requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Under direct certification, children are determined eligible for free school meals without the need for household applications by using data from other means-tested programs.

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify that SAE funds may be used for state administration of the FFVP, as well as to explain how the FFVP administrative funds provided under Section 19 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1769a, may be used.

To ensure program integrity, school districts must sample household applications certified for free or reduced-price meals, contact the households, and verify eligibility. This process (known as household verification) can be burdensome for both school officials and households. Direct verification uses information from certain other means-tested programs to verify eligibility without contacting applicants. Potential benefits include: less burden for households, less work for school officials, and fewer students with school meal benefits terminated because of nonresponse to verification requests.

This Instruction sets forth the policy on reimbursement for meals or milk served to continuous school calendar students.