FNS Documents & Resources

Team Nutrition Recipes

Each year we ask child nutrition professionals to inspire other foodservice professionals and submit a picture of your most creative meal utilizing USDA Foods.  With more than 200 USDA Foods items available, we want to highlight each food group and the innovative ways in which they can be used.

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

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program sodium limits and timeline

Meal pattern chart for the School Breakfast Program

For more information on the operation of the National School Lunch Program and all the child nutrition programs, contact the state agency in your state that is responsible for the administration of the programs.

A number of tools and resources are available to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. See the resources below for information about the Smart Snacks requirement, helpful tools, and ways to encourage children to make healthier snack choices that give them the nutrition they need to grow and learn.

This webinar was produced by FNS to describe its Data Validation Service (DVS). The DVS is an optional validation service that checks school food authority (SFA)-level Verification Collection Report (FNS-742) records as the SFA submits its data to the state. In real time, the DVS returns error and warning messages back to the SFA through the state system. This webinar is an opportunity to learn more about connecting to the DVS through existing state platforms.

A resource for school meals program operators on the Buy American Provision. This provision safeguards the health and well-being of our Nation’s children and supports the U.S. economy, American farmers, and small and local agricultural businesses. The National School Lunch Act requires school food authorities (SFAs) to purchase, to the maximum extent practicable, domestic commodities or products.