FNS Documents & Resources

Offer versus Serve is a provision in the NSLP and School Breakfast Program that allows students to decline some of the food offered. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste in the school meals programs while permitting students to decline foods they do not intend to eat. 

Section 4 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act provides general cash for food assistance payments to states to assist schools in purchasing food. The NSLA provides two different section 4 payment levels for lunches served under the NSLP.

This instruction is intended to clarify allowable variations to child nutrition program food components in order to meet religious needs among Jewish schools, institutions and sponsors. 

This memorandum provides information regarding the state agencies’ quarterly reporting requirements associated with identifying the number of school food authorities certified to receive the performance-based reimbursement for each lunch served in compliance with the new meal pattern requirements for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

It has come to our attention that there may be some confusion concerning fluid milk, and how it is offered in reimbursable lunches. Under all menu planning approaches, fluid milk is a separate food component/menu item.

This Instruction sets forth the policy with respect to reimbursement of meals consumed off-site under the National School Lunch, Commodity School, and School Breakfast Programs.