Data & Research
This recorded session gives a brief overview of USDA’s partnership with Nutri-Link, discusses how the new SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) application works, and describes how the application can supplement state and ITO efforts to certify eligible children for Summer EBT benefits.
SFSP Meal Patterns
Breakfast Meal Pattern
Select All three Components for a Reimbursable Meal
| 1 milk | 1 cup | fluid milk |
| 1 fruit/vegetable | 1/2 cup | juice1, and/or vegetable |
| 1 grains/bread2 | 1 slice 1 serving 3/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup | bread or cornbread or biscuit or roll or muffin or cold dry cereal or hot cooked cereal or pasta or noodles or grains |
1 Fruit or vegetable juice must be full-strength.
2 Breads and grains must be made from whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. Cereal must be whole-grain or enriched or fortified.
Lunch or Supper Meal Pattern
Select All Four Components for a Reimbursable Meal
| 1 milk | 1 cup | fluid milk |
| 2 fruits/vegetables | 3/4 cup | juice1, fruit and/or vegetable |
| 1 grains/bread2 | 1 slice 1 serving 1/2 cup 1/2 cup | bread or cornbread or biscuit or roll or muffin or hot cooked cereal or pasta or noodles or grains |
| 1 meat/meat alternate | 2 oz. 2 oz. 2 oz. 1 large 1/2 cup 4 Tbsp. 1 oz. 8 oz. | lean meat or poultry or fish3 or alternate protein product or cheese or egg or cooked dry beans or peas or peanut or other nut or seed butter or nuts and/or seeds4 or yogurt5 |
1 Fruit or vegetable juice must be full-strength. Full strength vegetable or fruit juice may be counted to meet not more than one-half of this requirement.
2 Breads and grains must be made from whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. Cereal must be whole-grain or enriched or fortified.
3 A serving consists of the edible portion of cooked lean meat or poultry or fish.
4 Nuts and seeds may meet only one-half of the total meat/meat alternate serving and must be combined with another meat/meat alternate to fulfill the lunch or supper requirement.
5 Yogurt may be plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened.
Snack (Supplement) Meal Pattern
Select Two of the Four Components for a Reimbursable Snack
| 1 milk | 1 cup | fluid milk |
| 1fruit/vegetable | 3/4 cup | juice1, fruit and/or vegetable |
| 1 grains/bread2 | 1 slice 1 serving 3/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup | bread or cornbread or biscuit or roll or muffin or cold dry cereal or hot cooked cereal or pasta or noodles or grains |
| 1 meat/meat alternate | 1 oz. 1 oz. 1 oz. 1/2 large 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp. 1 oz. 4 oz. | lean meat or poultry or fish3 or alternate protein product or cheese or egg or cooked dry beans or peas or peanut or other nut or seed butter or nuts and/or seeds or yogurt 4 |
1 Fruit or vegetable juice must be full-strength. Juice cannot be served when milk is the only other snack component.
2 Breads and grains must be made from whole-grain or enriched meal or flour. Cereal must be whole-grain or enriched or fortified.
3 A serving consists of the edible portion of cooked lean meat or poultry or fish.
4 Yogurt may be plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened.
Overview of SFSP meal patterns.
Meal Patterns
Provisions in the final rule that could impact CACFP and/or SFSP.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is extending for 120 days the public comment period on the interim final rule, “Establishing the Summer EBT Program and Rural Non-Congregate Option in the Summer Meal Programs.”
Turnip the Beet on Summer Meals
By Tanuja Kulkarni, MS MPH RDN, Nutritionist, USDA FNS Child Nutrition Programs
It’s award season! USDA is excited to highlight summer meal sponsors who go above and beyond to ensure children receive nutritious, appetizing meals.
Summer represents a crucial time of year to fight hunger and support good nutrition for our nation’s youth. The 2023 Turnip the Beet awards celebrate heroes from a variety of organizations, including schools, local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and camps who sponsor USDA summer meal programs and provide free meals and snacks to kids during the summer months. These vital partners help fill a hunger and nutrition void, playing a meaningful role in making sure children have the nutrition they need to learn, grow and thrive.
It’s a moment for these unsung leaders to shine.
As in year’s past, this crop of winners excelled in many ways: serving an array of vegetables and fruits throughout the week; offering whole grains and low-fat dairy products; and providing culturally appropriate meals, so no child is ever excluded. Other partners leveraged feedback from participants to refine their menus. One of the gold winners, North Hills Cares, Inc. (Pennsylvania), conducted a survey for families about meal options. In it, children were encouraged to mark their favorites and rate new options they sampled, enabling sponsors to better accommodate culinary preferences.
Creativity was another defining feature of our 2023 champions. Some offered nutrition education activities along with their meals. Lodi Family Center (Ohio), a gold award winner, hosted cooking and gardening classes as part of their program. Engaged kids harvested the fruits and vegetables in the morning, then dedicated chefs prepared them later for lunch and snacks. The practice helped introduce children to new foods and skills, while educating them on the origin of their meals. The results were a reward in and of itself: the program experienced an increase in vegetable consumption and a welcomed decrease in food waste.
For efforts in summer 2023, 55 gold, 67 silver and 18 bronze awardees were honored for their commitment to a healthier future for our kids. Congratulations to all the winners!
USDA will host the Turnip the Beet awards again next year to recognize summer meal sponsors that go the extra mile in 2024. If you’re interested in nominating another unsung leader in this area, check out the FNS Turnip the Beet website for more information.
Learn about all the ways USDA is supporting children in the summer at the link below:
On Feb. 21, 2024, FNS published a proposed rule Serious Deficiency Process in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program. This webinar recording provides an explanation of the major proposed changes as they relate to CACFP and SFSP.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) as a permanent federal food assistance entitlement program beginning in summer 2024. Summer EBT has been tested through evaluations of demonstration projects since 2011. With pending implementation of this new program, this is an appropriate time to reflect on what USDA, FNS research has learned through more than a decade of study.
이 편지를 맞춤화하여 여름 EBT 수혜 자격이 자동으로 충족되지 않는 자녀가 있는 가구에 보낼 수 있습니다. 이러한 가구는 SUN Bucks를 신청해야 합니다.
Vous pouvez personnaliser cette lettre et l'envoyer aux ménages avec enfants qui ne sont pas automatiquement éligibles pour recevoir l'EBT d'été. Ces ménages devront demander des SUN Bucks.
ይህንን ደብዳቤ በማበጀት የበጋ EBT ለመቀበል በራስ ሰር ብቁ ላልሆኑ ልጆች ላሏቸው ቤተሰቦች መላክ ይችላሉ። እነዚህ አባወራዎች ለ SUN Bucks ማመልከት አለባቸው።