Skip to main content
Resource | Policy Guidance on Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs

This memorandum provides revised guidance for school food authorities (SFAs) participating in the school meal programs regarding fees charged when families use electronic payment services to add money to school meal accounts. It also reminds SFAs that they must offer a free and accessible method for all families to add money to school meal accounts.

07/11/2025
Resource | Policy Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA); Interpretation of “Federal Public Benefit”

This notice sets forth the interpretation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture uses for the term “Federal public benefit” as used in Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996. In doing so, this notice supersedes any prior interpretation in any notice or other document issued by any USDA agency. This notice also describes and preliminarily identifies the USDA programs that provide “Federal public benefits” within the scope of PRWORA.

07/10/2025
Resource | Policy Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide clarification to state agencies and school food authorities operating the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program on reimbursement for meals consumed or served off site.

07/01/2025
Resource | Policy Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for FY 2026

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide funding allocation amounts for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for all state agencies for FY 2026, including information on funding requirements and deadlines, and a reminder of important program requirements.

06/04/2025
Resource | Policy Proposed Information Collection: Generic Clearance To Conduct Formative Research or Development of Nutrition Education and Promotion Materials and Related Tools and Grants for FNS Population Groups

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other interested parties to comment on a proposed information collection. This collection is an extension of a currently approved collection to conduct research in support of FNS' goal of delivering science-based nutrition education to targeted audiences.

05/29/2025
Resource | Policy Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children , Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option , of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.

05/06/2025
Resource | Policy Buy American Accommodation Process for School Year 2025-26

This memorandum provides guidance on the Buy American accommodation process. This memorandum provides the state agency the ability to approve temporary relief for school food authorities that demonstrate they cannot meet the thresholds for non-domestic food purchases for school year 2025-26.

02/20/2025
Resource | Training and Outreach Today's Breakfast Poster

The Team Nutrition school breakfast poster is designed for school nutrition programs to display daily breakfast menu options and remind students to eat a variety of foods while building a reimbursable meal.

02/12/2025
Data Visualization
School Foodservice Supply Chain Challenges Dashboard

This dashboard visualizes key challenges School Food Authorities faced during school year 2023-2024 based on findings from the 2023-2024 School Food Authority Survey III on Supply Chain Disruption and Student Participation.

12/18/2024
Basic page Child Nutrition Database

The Child Nutrition Database is a required part of the nutrient analysis software approved by USDA for use in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. 

12/16/2024
Page updated: October 14, 2021