On April 25, 2024, FNS published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. While most provisions in the 2024 final rule focus on the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, this rule also includes limited updates to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Service Program to better align child nutrition programs requirements. These updates represent continued progress toward supporting the nutritional quality of meals offered through the CNPs and meeting cultural food preferences of program participants.
This guide informs small entities participating in child nutrition programs about the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and how to comply with it. This guide does not include any new requirements; it just summarizes existing guidance related to the final rule.
This memorandum and attachments provide information on the revised Form FNS-418: Report of the Summer Food Service Program for Children that is used to report data on meals served in the SFSP, and the revised Form FNS-10: Report of School Program Operations that is used to report data on meals served in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
This guidance provides resources that state agencies may use when considering next steps and set forth instructions for submitting state plan amendments that involve operational changes such as electronic solution proposals and/or WIC FMNP waiver requests.
The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 allows children to be certified as eligible for free meals under the NSLP and the SBP based on participation in other programs authorized under the Food Stamp Act of 1977, as amended. No further application by the child’s household is necessary.