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Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Estimate the Cost of Producing School Meals

This fact sheet summarizes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to estimate the cost of producing reimbursable school meals. The methods were based on approaches used in prior USDA studies.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Student Dietary Intakes

This fact sheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data on students’ dietary intakes.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Nutritional Characteristics of School Meals

This fact sheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to examine nutritional characteristics of school meals. 

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Plate Waste in School Meals

This factsheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to assess plate waste in the school meal programs.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Study Design & Implementation

The School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study was a comprehensive study of the school meal programs. This fact sheet provides an overview of the design and implementation of the SNMCS, including the research objectives, sample design, data collection approach, and response rates. 

10/19/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Third Access, Participation, Eligibility, And Certification Study (APEC-III), SY 2017-18

This is the third study in the Access, Participation, Eligibility, and Certification study series, conducted in school year 2017-18. FNS relies upon the APEC series to provide reliable, national estimates improper payments made to school districts operating the NSLP and SBP. APEC studies also help identify sources of error and inform FNS policy and technical assistance for state agencies and school food authorities to reduce error. FNS conducted previous iterations of the study in school years 2005-06 and 2012-13.

09/03/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations 2019 Farm to School Census and Comprehensive Review

The Farm to School Census and Comprehensive Review includes the 2019 Farm to School Census; a descriptive review of the USDA Farm to School grant program; a review of published research on farm to school since 2010; and a set of interviews with school food distributors. 

07/15/2021
Resource | Research and Data | General/Other National- and State-Level Estimates of WIC Eligibility and WIC Program Reach in 2018 With Updated Estimates for 2016 and 2017

This report, the latest in a series of annual reports on WIC eligibility, presents 2018 national and state estimates of the number of people eligible for WIC benefits and the percents of the eligible population and the US population covered by the program, including estimates by participant category. 

05/25/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Participation Rates Reaching Those in Need: Estimates of State SNAP Participation Rates in 2018

This report – part of an annual series – presents estimates of the percentage of eligible persons, by state, who participated in SNAP during an average month in FY 2018 and in the two previous fiscal years. This report also presents estimates of state participation rates for individuals in eligible “working poor” households (households with earnings) over the same period. 

05/19/2021
Resource | Research and Data | Participation Rates Trends in SNAP Participation Rates: FY 2016-2018

This report is the latest in a series on SNAP participation rates, which estimate the proportion of people eligible for benefits under federal income and asset rules to those who actually participate in the program. This report presents rates for Fiscal Year 2018, comparing them to rates for FYs 2016 and 2017.

05/18/2021
Page updated: October 14, 2021