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Resource | Policy Information Collection: OMB Generic Clearance for the Annual Survey of School Food Authorities

The studies encompassed under this information collection will collect data from school food authorities administering the child nutrition programs, including information on emerging and ongoing challenges, their impacts on operations and student participation, and strategies SFAs are undertaking to address challenges they face.

01/23/2026
Resource | Federal Register Notices Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs

This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings.

04/25/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices Extension of Comment Period - CNP Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 DGAs

USDA is extending the public comment period on the proposed rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans,” to May 10, 2023.

03/31/2023
Resource | Federal Register Notices Comment Request on Proposed Rule: Child Nutrition Programs - Revisions to Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020 DGAs

This rulemaking proposes long-term school nutrition standards based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, and feedback the USDA received from child nutrition program stakeholders during a robust stakeholder engagement campaign. 

03/29/2023
Resource | Policy Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium - Final Rule

This final rule will establish transitional standards to support the continued provision of nutritious school meals as schools respond to and recover from the pandemic and while USDA engages in notice-and-comment rulemaking to update the meal pattern standards to more comprehensively reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

02/07/2022
Resource | Policy Proposed Rule: Restoration of Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Flexibilities

This rulemaking proposes to codify three menu planning flexibilities established by the interim final rule titled, Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements published Nov. 30, 2017, and made permanent with some modifications by a final rule of the same title published Dec. 12, 2018, hereafter referred to as the 2018 Final Rule. An April 2020 court decision vacated and remanded the 2018 Final Rule.

11/24/2020
Resource | Policy Notice of Vacatur: Rescission of Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Flexibilities

This final rule removes from the Code of Federal Regulations the final rule published on Dec. 12, 2018, titled, “Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements.” This action responds to a decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland that vacated the rule.

11/24/2020
Resource | Policy Questions & Answers Regarding Professional Standards for State and Local School Nutrition Program Personnel

This Q&A memorandum is designed to provide an overview of the policies related to the Professional Standards regulations for state and local school nutrition program personnel. 

01/14/2020
Resource | Guidance Documents Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa and Masa Harina in the Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum rescinds and replaces SP 22-2019, CACFP 09-2019, SFSP 08-2019 Crediting Coconut, Hominy, Corn Masa, and Corn Flour in the Child Nutrition Programs. This updated memorandum provides guidance on crediting coconut (including dried coconut), hominy, corn masa, and masa harina and clarifies how to identify popular products made from corn that can credit towards the grain requirements in the child nutrition programs, including the NSLP, SBP, CACFP and SFSP.

08/22/2019
Resource | Policy Final Rule: CACFP Meal Pattern Revisions Related to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

This final rule updates the meal pattern requirements for the Child and Adult Care Food Program to better align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

04/25/2016
Page updated: October 14, 2021