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Resource | Technical Assistance Product Formulation Statement Guidance and Templates for Food Manufacturers/Industry

Product Formulation Statement templates and samples for demonstrating how a food product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements in USDA child nutrition programs.

06/09/2026
Basic page CN Labeling Guidance for Food Manufacturers/Industry

The child nutrition label provides a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a food product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements in child nutrition programs.

06/08/2026
Basic page Child Nutrition Programs Food Industry Toolkit

This toolkit contains resources for use by food industry to understand meal pattern requirements for USDA child nutrition programs, how food products may contribute toward the meal pattern requirements, and food product documentation used in the CNP.

06/08/2026
Resource | FAQs/Q&As Alternate Protein Products

The term alternate protein product is the name we use to identify products meeting requirements set forth in Appendix A of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program within the section entitled “Alternate Protein Products.” 

06/08/2026
Basic page Product Formulation Statements

A manufacturer’s product formulation statement is a document that demonstrates how a food product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements in USDA child nutrition programs.

06/08/2026
Basic page Child Nutrition Labels

The child nutrition label provides a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a food product may contribute to the meal pattern requirements in child nutrition programs.

06/08/2026
Resource | Research and Data School Meal Program Operations, School Year 2022-23

We regularly collect information about the school meal programs and how they operate from the people who know best – the state agencies that oversee the programs in each state and territory and the school food authorities that manage the programs locally in one or more schools. 

03/24/2026
Resource | Policy Information Collection: State Administrative Expense Funds

This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection for state administrative expense funds expended in the operation of the child nutrition programs administered under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

09/11/2025
Resource | Policy Interim Final Rule: NSLP and SBP - Elimination of the State Ameliorative Action Reporting Requirement for School Meals Eligibility Verification

Due to a technical problem with the docket that prevented comments from being accepted during part of the initial comment period, we are reopening the comment period for the interim final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on June 6, 2025. The rule rescinds an unnecessary reporting requirement for the school meals application verification process.

08/08/2025
Page updated: June 02, 2026