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.
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.
The 2023 Farm to School Census collected information on farm to school participation by school food authorities (SFAs) in school year 2022–23. Every SFA participating in the National School Lunch Program in the 50 states, Washington, DC, and five territories received an online survey asking about the farm to school activities they participated in, details of their participation, and their perspectives on farm to school.
This map displays census data and can be used for tiering of participating CACFP day care homes and eligibility of SFSP summer sites.
This notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payments, the amount of money the federal government provides states for lunches, afterschool snacks, and breakfasts served to children participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; to the maximum reimbursement rates, the maximum per lunch rate from federal funds that a state can provide a school food authority for lunches served to children participating in the National School Lunch Program; and to the rate of reimbursement for a half-pint of milk served to non-needy children in a school or institution that participates in the Special Milk Program for Children.
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 video is intended to provide information about Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) principles, and related food safety best practices for summer meals served by schools and other retail foodservice operations, including in non-congregate settings.
This video is intended to provide food safety best practices on First-In-First-Out (FIFO) practices for summer meals served by schools and other retail foodservice operations, including in non-congregate settings.
This video is intended to provide information about using a food thermometer for food safety in summer meals served by schools and other retail foodservice operations, including in non-congregate settings.
This video is intended to provide information about food safety best practices keeping food cold in summer meals served by schools and other retail foodservice operations, including in non-congregate settings.