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Basic page Study Series: School Meal Program Operations

We have studied school meal program operations for a long time. You can access published reports that go back to school year 1988-89. Each study in this series focuses on topics that are important to program operations at the time. Sometimes the studies also collect information about other child nutrition programs, like the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program.

03/24/2026
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 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 – Promoting Real Food in Child Nutrition Programs

In this program guidance, Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, strongly encourages child nutrition program operators to familiarize themselves with the key recommendations and consider how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 can be incorporated into program meals and snacks to promote healthy outcomes and healthy families.

02/11/2026
Resource | Policy Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs

This memorandum provides notice to child nutrition program operators regarding the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (the 2025 Appropriations Act), March 15, 2025. This applies to state agencies administering, and local organizations operating, the USDA FNA child nutrition programs.

05/14/2025
Resource | Training and Outreach Request for Information Webinar: Child Nutrition Programs Tribal Pilot Projects

This webinar provides an overview of the Tribal Pilot Projects Request for Information. This webinar recording is captioned in English.

01/28/2025
Resource | Training and Outreach Summer Meals Print Materials

Customizable and print-ready materials.

05/22/2024
Basic page Summer Meals Communications Toolkit

This communications toolkit contains materials for use by agencies that have established their summer meal programs under the "SUN" brand and chose to continue to doing so with SUN Meals, SUN Meals To-Go, and/or SUN Bucks. Many are customizable so you can tailor them to your specific state, Tribe, or territory.

05/17/2024
Basic page Summer Meals Site Finder

Families can use the Summer Meals for Kids Site Finder to find directions to nearby meal sites, as well as their hours of operation and contact information. 

05/03/2024
Resource | Policy Transition of Foods and Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value to Smart Snacks in School Standards

This memorandum is to inform you that all foods of minimal nutritional value exemptions will end on June 30, 2014. Therefore, the attached list, Exemptions Under the Competitive Foods Regulation will become obsolete on July 1, 2014. Beginning July, 1, 2014, the interim final rule for Smart Snacks in School will go into effect for school year 2014-15. Therefore, any competitive foods and beverages must meet the nutrition standards specified in the interim final rule.

06/30/2014
Page updated: June 02, 2026