This factsheet explains how USDA Foods support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the school meal pattern requirements to make it easier for schools to prepare healthy meals using local foods.
Each year we ask child nutrition professionals to inspire other foodservice professionals and submit a picture of your most creative meal utilizing USDA Foods. With more than 200 USDA Foods items available, we want to highlight each food group and the innovative ways in which they can be used.
Check out the winners of the 2020 Serve Up USDA Foods Photo Contest.
Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo for the 2017 Show Us Your Tray Photo Contest! We received hundreds of submissions from schools throughout the United States, and USDA staff assessed each entry for use of USDA Foods, creativity, and overall photo quality. We enjoyed viewing the many worthy and inspiring photos, and narrowing them down to one winner was a difficult task!
We received hundreds of submissions from schools throughout the United States, and USDA staff assessed each entry for use of USDA Foods, creativity, and overall photo quality. We enjoyed viewing the many worthy and inspiring photos, and narrowing them down to one winner was a difficult task!
USDA offers a variety of user- and kid-friendly whole grain-rich foods. We continually review and work to improve our whole-grain products to ensure they help school nutrition programs meet the updated meal requirements, perform well, and are acceptable to children.