A webinar for state agency and school food authority staff focused on the Final Rule: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines For Americans.
Schools that have access to local, fresh produce and who wish to take advantage of low prices during abundant supply and peak nutrition may want to consider vacuum sealing in-house processed and frozen fruits and vegetables.
A resource on preserving locally harvested produce in school meals includes information about facility and personnel considerations and product flow and handling.
Information about fresh-cut produce operations and food safety practices including: background information, definitions, steps and questions to ask during a fresh-cut operation visit and specific food safety discussion topics.
Learn how to properly store produce in a walk-in refrigerator.
On April 25, 2024, FNS published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This rule includes minor updates to the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program to better align Child Nutrition Program requirements. These updates represent continued progress toward supporting the nutrition quality of school meals, strengthening the Child Nutrition Programs, and advancing USDA’s commitment to nutrition security.
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.