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Resource | Policy Substituting Vegetables for Grains in American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Tribal Communities

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. 

10/30/2024
Basic page Q&As: Food Distribution Programs - Improving Access & Parity Final Rule

Questions and answers about Food Distribution Programs: Improving Access and Parity Final Rule published on Oct. 31, 2024.

10/30/2024
Basic page Snapshot of Regulatory Changes: Food Distribution Programs Final Rule

Summary of the provisions in the final rule and how they compare to previous program regulations. 

10/30/2024
Resource | Policy Nutrition Requirements for Fluid Milk and Substitutions in the CACFP, Questions and Answers

This memorandum details the nutrition requirements for fluid milk and fluid milk substitutes in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and includes a series of frequently asked questions and answers. This memorandum supersedes CACFP 17-2016, Nutrition Requirements for Fluid Milk and Fluid Milk Substitutions in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Questions and Answers, July 14, 2016. 

10/28/2024
Resource | Policy Offer Versus Serve and Family Style Meals in CACFP

The purpose of this memorandum is to outline the use of Offer Versus Serve in the adult day care and at-risk afterschool settings, as well as the use of family style meals in the Child and Adult Care Food Program. 

10/28/2024
Resource | Policy Child and Adult Care Food Program

FNS is publishing a 30-Day Notice for this final rule submission because the agency changed how the requirements and burden changes were submitted for approval in the final rule from what was used in the proposed rule

08/27/2024
Basic page CACFP Best Practices

The CACFP meal patterns lay the foundation for a healthy eating pattern for children and adults in care. USDA also developed optional best practices that build on the meal patterns and highlight areas where centers and day care homes may take additional steps to further improve the nutritional quality of the meals they serve.

08/26/2024
Resource | Webinars/Videos Financial Review Requirements in the CACFP

This webinar provides state agencies with guidance for implementing the financial review requirements in the Child and Adult Care Food Program that were codified through the Child Nutrition Program Integrity final rule. 

07/15/2024
Resource | Federal Register Notices CACFP: Payment Rates and Reimbursement Rates (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)

This notice announces the annual adjustments to the national average payment rates for meals and snacks served in child care centers, outside-school-hours care centers, at-risk afterschool care centers, and adult day care centers; the food service payment rates for meals and snacks served in day care homes; and the administrative reimbursement rates for sponsoring organizations of day care homes, to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. 

07/10/2024
Resource | Policy FD-155: Written Beneficiary Notice and Referral Requirements for CSFP and TEFAP State Agencies

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify the written notice and referral requirements for organizations that receive USDA Foods or administrative funding as part of CSFP and TEFAP program guidance, per USDA regulations on equal opportunity for religious organizations to participate in USDA assistance programs.

07/01/2024
Page updated: October 14, 2021