FNS Documents & Resources

This memorandum provides updated guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and extends previous guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products to the Summer Food Service Program, as well as to the infant meal pattern in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

Recently, FNS has received a number of questions related to buying local meat, poultry, game, and eggs; this memorandum seeks to clarify the regulatory requirements related to food safety and answer specific questions related to these products with a series of questions and answers.

USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.

Attached to this memorandum, please find a revised edition of the Prototype Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, with an accompanying instructions document. These materials may be adapted for direct use by state and local agencies, or as a reference for designing an effective application packet that meets all statutory and regulatory requirements. 

The purpose of this memorandum is to revise guidance on rural designations in the Summer Food Service Program and the National School Lunch Program’s Seamless Summer Option (SSO). The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 authorized a permanent non-congregate meal service option through the SFSP and SSO for children who live in rural communities with no congregate meal service. This memorandum supersedes SFSP policy memorandum SFSP 17-2015, Rural Designations in the Summer Food Service Program – Revised, April 21, 2017.

This Instruction sets forth policy with respect to needy students who report lost or stolen meal tickets in schools and institutions that participate in the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, Commodity School or Special Milk Programs.

This Instruction prohibits the denial of meals and milk as a disciplinary action against any child who is enrolled in a school participating in the Chile Nutrition Programs. Such denial of meals or milk is inconsistent with Section 2 and 9 of the National School Lunch Act and Sections 2,3, and 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

Occasionally, applications for participation in the School Nutrition Programs may be received from organizations that do not clearly meet the definition of “school.”

This Instruction sets forth the policy on pricing of meals served to adults under the National School Lunch, Commodity School and School Breakfast Programs in participating schools and institutions which claim reimbursement under Sections 4 and 11 of the National School Lunch Act and Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act.

This Instruction sets forth the policy with respect to reimbursement of meals consumed off-site under the National School Lunch, Commodity School, and School Breakfast Programs.