FNS Documents & Resources

This analysis helps to estimate the nutritional quality of the 2022 FDPIR food package 'as offered' using the Healthy Eating Index scoring algorithm. This will provide an update to the first HEI estimate of the 2014 FDPIR food package. The project also aims to estimate the HEIs of the food packages 'as delivered' to participants.

We discuss information and resources provided in the revised USDA Foods in Disaster Manual, June 2021 to help you be prepared for the use of USDA Foods in disasters, emergencies and situations of distress

This webinar is intended for state distributing agencies and FNS regional office staff and highlights how USDA Foods may be used in congregate feeding or disaster household distribution during a disaster, emergency, or situation of distress response. We discuss the importance of planning, preparation and communication before, during and after a disaster response.

The findings described in this webinar are based on two analyses. One that estimated the percentage of daily and weekly lunch menus that met the updated nutrition standards, and another that examined the nutritional quality of the lunches using the Healthy Eating Index-2010.

In this webinar, we discuss what actions you can take and the resources available to be better prepared for a disaster when utilizing USDA Foods.

By Sasha McNair, Governmental Affairs Specialist, Food and Nutrition Service

USDA recently teamed with local, state and federal partners in Michigan to share with Flint residents healthy eating habits that can mitigate lead absorption in the body. Consuming foods high in calcium, iron and Vitamin C – and keeping their stomachs full – can reduce lead levels.

This study updates a 2009 analysis of the nutrient and food group content of the USDA Foods offered and delivered through federal nutrition assistance programs. The study also estimated the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores under the HEI-2010 and the HEI-2005 scoring systems for each program’s benefits.

The diets of most Americans fall short of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This exploratory analysis examines dietary patterns of low-income individuals classified as healthy and less healthy eaters based on their score on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2005. The HEI-2005 is a 100-point score that measures how well populations adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

The report draws on data for households participating in the Food Stamp Program under normal rules and thus does not include information about those who received disaster assistance after the Gulf Coast hurricanes in September and October 2005.