FNS Documents & Resources

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

Questions have arisen regarding the eligibility for reimbursement of meals served to children who are placed by a public school district in special schools or institutions which are either not eligible to participate or choose not to participate in the NSLP and/or SBP.

This Instruction establishes policy for charging allowable costs associated with the administration of TEFAP, and for assigning such costs to states and eligible recipient agencies (ERAs).  Such classification of costs is necessary in order to demonstrate compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements described in section II, of this document.

This memorandum encourages those state agencies that have not already done so to consider seriously adopting provisions currently available to simplify operations and improve program access for households with earnings.

It has come to our attention that there is still some question regarding the ability of state agencies and sponsoring organizations to use “stop payments” (suspension of all program reimbursement to institutions or providers) as a tool to enforce an institution or a provider’s compliance with program requirements.

The purpose of this policy memorandum is to provide clarification regarding the effective date of Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children vendor disqualification's that result from the permanent disqualification of a vendor from the Food Stamp Program.

The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels. The nutritional bases of the Food Plans are the 1997-2005 Dietary Reference Intakes, 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and 2005 MyPyramid food intake recommendations. In addition to cost, differences among plans are in specific foods and quantities of foods. Another basis of the Food Plans is that all meals and snacks are prepared at home. For specific foods and quantities of foods in the Food Plans, see Thrifty Food Plan, 2006 (2007) and The Low-Cost, Moderate-Cost, and Liberal Food Plans, 2007 (2007). All four Food Plans are based on 2001-02 data and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index for specific food items.

The following memo gives guidance on disqualifying a member of a food stamp household from the Food Stamp Program when that person fails to do something required by another public assistance program.

This policy memorandum provides clarification concerning the use of Welch's grant funds to support activities in the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition  Program (FMNP). 

The goal of work supplementation or support is to help move public assistance food stamp recipients into nonsubsidized jobs and promote self sufficiency.