FNS Documents & Resources

When people make decisions about what to eat, they may consider such factors as taste, ease of preparation, nutrition, what others enjoy eating, and price. Many researchers seek to understand what makes some people choose healthful diets while others choose less healthful diets. To conduct these studies, researchers must understand as much of the context of the decisions as possible: What foods are normally enjoyed by an individual and his or her co-diners?  How much time does an individual or household have to prepare food? Are there health conditions or other factors that might prompt an individual to value health and nutrition more so than others do? What are an individual’s or household’s budget restrictions?

This memorandum is to inform you of a recent change to the list of USDA-approved Nutrient Standard Menu Planning and School Meals Initiative nutrient analysis software programs available to state agencies, school food authorities and local schools to meet SMI requirements.