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Basic page USDA Foods Program Operator Toolkit

State agencies, Indian Tribal Organizations, and program operators administering the Commodity Supplemental Food Program or the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations can use the resources in this toolkit to support their management of USDA Foods from ordering to distribution.

05/08/2026
Resource | Federal Register Notices Proposed Information Collection: 60-Day Public Comment Request for the Study Food Price Data Collection in the Non-Contiguous States and U.S. Territories

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this proposed information collection for the Food Price Data Collection in the Non-Contiguous States and U.S. Territories Study. This is a new information collection request.

04/09/2026
Resource | Policy Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 – Promoting Real Food in Child Nutrition Programs

In this program guidance, Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke L. Rollins, strongly encourages child nutrition program operators to familiarize themselves with the key recommendations and consider how the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 can be incorporated into program meals and snacks to promote healthy outcomes and healthy families.

02/11/2026
Resource | Policy Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

The purpose of this memorandum is to remind schools, sponsors, and institutions participating in any USDA Child Nutrition Program, including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program for Children , Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and the Seamless Summer Option , of the many ways they can purchase local foods to serve in program meals.

05/06/2025
Resource | Training and Outreach Kosher and Halal Foods in Child Nutrition Programs

On Nov. 14, 2024 we held a webinar for state and local agencies administering child nutrition programs on serving halal and kosher observant students eligible for their programs.

11/14/2024
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
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 | Training and Outreach CACFP Cooking Video: Roasted Spaghetti Squash Ages 6–18 

This Child and Adult Care Food Program cooking video demonstrates the quick-and-easy preparation of the USDA standardized recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash for children 6 through 18 years of age.

04/18/2024
Resource | Recipes CACFP Cooking Video: Roasted Spaghetti Squash Age 3–5

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) cooking video demonstrates the quick-and-easy preparation of the USDA standardized recipe for Roasted Spaghetti Squash for children 3 through 5 years of age.

04/18/2024
Page updated: October 14, 2021