Skip to main content
Resource | FAQs/Q&As Questions and Answers on Alternate Protein Products

The term "Alternate Protein Product" is the name used by FNS to identify products meeting requirements set forth in Appendix A of the NSLP, SBP, SFSP, and the CACFP within the section entitled Alternate Protein Products.

10/04/2022
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Estimate the Cost of Producing School Meals

This fact sheet summarizes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to estimate the cost of producing reimbursable school meals. The methods were based on approaches used in prior USDA studies.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Student Dietary Intakes

This fact sheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data on students’ dietary intakes.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Methods Used to Examine Nutritional Characteristics of School Meals

This fact sheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to examine nutritional characteristics of school meals. 

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Plate Waste in School Meals

This factsheet describes the methods used in the School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (SNMCS) to collect, process, and analyze data to assess plate waste in the school meal programs.

10/19/2021
Resource | Technical Assistance School Nutrition & Meal Cost Study: Study Design & Implementation

The School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study was a comprehensive study of the school meal programs. This fact sheet provides an overview of the design and implementation of the SNMCS, including the research objectives, sample design, data collection approach, and response rates. 

10/19/2021
Resource | Factsheets FNS-101: Special Milk Program

The Special Milk Program provides milk to children in schools, child care institutions, and eligible camps that do not participate in other Federal child nutrition programs. The SMP reimburses schools and institutions for the milk they serve. Schools participating in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs may serve milk through SMP to children enrolled in half-day pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs if those children do not have access to the breakfast or lunch meal service.

03/04/2021
Resource | Factsheets Special Milk Program Factsheet

The Special Milk Program provides milk to children in schools, child care institutions and eligible camps that do not participate in other federal child nutrition meal service programs. The program reimburses schools and institutions for the milk they serve. In 2011, 3,848 schools and residential child care institutions participated, along with 782 summer camps and 527 non‐residential child care institutions. Schools in the National School Lunch or School Breakfast Programs may also participate in the Special Milk Program to provide milk to children in half‐day pre‐kindergarten and kindergarten programs where children do not have access to the school meal programs.

03/20/2019
Resource | Policy Reducing School Meal Certification Error through Improved Online Application Design

This memorandum provides guidance to states, local operators, and their software vendors on strategies for leveraging the design flexibilities of online free and reduced price school meal applications to reduce household reporting mistakes and certification errors.

03/05/2018
Resource | Guidance Documents Eligibility Manual for School Meals

The manual provides comprehensive information on federal requirements, policies, and procedures, and is intended to help state agencies and local educational agencies accurately determine, certify, and verify children’s eligibility for free and reduced price school meals and free milk.

07/05/2017
Page updated: October 14, 2021