Meal Pattern Documentation
CN Label Documentation and Product Formulation Statements
- Administrative Review - CN Labels Webinar
- CN Label Verification and Manufactures Reports
- SP-27-2015: Administrative Review Process Regarding the Child Nutrition (CN) Label, Watermarked CN Label and Manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement
- SP-11-2015(v.2): CN Labels Copied with a Watermark - Acceptable Documentation
- Tip Sheet for Accepting Processed Product Documentation
- Tip Sheet for Evaluating a Manufacturer’s Product Formulation Statement (PFS)
- TA 07-2010 Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements (MPR) REVISED 11-26-2014
- NEW Tip Sheets - Crediting Fruits, Crediting Vegetables, and Crediting Meats/Meat Alternative in Child Nutrition Programs
Meal Pattern Information
- New Menu Planner for School Meals
- SP 04-2022: Q&A on the Final Rule Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Effective July 1, 2022
- Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-Based Tool
- Transitional Meal Pattern
- 6 Cent Certification Resources
- Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs - REVISED
- Notice of Vacatur: Rescission of Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Flexibilities
- School Breakfast Program: Continuation of the Substitution of Vegetables for Fruit Flexibility
- Creative Ways to Reduce Sodium
- Fact Sheet: Calories in School Meals
- Lunch Meal Pattern and Dietary Specifications
- Breakfast Meal Pattern
- Serving School Meals to Preschoolers - Pre-K Meal Pattern
- SP-01-2019: Guidance for FY 2019 - Updated Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Patterns and Updated National School Lunch Program and Breakfast Program Infant and Preschool Meal Patterns
- Child Nutrition Programs Meal Pattern Comparison Chart
- SP 37-2017: Flexibility for Co-Mingles Preschool Meals: Questions and Answers
- Menu Planner
- My Plate Resources
- Production Record - Lunch and Breakfast
- SP 05-2022: Meal Requirements Under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Q&A for Program Operators Updated to Support the Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Effective July 1, 2022
- Sodium Reduction: Timeline and Amount
- School Day Just Got Healthier Brochure
- School Day Just Got Healthier - Updated Standards
- Standardized Recipes Template
- Standardized Recipes for Schools - NEW!
- Updated Offer versus Serve Guidance for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Effective Beginning School Year 2015-2016
- Kansas 6 Week Cycle Menus
- Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains and Sodium - Final Rule
Grains
- Creditable Grains in Recipes Converter
- SP-30-2012 Converter
- Formulated Grain Fruit Products
- Updated Grain Requirements for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program
Meal Pattern Tools and Resources
- Offering Meats and Meat Alternates at School Breakfast
- This training guide provides menu planning ideas, crediting information, sample menus, and more, to show school nutrition professionals how to offer meats and meat alternates at school breakfast.
- Offering Smoothies as Part of Reimbursable School Meals
- This training guide provides menu planning ideas, crediting tips, sample menus, and more to show school nutrition professionals how both scratch-made and commercially-prepared smoothies can be offered as part of a reimbursable school breakfast or lunch.
- Methods for Healthy Cooking
- Team Nutrition School Lunch Menu e-poster
- This resource is designed for school nutrition programs to display daily lunch menu options and remind students to eat a variety of foods while building a reimbursable meal. The fillable pdf file can be used for electronic message boards, webpages, and social media or can be printed and displayed in sign holders.
- Navigating the Food Buying Guide Calculator
- Menu Documentation Check List
- Standardized Recipe Converter
- Food Buying Guide
- Two exciting new features have been added to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG) Interactive Web-based Tool. Both features are available under the Tools menu on the toolbar:
- Interactive flow chart on using the preparation yield walks users through when to use the Preparation Yield factor in the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW).
- An Ounces to Pounds Calculator allows users to easily convert ounces to pounds and pounds to ounces to make converting units a breeze!
- New foods are available in the FBG! New additions consist of USDA Foods frozen mixed vegetables and a variety of meat items including 11-, 43-, and 48-ounce pouched tuna; boneless, skinless chicken thighs; ground mutton, mutton shoulder chops and stew meat; catfish fillets; and USDA Foods canned pork. Stay tuned for additional yield data releases.
- Two exciting new features have been added to the Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG) Interactive Web-based Tool. Both features are available under the Tools menu on the toolbar:
- Request for Applications: Healthy Meals Incentives Grants for Small and /or Rural School Food Authorities (SFA)
- Eligibility Criteria:
- SFA must participate in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program
- SFA must meet the following definitions of small and/or rural:
- Small SFA: SFA with an enrollment of less than or equal to 5,000 students.
- Rural SFA: The majority of students within the SFA are enrolled in a rural school as defined by a locality code of 41, 42, or 43, according to the National Center for Education Statistics online tool.
- Eligibility Criteria:
Meal Pattern Exemptions
For further guidance, refer to the USDA Resources page