The author reports on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's plan to look closely at whether the food-service-management companies running many school cafeterias are passing along all the discounts and rebates they receive from their suppliers to the districts that hire them. The plan to probe companies will begin in August, said Alison Decker, a…

From 2009 to 2010, the Community Food Security Coalition advocated for more federal support and funding for farm-to-school programs as Congress considered reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act. Farm-to-school initiatives aim to improve the quality and healthfulness of student meals through the inclusion of more fresh fruits and vegetables provided…

Through its commodity program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides commodity foods at no cost to schools taking part in the national school meals programs. Commodities include raw ground beef, cheese, poultry, and fresh produce. Like federal food safety agencies, the commodity program has taken steps designed to reduce microbial…

This manual contains information on Federal requirements regarding the determination and verification of eligibility for free and reduced price meals in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. These provisions also apply to the determination of eligibility for free milk under the Special Milk Program and are generally…

Nutrition integrity ensures that all foods available in schools for children are consistent with recommended dietary allowances and contribute to the development of lifelong, healthy eating habits. Attaining nutrition integrity is the goal of numerous changes in National School Lunch and Breakfast Program regulations. Outlines new federal…

The Antioch Unified School District is one of several California schools testing a version of the Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (NSMP) to meet the new rules that require all schools to reduce the fat content of meals. NSMP, presently implemented at the elementary level, has increased flexibility in menu planning and led to better management and…

Details of recent federal regulations regarding child nutrition programs and ways that associations in the educational community can provide leadership and technical assistance in the direction of child nutrition programs. (Author/MLF)

Guidelines to help ensure that meals served under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs meet program requirements are provided in this booklet. Based on the latest federal regulations and meal pattern requirements, average yield information is presented on over 600 food items. Information is provided for calculating accurate quantities…

This manual contains information on federal policy regarding meal-pattern requirements for school-nutrition programs. It also describes the Offer Versus Serve (OVS) provision, which allows students to decline either one or two food items they do not intend to eat in order to reduce food waste. The manual explains food components, gives examples of…

Pending federal legislation would require that school meals meet federal dietary guidelines. However, food service directors and nutritionists see other obstacles to improving the nutritional content of school meals such as government red tape, costs, and difficulty in changing people's tastes. Hundreds of schools, usually in affluent communities,…

This manual contains information about the selection and implementation of a meal counting and claiming system for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (BSP). Federal reimbursement is provided for each meal that meets program requirements and is served to an eligible student. Part 1 explains the six elements of…

Describes food service programs administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). (MLF)

This document identifies the federal nutrition standards required in order to claim cash reimbursement and donated United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities for meals served through school lunch or school breakfast programs. Minimum serving requirements for school lunch and school breakfast patterns are detailed by age/grade…

This guide is designed to assist independent auditors in conducting audits of the operations of the Summer Food Service for Children. The summer program provides nutritional help to children who would otherwise be deprived of food assistance received at other times of the year under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. During the…

The Summer Food Program (SFP) is a federally funded program designed to feed needy children during school vacations from May through September. Children may be fed breakfasts, lunches, and suppers, plus two snacks, up to seven days a week. All meals must be served free to all children. The program provides an opportunity to simultaneously improve…