One of the missions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to increase food security and reduce hunger among those Americans in need of nutritious meals (Food and Nutrition). In summer, the USDA provides 200 million free …
School Food Authorities’ Role in Emergency Feeding Procedures (Part 2 of 2)
(The first part of the article can be found here.)
In the face of a disaster that requires an emergency feeding operation, schools play an important role in providing the space, personnel and food required for congregate meal service. …
Key Changes to the Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Patterns
On April 25, 2016, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published the final rule related to meal pattern revisions for the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). CACFP centers and day care homes must be …
Part Two: Procurement Regulations Surrounding Local Meat, Poultry, Eggs, and Dairy Products for Your Cafeteria
This is the second part of our two-part series about purveying local foods for your school. Here is the link to Part One: Food Safety Considerations when Procuring Local Foods for Your Cafeteria.
Currently, there is increasing interest from …
Overview of the Laws Governing Child Nutrition Programs
Federal child nutrition programs provide nutritious foods to children across the nation. While this may seem like a simple task, complex laws, policies and regulations are in place to guide program operations. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act authorizes all federal …
More or Less Plate Waste with Updated School Nutrition Policies?
Despite some negative press surrounding the new nutrition standards in school meal programs, many schools have seen a positive impact on plate waste and student consumption of healthful foods. Many changes to school meals were implemented in 2012 following the …
2015 Dietary Guidelines and What they Mean for Schools
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide science-based recommendations that are used in the development of federal nutrition policies and programs, including the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs. The first guidelines were published in 1980 and are reviewed and …
Nutrition Program Spotlight: Wholesome Waves’ Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program
Overview
Wholesome Wave is a non-profit organization with a vision of making local and healthy foods affordable and accessible to all, and is particularly focused on underserved communities. In 2010, they piloted the Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program ® (also …
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a USDA grant-based program that offers funds to schools to provide students with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day. The program began as a pilot program authorized by Congress in …
The Community Eligibility Provision and School Meals: A Fact Sheet
Overview
The community eligibility provision (CEP) is an option of meal reimbursement that allows schools with high rates of students who qualify for free or reduced meals to provide breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students at no charge. This …