Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

FDP: USDA Foods Purchasing and Ordering Cycle

The Food Distribution Program (FDP) U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods Purchasing and Ordering Cycle online training.

Course Description

This training provides an overview of the purchasing and ordering cycles for USDA Foods and describes the USDA procurement process, why California has specific ordering timelines, and how recipient agencies can plan their USDA Foods purchases for an upcoming school year.

  • Course Number: 867
  • Training Length: 29 minutes
  • Certificate: Not available
  • Target Audience: Food Service Director and Staff
  • Mandatory: No
  • Cost: Free
  • Date Recorded: December 2016

Online Course



Referenced Resources

The following resources are referred to throughout this online course:

Crediting

  • Crediting: 0.25 hour
  • Key Area: Nutrition (1000)
    • Training Topic: Menu Planning (1100)
      • Learning Objective: Plan for effective use of USDA Foods (1170)

For more information on crediting, see the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) web document Professional Standards for School Nutrition Professionals External link opens in new window or tab.

Additional Information

For more information on USDA Foods, access the CDE Food Distribution web page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact the Food Distribution Program by email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov.

Questions:   Food Distribution Program | FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov | 916-324-7132
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Related Content
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • CS Beef Packers Recalls Ground Beef Due to E. Coli (added 12-Feb-2026)
    CS Beef Packers, LLC Recalls Ground Beef Products Due to Possible E. Coli Contamination.
  • Honoring Cultural Preferences in School Nutrition (added 12-Feb-2026)
    The webinar highlights best practices for incorporating student cultural food preferences honoring Black voice and other cultures, in menu offerings, strengthen student trust and engagement, and support equity in school meal participation.
  • Rural Non-congregate Meal Service Option Webinar (added 12-Feb-2026)
    The California Department of Education will host a Summer Meals Rural Non-congregate Meal Service Option webinar on Wednesday, March 4 from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm.
  • National Nutrition Month 2026 (added 10-Feb-2026)
    The Nutrition Services Division encourages program operators to participate in the National Nutrition Month and National School Breakfast Week.
  • National Nutrition Month 2026 Letter (added 10-Feb-2026)
    The Nutrition Services Division encourages program operators to participate in the National Nutrition Month and National School Breakfast Week.

  • Availability of the 2026-27 Breakfast Grant (added 06-Feb-2026)
    The final reminder for School Breakfast Program (SBP) and Summer Meal Programs (SMP) Start-up and Expansion Grants, administered by the California Department of Education, provide schools with funding to start-up or expand their SBP and SMP.
  • 2026 SUN Bucks Implementation Webinar (added 05-Feb-2026)
    Register for the 2026 SUN Bucks Implementation Webinar.
  • Availability of the 2026-27 Breakfast Grant (added 02-Feb-2026)
    The School Breakfast Program (SBP) and Summer Meal Programs (SMP) Start-up and Expansion Grants, administered by the California Department of Education, provide schools with funding to start-up or expand their SBP and SMP.
  • Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 (added 30-Jan-2026)
    Key updates to the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 such as fluid milk requirements, fluid milk substitutes, and dietary specifications for saturated fat.
  • Competitive Foods Webinar Series 2026 (added 26-Jan-2026)
    Competitive Foods Webinar Series 2026 will consist of five webinar trainings in February 2026.