Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

USDA Foods Program Information

Information regarding U.S. Department of Agriculture Foods for participants of the National School Lunch and Summer Food Programs.

USDA Foods Entitlement

An agency's entitlement is the dollar value of USDA Foods each recipient agency is eligible to receive. An agency's donated food entitlement is calculated by the number of reimbursable lunches served during the previous year (July 1–June 30) multiplied by the current per-meal value. The per-meal value for USDA Foods is established annually, in July, by the United States Congress.

USDA Program Resources

Value of Donated Foods Notices External link opens in new window or tab.
Current and prior year Federal Register notices announcing the national average value of donated foods for the National School Lunch Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.

USDA Foods Fact Sheets External link opens in new window or tab.
USDA Foods fact sheets developed for food expected to be available for schools and institutions participating in the National School Lunch Program.

USDA Foods Expected to be Available List External link opens in new window or tab.
A list of food available or expected to be available by USDA to participants in the School and Child Nutrition Programs.

USDA Foods Pricing Information External link opens in new window or tab.
USDA's estimated Fair Market Values (FMV) for current and prior years. FMVs are updated every year on November 15.

USDA Foods Price List and Serving Guide

An alphabetical listing of USDA Foods that provides pack size, approximate number of servings provided, average serving size, and approximate number of servings from each pack/unit ordered.

Questions:   Food Distribution Program | FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov
Last Reviewed: Tuesday, October 07, 2025
Related Content
  • Food Distribution
    Information about United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food commodities, Department of Defense (DoD) fresh produce, distribution centers, and processing of USDA Foods.
  • Food Distribution Management Bulletins
    Links to the Food Distribution Program management bulletins.
  • USDA Foods Processing Program
    Information regarding processing United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods into more usable end products.
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.