Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

CNAC Guidelines

Guidelines for the Child Nutrition Advisory Council (CNAC).

The Child Nutrition Advisory Council (CNAC) is committed to fulfilling its role as an advisory body to the California Department of Education (CDE) and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. It values its role in providing relevant feedback to those entities and their representatives for the improvement of the health and nutrition for California's children.

In order to provide thoughtful and informed advice and recommendations to those entities, the CNAC utilizes the following process for receiving information for consideration:

  • Information that is critical and relevant to the topic to be considered should be provided to the CNAC staff liaison in electronic format at least six weeks in advance of the meeting date. The CNAC staff liaison will ensure that this information is provided to the Chair for consideration for the agenda or other resolution.

  • Information should include the entity being represented (if any), a summary of key points, the specific areas of focus for the Council members to consider, and any proposed recommendations.

  • The CNAC Chair and the CNAC staff liaison will jointly determine whether the item should be placed on the agenda for action.

  • If the item is placed on the agenda, the representative of the entity requesting CNAC input should attend the CNAC meeting and be prepared to participate in any discussion and respond to questions raised by the CNAC members or the public.

  • The CNAC may provide recommendations or take other action it deems appropriate such as placing the item on a future agenda for further discussion and consideration.
Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Friday, December 6, 2024
Recently Posted in Nutrition
  • Celebrating California School Meals Photo Contest (added 18-Aug-2025)
    The California Department of Education’s Farm to School program is holding a photo contest. CDE welcomes photos highlighting California’s diverse school meals programs; scratch cooked, locally sourced meals; and our school nutrition professionals.
  • REQUIRED: 2025–26 FFVP Orientation Trainings (added 15-Aug-2025)
    The CDE NSD requires all 2025–26 FFVP grantees to complete the mandatory FFVP Orientation Online Training Series before implementing the FFVP. The training series must be completed by no later than Monday, September 15, 2025, at 5 p.m. PST.
  • Action Required: Excess Net Cash Resources (added 12-Aug-2025)
    Provides information to program operators about excess net cash resources, the budget agreement process, and long-term noncompliance.
  • SNP Reimbursement Rates for 2025-26 (added 12-Aug-2025)
    This web page provides the School Nutrition Programs (SNP) reimbursement rates for the 2025-26 school year.
  • 2024 Turnip the Beet Award Winners (added 12-Aug-2025)
    The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division would like to congratulate 21 California school districts for receiving a 2024 Turnip the Beet Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.