School Nutrition Programs Management Bulletins

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2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020
2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000
1999 | 1997

Note: Bulletins are in descending order by release date, and may be sorted by any column heading in ascending or descending order.

Calendar Year 2025

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
March 2025	Severe Need Reimbursement	Severe Need Breakfast Reimbursement in the School Breakfast Program	SNP-03-2025
March 2025	Special Dietary Needs	Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in School Meal Programs	SNP-07-2025
March 2025	Direct Certification	Direct Certification Requirements in the School Nutrition Programs	SNP-02-2025
January 2025	Procurement	Buy American Provision	SNP-01-2025

Calendar Year 2024

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
December 2024	Fluid Milk	Final Rule: Fluid Milk Substitutions in the School Nutrition Programs	SNP-11-2024
November 2024	Procurement	Applying Geographic Preferences in Procurement	CNP-03-2024
November 2024	Universal Breakfast	Universal Breakfast	SNP-10-2024
November 2024	Provisions	Community Eligibility Provision Application	SNP-06-2024
October 2024	State Meal Mandate	California State Meal Mandate	SNP-02-2024
April 2024	Rural Non-congregate Meal Service for Summer Meal Programs	Non-congregate Meal Service Options in Rural Areas in Summer Meal Programs	SNP 05-2024; SFSP 06-2024
March 2024	Grant	Commercial Dishwasher Grant	SNP-04-2024
February 2024	Nonprogram Foods	Nonprogram Food - Consolidated Guidance	SNP-03-2024
February 2024	Summer Meal Program Site Proximity Requirements	Summer Meal Site Proximity Requirements	SNP-01-2024; SFSP-05-2024
January 2024	Procurement	Updated Federal Micropurchase and Small Purchase Thresholds	CNP-01-2024

Calendar Year 2023

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
December 2023	Disaster Response	Updated Disaster Response for Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-01-2023
July 2023	Cafeteria Funds-- Updated Guidance	Updated: Unpaid Meal Charges and Excess Account Balances	SNP-04-2023
May 2023	Food Service Management (FSM) Company Contract Preapproval	FSM Company Contract Preapproval	SNP-05-2023
May 2023	FFVP Grant--New Guidance	FFVP: Claiming Administrative Costs	SNP-01-2023

Calendar Year 2022

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
October 2022	Late Claim Exception	Reimbursement Claim One-Time Only Exception Submission Deadline Policy Clarification	CNP-01-2022
June 2022	National School Lunch (NSLP) and School Breakfast (SBP) Meal Pattern Updates	Transitional Meal Standards for School Years 2022–23 and 2023–24	SNP-03-2022
May 2022	Cafeteria Funds-- Updated Guidance	Excess Net Cash Resources—Revised to Increase Limitation	SNP-04-2022

Calendar Year 2021

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
October 2021	Grant	2021 National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grant	SNP-05-2021
August 2021	Adult Meal Pricing	Adult Meal Pricing in the NSLP/SBP	SNP-04-2021
February 2021	Paid Lunch Equity	Paid Lunch Equity Exemption Guidance	SNP-02-2021

Calendar Year 2020

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
December 2020	Salad Bars in School Nutrition Programs	Salad Bars in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program	SNP-03-2020
July 2020	Professional Standards	Professional Standards in the School Nutrition Programs	SNP-13-2020
March 2020	Meals During School Closures	Meal Service During Unanticipated School Closures	CNP-02-2020
February 2020	Cafeteria Funds--Updated Guidance	Cafeteria Funds--Construction	SNP-08-2020
February 2020	Cafeteria Funds--Updated Guidance	Cafeteria Funds--Allowable Uses	SNP-05-2020
February 2020	Crediting Commercially Prepared Smoothies	Smoothies Offered in Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-04-2020
January 2020	Cafeteria Funds--Updated Guidance	Cafeteria Fund--Loans	SNP-09-2020
January 2020	Cafeteria Funds--Updated Guidance	Cafeteria Funds--Indirect Costs	SNP-07-2020

Calendar Year 2019

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
October 2019	Provisions	Mandatory Review of Provision 2 or 3 Base Year—Revised	SNP-25-2019
May 2019	Excess Funds	Transferring Excess Funds between Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-04-2019
April 2019	Competitive Foods	USDA Smart Snacks in School Final Rule and Updated California Competitive Food Rules	SNP-09-2019
April 2019	Competitive Foods	Competitive Foods-Determining Compliant Beverages	SNP-08-2019
April 2019	Competitive Foods	Competitive Food Standards for Exempt Foods Items When Sold Individually or Paired Together	SNP-07-2019
April 2019	Competitive Foods	Second Meals in the School Nutrition Programs Count as Competitive Foods and Beverages	SNP-06-2019
March 2019	Food Safety	Food Safety Certification Requirements	SNP-05-2019
January 2019	Preschool Meal Pattern Requirements for Schools	Preschool Meal Pattern Requirements in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program	SNP-02-2019

Calendar Year 2018

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
November 2018	Procurement	California Public Contract Code sections 20110-20118 Guidance	CNP-12-2018
September 2018	Procurement	Distinguishing an FSMC from a Meal Vendor and Procurement Requirements Overview	SNP-09-2018
August 2018	Cooperative Agreements	Questions and Answers: Purchasing Goods and Services Using Cooperative Agreements, Agents, and Third-Party Services	CNP-07-2018
June 2018	Procuring Locally Produced Foods	Purchase of Locally Produced Foods	CNP-06-2018
June 2018	Market Basket Analysis	Market Basket Analysis When Procuring Program Goods	CNP-04-2018
June 2018	Non-Use of Cafeteria Funds	Clarification on Certification Not to use Cafeteria Funds Guidance	CNP-08-2018
June 2018	School Nutrition Program Site	Definition of a School Nutrition Program Site	SNP-15-2018
June 2018	Kin-GAP	Discontinuation of Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment Program for Meal Eligibility	CNP-09-2018
May 2018	Perishable Foods	Perishable Foods in Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-05-2018
May 2018	Confidentiality and LCAP	Clarification on the Sharing of Individual Student Eligibility Information for Local Control and Accountability Plan Purposes	SNP-02-2018
April 2018	Time and Effort	Equivalent Documentation for Multifunded Employees	SNP-04-2018
February 2018	Donation of Leftover Food	Guidance on the Donation of Leftover Food in the Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-02-2018
February 2018	The Use of Share Tables	The Use of Share Tables	CNP-03-2018

Calendar Year 2017

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
December 2017	Local School Wellness Policy	Local School Wellness Policy Final Rule - Revised	SNP-13-2017
September 2017	Meal Pattern	Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-09-2017
August 2017	Competitive Foods	Aligning California and Federal Competitive Food Rules	SNP-07-2017
May 2017	Funding	Annual Audit Status Certification Form Requirements for Organizations Participating in California Department of Education Nutrition Programs -Action Required	CNP-04-2017
May 2017	Revenue from Nonprogram Foods for FSMC	Revenue from Nonprogram Foods for FSMC- Updated Guidance	SNP-06-2017
February 2017	Potable Water	Availability of Potable Water to Children and Allowable Costs	SNP-05-2017
January 2017	Reimbursement	Determining Eligibility for Two-cent Differential Reimbursement for New School Food Authorities	SNP-04-2017
January 2017	Eligibility	Eligibility Requirements for Military Families	CNP-02-2017

Calendar Year 2016

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
November 2016	Eligibility	Eligibility Requirements for School Nutrition Programs	SNP-18-2016
July 2016	Eligibility	Limited English Proficiency in School Meal Programs	SNP-09-2016
February 2016	Interagency Agreements	Interagency Agreements in School Food Service	SNP-06-2016
February 2016	Assessing Education Costs	Assessing Proposed Nutrition Education Costs in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program	SNP-05-2016

Calendar Year 2015

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
November 2015	Codes of Conduct	Written Codes of Conduct and Performance of Employees Engaged in the Procurement, Award, and Administration of Contracts -Action Required	CNP-01-2015
September 2015	Revenue and Expenditure Tracking	School Food Authorities Revenue and Expenditure Tracking for the Child and Adult Care Food Program and School Nutrition Program	SNP-27-2015
August 2015	Area Eligibility	Area Eligibility in Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-04-2015
July 2015	Farm to School	Farm to School and School Garden Expenses	SNP-08-2015
July 2015	Eligibility	Exceptions to U.S. Department of Agriculture Policy Memorandum SP 42-2014, SFSP 17-2014, and CACFP 11-2014: Sharing Aggregate Data to Expand Program Access and Services in Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-03-2015
July 2015	Meal Service	Guidance on Prohibition of Separation by Gender During Child Nutrition Program Meal Service	CNP-09-2015
July 2015	Meal Applications	Updated Guidance on Sharing of School Meal Applications and the Passing of Assembly Bill 1599	SNP-12-2015
July 2015	LEA Meal Application Review	Release of the New Local Educational Agency Second Review of Applications Report	SNP-32-2015
July 2015	Meal Applications	Sharing School Meal Applications with CalFresh Offices	SNP-31-2015
June 2015	Administrative Review	Implementation of and Updates to the New Administrative Review Process	SNP-23-2015
June 2015	Product Documentation	Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements	CNP-07-2015
June 2015	Meals	Food Consumption Outside the Foodservice Area	CNP-05-2015
May 2015	CN Labels	CN Labels Copied with a Watermark	CNP-08-2015
May 2015	Competitive Foods	Competitive Foods and Beverages: Summary and Overview of State and Federal Rules	SNP-11-2015
April 2015	Competitive Foods	Competitive Foods and Beverages: Classifying Smoothies—Revised	SNP-20-2015
March 2015	Direct Certification	Eligibility Effective Date for Directly Certified Students	SNP-17-2015
January 2015	Policy Memo	Preventing Overt Identification of Children Certified for Free or Reduced-Price School Meals and Vending Machine Reimbursements	SNP-05-2015
January 2015	FSMC	Procuring and Monitoring of Food Service Management Contracts -Action Required	SNP-13-2015

Calendar Year 2014

Release Date	Topic	Subject	Bulletin Number
December 2014	Cafeteria Funds	U.S. Department of Agriculture Capital Expenditure List and the Prior Approval Process for School Food Authority Equipment Purchases	SNP-38-2014
December 2014	Cafeteria Funds	Documenting Employee Time and Effort in Federal School Nutrition Programs -Action Required	SNP-06-2014
August 2014	Competitive Foods	Competitive Foods and Beverages: Implementing the Definition of "Sold"	SNP-28-2014
August 2014	Smart Snacks	Grain Entrées and Exempt Fundraisers Related to the Smart Snacks in School Rule	SNP-25-2014
August 2014	Eligibility	Effective Date of Free or Reduced-price Meal Eligibility Determinations	SNP-08-2014
August 2014	Meal Applications	Amendment to Sharing of Meal Applications for Medi-Cal	SNP-18-2014
May 2014	Head Start	Questions and Answers on the Participation of Head Start Programs in Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-05-2014
February 2014	Food Safety	Mandatory Food Safety Inspections—Reminder	SNP-09-2014
January 2014	Afterschool	Assembly Bill 626—Afterschool Meals -Action Required	SNP-05-2014
January 2014	Meals	Variations in Meal Requirements for Religious Reasons: Jewish Schools, Institutions, and Sponsors	CNP-04-2014

Note: Bulletins dated 2013 and earlier are in descending order by bulletin number.

Calendar Year 2013

Bulletin Number	Bulletin Title (Link) and Subject	Release Date
USDA-SNP-23-2013	Exception for Group Meal Safety Residential Child Care Institutions Exception for Safety if Serving Meals to Multiple Age/Grade Groups	October 2013
USDA-SNP-12-2013	New Policy Change on Food Safety Inspections -Action Required	May 2013
USDA-SNP-11-2013	Eligibility for Children in State-funded Pre-K Eligibility for Free Meal Benefits to Children Enrolled in State-funded Pre-kindergarten	May 2013
NSD-SNP-03-2013	Requesting a Summer and/or Saturday Meal Waiver -Action Required Requesting a Summer School Meal Waiver and/or a Saturday School Meal Waiver for 2013 School Sessions	February 2013
NSD-CNP-08-2013	Child Nutrition and Information Payment System User Acceptance Agreement -Action Required	May 2013
NSD-CNP-02-2013	Reimbursement Claims Resources	March 2013
NSD-CNP-01-2013	Change in Management Bulletin Distribution Process -Action Required Change in Distribution Process for Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletins and U.S. Department of Agriculture Policy Memoranda	January 2013

Calendar Year 2012

Bulletin Number	Bulletin Title (Link) and Subject	Release Date
USDA-SNP-39-2012	FFVP Fees in Food Service Mgmt. Company Contracts Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Fees in Food Service Management Company Contracts	November 2012
USDA-SNP-31-2012	Formulated Grain Fruit Products	July 2012
USDA-SNP-30-2012	Reminders-Compliance with Procurement Requirements Reminders: School Food Authority Compliance with Federal Regulations Affecting Rebates, Discounts, and Applicable Credits on All Contracts	October 2012
USDA-SNP-27-2012	Access to Free Drinking Water—UPDATE	July 2012
USDA-SNP-25-2012	Foster Children Now Eligible for Free Meals -Action Required	May 2012
USDA-SNP-22-2012	Using School Attendance Area to Establish Open SFSP Sites -Action Required	May 2012
USDA-SNP-15-2012	Verification for Cause in the School Meals Programs	June 2012
USDA-CNP-02-2012	Rural Development Community Facilities Program	October 2012
USDA-CNP-01-2012	Cooperation with USDA Evaluations and Research Cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture Officials and Contractors Conducting Evaluations and Research	October 2012

Calendar Year 2011

Bulletin Number	Bulletin Title (Link) and Subject	Release Date
USDA-SNP-19-2011	2011–12 Attendance Factor and Required Meal Count 2011–12 Attendance Factor (93.8 percent) and Required Meal Count Edit Checks	August 2011
USDA-SNP-15-2011	Enhancing the School Food Safety Program -Action Required	December 2011
USDA-SNP-13-2011	Required Outreach Regarding School Breakfast -Action Required Required Outreach to Households Regarding the Availability of the School Breakfast Program	August 2011
USDA-SNP-03-2011	Service Fees for On-line Prepayment of Meals	August 2011
USDA-CNP-02-2011	Privacy Protection and Social Security Numbers -Action Required Privacy Protection and the Use of Social Security Numbers	April 2011
NSD-SNP-02-2011	New Guidance Regarding EC Section 49554 New Guidance Regarding California Education Code Section 49554 - Contracting for the Preparation, Delivery, and Service of School Meals	April 2011

Calendar Year 2010

Bulletin Number	Bulletin Title (Link) and Subject	Release Date
USDA-SNP-07-2010	Change in Meal Application Approval Process Change in Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application Approval Process	September 2010
USDA-SNP-03-2010	Allowable Use of Procurement Fees in SFA Contracts	June 2010
USDA-CNP-05-2010	Extending Categorical Eligibility Q and A Extending Categorical Eligibility to Additional Children in a Household - Questions and Answers	September 2010

Questions: Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609

Last Reviewed: Friday, May 16, 2025

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