NSLP and SBP Meal Patterns

Meal Pattern Requirements for Breakfast and Lunch

Infant

Breakfast and Lunch Meal Pattern for Infants (PDF)
A Quick Reference Chart with the meal pattern requirements for the SBP and NSLP for infant's age birth to 11 months.

Preschool

Breakfast Meal Pattern for Preschool (PDF)
A quick reference chart with the meal pattern requirements for the SBP for 1-2 and 3-5 year old students (page 1).

Lunch Meal Pattern for Preschool (PDF)
A quick reference chart with the meal pattern requirements for the NSLP for 1-2 and 3-5 year old students (page 2).

Grades K-12

Breakfast Meal Pattern for Grades K-12
A quick reference chart with the meal pattern requirements for the SBP for grades K-12.

Lunch Meal Pattern for Grades K-12
A quick reference chart with the meal pattern requirements for the NSLP grades K-12

Meal Pattern for Breakfast and Lunch: Short and Long Weeks for Grades K-12
A quick reference chart with the meal pattern requirements for regular operating short and long weeks for both the NSLP and SBP for grades K-12.

Additional Meal Pattern Information

Vegetable Subgroup List for Breakfast and Lunch for Grades K-12
The list of vegetables found in each of the required vegetable subgroup categories for the NSLP and SBP

Sodium Reduction: Timeline and Amount (PDF)
A timeline with the specific grade group, target and amount of sodium allowed in the NSLP and SBP.

• Recent changes to the sodium reduction timeline and amount is reflected in Management Bulletin SNP-09-2017 School Meal Flexibilities for School Year 2017-18.

Online Trainings

This section includes online trainings that assist participants in the NSLP and SBP in implementing the meal pattern requirements.

Nutrition

Operations

Communication and Marketing

Additional Online Training Databases

To find additional online training databases, visit the:

• USDA's Professional Standards for School Nutrition Professionals web page to search for trainings related to the key areas nutrition, operation, administration, and marketing.
  
  
• Institute of Child Nutrition Courses and Learning Plans web page to  search for school nutrition trainings by selecting the Filter tab and choosing "School Nutrition".
  
  
• Chef Ann Foundation The Lunch Box web page to access Webinars related to increasing participation, implementing farm-to-school with recipes and cycle menus, implementing and growing a successful After-the-Bell breakfast program and much more!

For more related meal pattern online trainings, you can visit the California Department of Education (CDE) Child Nutrition Program Course Catalog.

Resources

The School Nutrition Program Primer
The School Nutrition Primer is a web-based resource that serves as an introductory resource for new sponsors and helps ensure success and compliance with federal and state regulations. In addition, the resources and tools assist new staff and existing sponsors with the program requirements.

San Jose State University Cal-Pro-NET Outreach Toolkit Web page
The Outreach Toolkit is an online resource created to help school meal programs promote the delicious, fresh meals served to California schoolchildren. The Outreach Toolkit includes a variety of no-cost/low-cost resources for every district, regardless of size or finances, to promote school nutrition programs, improve the perception of school meals, and increase meal participation. You do not have to be a marketing expert to work with the resources in the Outreach Toolkit. Visit the Web page to get started!

Food Buying Guide
The USDA’s online manual to assists sponsors in buying the appropriate amount and type of food and to determine the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements for the NSLP and SBP.

Exhibit A: School Lunch and Breakfast (PDF)
The USDA’s Exhibit A provides a list of grains and quantities to determine the ounce equivalents of whole grain and whole grain- rich food items used in the NSLP and SBP.

Offer Versus Serve: Guidance for the NSLP and the SBP
The USDA’s online manual for SY 2015–16 assisting with the implementation of Offer Versus Serve (OVS). OVS allows students to decline some of the food offered in a reimbursable lunch or breakfast. This is the latest version of the OVS manual.

Whole Grain Resource Guide
The USDA's guide for meeting the whole grain-rich criteria for school meals. It includes exercises on identifying products that meet the whole grain-rich criteria and calculation examples.

Menu Production Record (MPR) Forms
Example forms used by food service to determine the amount of food to serve for menu production.

Information Required on MPR
The information required to include on the MPR.

Standardized Recipe Form (PDF)
Example forms used by food service that describes the exact, measurable amount of ingredients and the method of preparation needed to consistently produce a high-quality food product.

USDA Approved Software
The USDA made available a list of nutrient analysis software approved for use in the NSLP and SBP.

Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodation (DOC)
This form is used by parents/guardians to have a medical authority prescribe special meals or accommodations during meals in the NSLP and SBP.

Fresh Voices on Healthy School Meals Video
This 5-minute video from the USDA presents students, school, and cafeteria personnel giving their views on the new standards for healthier school meals, based on the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act.

Compliance

The CDE monitors compliance with the meal pattern during the Administrative Review (AR). ARs occur approximately every three years. The CDE provides technical assistance when the standards are not met. There will be an off site assessment (OAT) and an on-site review. Please see the following AR guidance:

• Administrative Review Off-site Assessment Tool (OAT) Guidance
  Sponsors are required to fill out the OAT prior to the on-site review. To download the OAT guidance in Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS), select School Nutrition Programs (SNP), select applications, downloadable forms, and Form ID SNP 58 AR. For meal pattern information, refer to page 13 and questions numbered 600–602.
  
  
• Administrative Review Guidance Chart
  Once the OAT is completed, the AR reviewer conducts an on-site review to validate the information submitted in the OAT and to observe the operation of programs at the SFA and in selected schools. Prior to the on-site AR, the state reviewer sends sponsors the Administrative Review Guidance Chart, so sponsors can prepare all required documents for the on-site AR. To download the guidance chart in CNIPS, click SNP, select applications, downloadable forms, and Form ID SNP 42. For meal pattern information, refer to pages 6–9.
  
  
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Administrative Review Manual 2018–19
  USDA/Food and Nutrition Service provides general guidance to state agencies on the areas of review. For complete transparency and to download the AR Manual in CNIPS, click SNP, select applications, downloadable forms, and Form ID MANUAL AR. For meal pattern information, refer to pages 66-109.

Policy Guidance

The USDA and CDE issued the following policy memoranda related to the meal pattern on the NSLP and SBP. When merited, the CDE will release a subsequent management bulletin (MB) to include state specific policy guidance and/or further explain or clarify the topic.

Calendar Year 2018

Release Date	Issued by	Topic	Subject	Reference Number
12/2018	The USDA	Meal Pattern Crediting	Update of Food Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs	SP 08-2019, CACFP 02-2019, SFSP 02-2019
6/2018	The CDE	Meal Pattern	School Meal Flexibilities for School Year 2018-19	SNP-13-2018
2/2018	The CDE	Donation of Leftover Food	Guidance on the Donation of leftover Food in the Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-02-2018
2/2018	The CDE	The Use of Share Tables	The Use of Share Tables	CNP-03-2018

Calendar Year 2017

Release Date	Issued by	Topic	Subject	Reference Number
9/2017	The CDE	Meal Pattern	Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the Child Nutrition Programs	CNP-09-2017
8/2017	The CDE	Meal Patterns	Child and Adult Care Food Program New Meal Patterns Requirements, Compliance, and Resources	CNP-06-2017
3/2017	The CDE	Special Dietary Needs	Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in School Meal Programs	SNP-02-2017
2/2017	The CDE	Potable Water	Availability of Potable Water to Children and Allowable Costs	SNP-05-2017
1/2017	The USDA	School Meal Flexibilities	Flexibility for the Target 2 Sodium Requirements for SY 17-18	SP15-2017

Calendar Year 2016

Calendar Year 2015

Release Date	Issued by	Topic	Subject	Reference Number
9/2015	The CDE	Meal Service	Smoothies in the Child Nutrition Programs - Revised	CNP-11-2015
8/2015	The USDA	Questions and Answers	Questions & Answers on the Final Rule, Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs (v.9)	SP10-2012
7/2015	The CDE	Product Documentation	Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements	CNP-07-2015
5/2015	The CDE	CN Labels	CN Labels Copied with a Watermark	CNP-08-2015

Calendar Year 2014

Calendar Year 2013

Release Date	Issued by	Topic	Subject	Reference Number
8/2013	The CDE	Salad Bars	Salad Bar Alternatives After the Point of Service	USDA-SNP-19-2013
03/2013	The USDA	Final Rule	Nutrition Standards in the NSLP and the SBP - Final Rule	SP 31-2013
1/2013	The CDE	Whole grain-rich items	Corn Masa (Dough) for Child, Shells, and Tamales	USDA-SNP-01-2013

Calendar Year 2012

Calendar Year 2011 and prior

• To view all of the policy memos related to the SNP, visit the USDA School Meals web page .
• To view all MBs related to SNP, visit the CDE School Nutrition Programs Management Bulletins web page.

Questions and Answers

The USDA released policy memoranda SP 10-2012 (version 9): Question and Answers on the Final Rule to provide guidance and clarification on the meal pattern.

Release Date	Issued by	Subject	Reference Number
August 2015	The USDA	SP 10-2012 (v.9): Questions & Answers on the Final Rule, Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs	SP10-2012 (V.9)

Contact

For questions regarding the meal pattern, contact the California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division (NSD) Meal Pattern team by e-mail at HHFKA@cde.ca.gov. To join the NSD's mailing list, you can subscribe to the School Nutrition Program Mailing List.