The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) is committed to a well-nourished and educated California. We support and protect access to nutritious meals for children in California to grow, learn, and thrive.
Our Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) offer meals and snacks in schools, parks, and other community agencies.
Each instructional day, California’s 5.8 million public school children have access to a nutritious breakfast and lunch as well as meals during the summer. Together, more than 917 million school meals and snacks at nearly 11, 000 sites were served through the course of the 2023-2024 school year.
Program News | Meal Programs | Education, Training, and Professional Development | Program Resources | Program Operator Feedback | Latest Tweets
Program News
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Nutrition What's New
News and announcements relating to disasters, recalls, policy requirements, management bulletins, trainings, funding opportunities, recognition, and other topics for program operators of the CNPs.
Meal Programs
- School Nutrition Programs
Information about meal, snack, and milk programs offered at public and private nonprofit schools and residential child care institutions as well as state meal reimbursement, known as Universal Meals. The federal School Nutrition Programs include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Special Milk Program, Seamless Summer Option and State Meal Program.
- Food Distribution Program
Information about the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods, Department of Defense Fresh Program, distribution centers, and processing of USDA Foods.
- Summer Meal Programs
Information about federal meal programs for children from low-income areas operated during vacation and off-track periods.
- SUN Bucks (Summer EBT)
Includes background, eligibility criteria, best practices, frequently asked questions (FAQ), resources, and contact information regarding SUN Bucks (Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer [EBT]).
- After School
Provides after school program operators with background information, a comparison chart of available programs, meal pattern charts, directions on how to apply, claiming instructions, policy guidance, resources, and more.
- Meal Programs–CalEdFacts page
Summary of meal programs offered in California.
Education, Training, and Professional Development
- Food Service Staff Education and Training
Helpful information for new School Nutrition Program (SNP) professionals and includes an overview of the School Nutrition and Summer Nutrition Programs, recommended online trainings, key resources, and program contact information.
- Course Catalog
A catalog of online courses for program operators participating in the CNPs.
- Resource Library
A library of online resources for program operators participating in the CNPs.
- Healthy Eating and Nutrition Education
Information about improving nutrition and establishing healthy eating habits in school, child care, adult, and afterschool settings. Includes information about local school wellness policies.
Program Resources
- Disaster Guidance
Includes resources, claiming and reimbursement information, policy guidance, and contacts for all disasters that affect the CNPs.
- Administrative Review
An overview of the areas that will be reviewed during the Administrative Reviews by a Nutrition Program Consultant from the CDE NSD.
- Appeal Process
The program and grant appeal processes for the CNPs administered by the CDE.
- Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS)
The CNIPS is an online system for local sponsors of federal food programs to easily submit and track the status of their applications, claims, changes, and commodity requests to the CDE.
- Claim Reimbursements
Fiscal information to aid nutrition sponsors and to provide information about claiming meal reimbursements.
- Food Program Data
CNPs data and statistics, including county profiles, free and reduced-price meals data, school meal nutrition analysis, and summer meal service sites.
- Grants, Recognition and Appropriations
Information on grant opportunities, recognition programs, and appropriations available to program operators of the CNPs.
- Legislation, Regulations, and Policies
State and federal regulations and other CNP guidance including management bulletins and policy memoranda, proposed regulations, legislative reports, and policy recommendations for nutrition program administration.
- Procurement in CNPs
Federal and state information for the procurement of food service related goods and services across all federally funded CNPs and the USDA Foods Program.
- Rates, Eligibility Scales, and Funding
Reimbursement rates, annual eligibility scales, and funding information.
- USDA Civil Rights and Complaints
USDA Food and Nutrition Service policies and procedures about nondiscrimination in the administration of the CNPs and the Food Distribution Program.
Program Operator Feedback
- NSD Customer Service Survey
How can we help? Share your experience with us. Your experience with NSD and input is important to us. The NSD will use this feedback to improve our support and communication of information to CNP operators. This survey can be taken at any time.
CDE Nutrition on Twitter
For the latest CDE nutrition news and information, follow @CDENutrition 
on Twitter.