Skip to main content
California Department of Education Logo

2021–22 CNP Reimbursement Rates

Child Nutrition Program (CNP) meal reimbursement rates.
Important Notice: CACFP Program Moved to CDSS

The Early Childhood Development Act of 2020 (Senate Bill (SB) 98, Chapter 24, Statutes of 2020) authorized the transfer of child care and development programs administered by the California Department of Education to the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) effective July 1, 2021. The content on this page may not be current and involves the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) that has moved to CDSS. Visit the CDSS CACFP web page External link opens in new window or tab. or call 1-833-559-2420 for more information.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Rates
School Nutrition Program (SNP) Rates

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Reimbursement Rates shown below are for July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022

CACFP Centers Reimbursement

Type of Meal Free Reduced-Price Base
Breakfast $1.97 $1.67 $0.33
Lunch and Supper $3.66 $3.26 $0.35
Snacks $1.00 $0.50 $0.09

Note: CACFP center rates do not include cash-in-lieu value for commodities. Centers receive cash-in-lieu of commodities equal to $0.2600 for each lunch and supper served to enrolled participants.

Day Care Homes (Child Care Only) Federal Reimbursement

Tier Breakfast Lunch/Supper Snacks
Tier I $1.40 $2.63 $0.78
Tier II $0.51 $1.59 $0.21

Administrative Reimbursement for Day Care Home Sponsoring Organizations

Rate Description Initial 50 day care homes Next 150 day care homes Next 800 day care homes Each additional day care home
Monthly Rate per Home $126 $96 $75 $66

State Meal Reimbursement for Child Care Centers

Type of Meal Free Reduced-Price Base
Breakfast
$0.1853
$0.1853
Not Applicable
 Lunch
$0.1853
$0.1853
Not Applicable

Due to the 2020 Budget Bill approval, the state rate has been extended to all CACFP child care center operators including those that are not public school food authorities.

State Meal Reimbursement for Breakfasts and Lunch at Day Care Homes Sponsored by a Public School Food Authority

Day Care Home sponsoring organizations that are public school food authorities (SFAs) receive $0.1853 state reimbursement for 75 percent of the breakfast and lunches served to participating children.


School Nutrition Programs (SNP)

Reimbursement rates shown below are for January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021

Total (Combined) Reimbursement

Seamless Summer Feeding Option*

Type of Meal Rural or Self-prep
Breakfast
$2.6050
 Lunch or Supper
$4.5625
Snacks
$1.0775

*The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued child nutrition response #85 which allows SFAs to serve meals to students at no charge under the Seamless Summer Feeding Option (SSO) during the 2021‒22 School Year (SY). In addition, the USDA issued child nutrition response #86 and waiver #108, that provides SFAs that operate the SSO through summer 2022 reimbursement equivalent to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) rural self-prep rate.

Reimbursement Rates shown below are for July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022

Total (Combined) Reimbursement

School Breakfast Program

Type of Meal Free Reduced-Price Paid
Basic Breakfast $1.97 $1.67 $0.33
Especially Needy Breakfast $2.35 $2.05 $0.33

Note: Especially Needy Breakfast is for approved sites that served 40 percent or more free and reduced-price lunches in 2019–2020.

National School Lunch Program

Description Free Free+7 cents* Reduced-Price Reduced-Price+7 cents* Paid Paid+7cents*
Agencies that served less than 60% free/reduced-price lunches in 2017–18 $3.66 $3.73 $3.26 $3.33 $0.35 $0.42
Agencies that served 60% or more free/reduced-price lunches in 2017–18 $3.68 $3.75 $3.28 $3.35 $0.37 $0.44
USDA Foods Meal Rate † $0.3975 $0.3975 $0.3975 $0.3975 $0.3975 $0.3975

Note: Payments listed for free and reduced-price lunches include both section 4 and section 11 funds of the National School Lunch Act.

*Certified SFAs are eligible to receive performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served beginning October 1, 2012.

† Meal rate is multiplied by total lunches served to determine total entitlement amount.

Meal Supplements (After-School Snacks) in the National School Lunch Program

Meal Free Reduced-Price Paid
Snacks $1.00 $0.50 $0.09

State Meal Program and State Meal Reimbursement for Public SFAs Serving Breakfasts and Lunches in Federal Meal Programs

Agency Type Free Reduced-Price Paid
Prop 98 Agencies certified with California Education Code (EC) sections 49430 & 49430.7 $0.2487
$0.2487
Not Applicable
 Prop 98 Agencies not certified with EC sections 49430 & 49430.7
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
All Other (or non-Prop 98)
Agencies
Not Applicable Not Applicable Not Applicable

Special Milk Program

Free Reduced-Price Paid
Average cost per half pint
Not Applicable
Per half pint: $0.2200

Reimbursement rates shown below are for January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022

Total (combined) reimbursement includes operating and administrative components.

SFSP Reimbursement Rates

Type of Meal Rural or Self-prep All Other Site Types
Breakfast
2.6050
2.5550
Lunch or Supper
4.5625
4.4875
Snacks
1.0775
1.0525
Questions:   Nutrition Services Division | 800-952-5609
Last Reviewed: Friday, September 09, 2022
Related Content
Recently Posted in Nutrition

  • Upcoming Webinars and Team Nutrition Materials (added 19-Sep-2023)
    The USDA’s Team Nutrition (TN) initiative is excited to share three upcoming webinar opportunities and a reminder to order TN’s print materials for National School Lunch Week, which is October 9-13, 2023.
  • Net Cash Resources and Allowable Costs Reminder (added 19-Sep-2023)
    Program operators that have NCR of six months or more average operating expenses are required to have a budget agreement. Program operators are reminded that cafeteria funds are to be used for the operation and improvement of school food service.
  • Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule (added 19-Sep-2023)
    On August 23, 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service released SP 21-2023, Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Program Integrity Final Rule.
  • Governor Newsom Expands State of Emergency (added 14-Sep-2023)
    Governor Newsom Expands State of Emergency Due to Tropical Storm Hilary Impacts in Siskiyou County.
  • Webinar: KIT Freshly Prepared Onsite Meal Criteria (added 12-Sep-2023)
    This announcement provides information on how to register for the KIT Freshly Prepared Onsite Meal Criteria webinar.