Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin
Purpose: Policy, Beneficial Information
To: Child Nutrition Program Operators
Attention: Authorized Representatives and Program Directors
Number: CNP-04-2020
Date: February 2020; Updated August 2025
Reference: USDA Policy Memorandum SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019, SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the Child Nutrition Programs; USDA Policy Memo SP 01-2025: Fluid Milk Requirements for School Meals; Assembly Bill No. 2084; USDA Policy Memo SP 37-2017: Flexibility for Co-Mingled Preschool Meals: Questions and Answers
Supersedes: Management Bulletin CNP-11-2015: Smoothies in the Child Nutrition Programs—Revised
Subject: Smoothies Offered in Child Nutrition Programs
This management bulletin (MB) supersedes MB CNP-11-2015 and informs all Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Operators that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued policy memo SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019, SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the CNPs, accessible on the USDA Smoothies Offered in the CNPs web page located at https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/smoothies-offered-child-nutrition-programs. This updated policy memo, which supersedes USDA Policy Memo SP 10-2014 (v.3), CACFP 05-2014 (v.3), and SFSP 10-2014 (v.3), clarifies juice and yogurt allowances, incorporates the flavored milk meal pattern changes, and provides flexibility for serving commercially prepared smoothies.
Background
Previously, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) only allowed program operators to credit milk toward the fluid milk component and yogurt toward the meat/meat alternate component in smoothies prepared in-house. Effective September 23, 2019, program operators may now credit the milk and yogurt in commercially prepared smoothies toward a reimbursable meal. A valid product formulation statement or Child Nutrition label is required to document how the product meets the meal pattern requirements for commercially prepared smoothies.
California Healthy Beverage Law
California Health and Safety Code, Section 1596.808 requires that licensed child care facilities provide only unflavored milk to children enrolled in said facility.
USDA Policy Memo SP 37-2017 allows schools the flexibility to serve the K–5 National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meal pattern to preschool age children in a co-mingled situation. California Health and Safety Code requires that schools serving the K–5 NSLP meal pattern to preschool age children enrolled in licensed child care centers cannot serve flavored milk, even when offered in a smoothie.
Resources
USDA Policy Memo SP 40-2019, CACFP 17-2019, SFSP 17-2019: Smoothies Offered in the CNPs is available on the USDA FNS Documents & Resources web page located at https://www.fns.usda.gov/resources, and includes a series of questions and answers that provide further clarification on how smoothies are credited in the CNPs.
School Nutrition Programs (SNP) Operators serving smoothies as a competitive food or beverage can refer to the California Department of Education (CDE) MB SNP-20-2015: Classifying Smoothies—Revised available on the CDE SNP MB web page located at https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mb.asp.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this management bulletin, please contact the following programs.
School Nutrition Programs: Please contact the SNP Unit by email at SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov.
Summer Food Service Program: Please contact the Summer Nutrition Programs and Grants Unit by email at SFSP@cde.ca.gov.