Join us for the next California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) Tuesday at 2 Town Hall, scheduled for Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at 2 p.m. During the Town Hall we will share an overview of federal and state policies, funding and training opportunities, and best practices for operating Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs).
Additionally, NSD staff will be providing timely updates and information on the Community Eligibility Provision and Provision 2, including general information, tips and requirements for applying or re-basing, and useful resources.
Town Hall Webinar PowerPoint
Use the following steps to access slides on the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS) web page after 10 a.m. on the morning of the Town Hall:
For School Food Authorities (SFA): Select Applications and Download Forms.
For Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Operators: In the SFSP Module, select Applications and Download Forms.
The Town Hall slides in CNIPS are marked “Draft” and are subject to change. If updates are needed, the CDE will upload the revised slides in the same location following the Town Hall.
After the Town Hall, the CDE posts the final Town Hall PowerPoint slides on the CDE Food Service Staff Education and Training web page under the Town Halls tab.
Background
The Tuesday at 2 Virtual Town Hall events typically occur on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise noted. The Town Halls provides updates on policy guidance, program requirements, and best practices for operating CNPs. The desired audience includes CNP Operators and Food Service Directors.
Participation Information
Date and Time
Tuesday at 2 School Nutrition Town Hall
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Registration and Cost
This town hall is free to attend. Register in advance for this webinar
.
After registering, you will see a screen that says Webinar Registration Approved with a link to the webinar. You will also receive several emails with information about joining the webinar. First, you will receive confirmation on the day you register and then you will receive two reminders one day and one hour prior to the webinar. If you cannot find the email confirmation, or do not receive the reminders, you can always reregister.
Tip for Attendees
To save time before the meeting, check your system to make sure it is ready to use Zoom.
Visit the Zoom test link
.
If you experience issues, visit the
Zoom Help Center web page
for assistance.
If you receive an error message that the host has declined your webinar registration, try using an alternate email address. While it is not ideal, you may also join by phone if you have technical issues logging in from your computer.
Professional Standards Crediting Information
- Key Area: Administration (3000)
- Training Topic: Program Management (3200)
- Learning Objective: Manage Staff Work Including Scheduling (3210)
- Instructional Hours: 1.5 hours
Reasonable Accommodation
Pursuant to state and federal statutes, individuals with a disability may request reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in the Tuesday at 2 School Nutrition Town Hall. Send direct requests for reasonable accommodation to the CDE by email at NSDTownHalls@cde.ca.gov no later than seven days prior to the event. Live captioning will be available during the webinar.
Town Hall Information Links and Resources Provided on February 24, 2026
The following resources were shared in the chat during the previous town hall:
- A current list of SNP Specialists is available on the CDE School Nutrition Program Specialist Directory web page or email the SNP staff at SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov.
- Find your assigned Child Nutrition Assistant or Consultant information by visiting the CNIPS web page in the Application Download Forms section and using the Form ID Caseload.
- View the Abridged article, “These Sacramento-area schools are opting into local fruits and veggies”
.
- Find details about the California (CA) Green Ribbon Schools and the awardees, please visit the CDE Green Ribbon Schools Award Program web page.
- View the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) memo, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 – Eat Real Food SP 02-2026, CACFP01-2026, SFSP 01-2026 available on the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 – Promoting Real Food in Child Nutrition Programs web page
.
- Review the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 listserv available on the CDE website.
- Find more information on various food allergy trainings visit the CDE Disability Modifications Including Food Allergies web page Training tab.
- View the Guidance on the Food Donation Program in Child Nutrition Programs
, visit the USDA web page.
- Find additional guidance on the donation of food, visit the following CDE web pages:
- Visit the White Pony Express web page
for more information and to contact the team.
- Learn more about White Pony Express by viewing this short video, The Power of the Pony
(Video; 3:30).
- Find a list of CA Food Recovery Coalition members in your area available on the CA Food Recovery Coalition web page
.
- View the CDE MB CNP-02-2020: Meal Service During Unanticipated School Closures.
- Find the CDE Disaster Guidance for Child Nutrition Programs web page.
- To request non-congregate feeding flexibilities during unanticipated school closures, complete the online CDE Noncongregate Waiver for Unanticipated School Closure Survey.
- For questions or help with the USDA Foods ordering process, contact the Food Distribution team via email at FoodDistribution@cde.ca.gov.
- Access the California School Breakfast Week Social Media Toolkit
available on the No Kid Hungry website.
- Learn more about Plastic Free Luncheon the Cafeteria
on the Culture.org website.
- Learn more and find resources about the National Nutrition Month available on the National Nutrition Month® resources web page
.
- Register for the 2026 SUN Bucks Implementation webinar, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 2 p.m. This webinar has already occurred, and registration is no longer available.
- Register for the CDE Honoring Cultural Preferences in School Nutrition webinar on Wednesday, March 3, 2026, at 2 p.m. This webinar has already occurred, and registration is no longer available.
- Register for the CDE Competitive Foods-Charter Elementary, Middle and High School Requirements webinar on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. This webinar has already occurred, and registration is no longer available.
- For any NSD Learning Site questions and/or support email the team at NSDLearning@cde.ca.gov.
- Register for the Rural Non-congregate Meal Service Option webinar on March 4, 2026. This webinar has already occurred, and registration is no longer available.
- Register for the Friends of the Earth Plant-based webinar series
.
- For more information about No Kid Hungry California's summer meal grant opportunity, review the No Kid Hungry California 2026 Summer Grant Inquiry Form
.
Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this subject, email NSDTownHalls@cde.ca.gov.