National School Lunch Program
Handling Leftovers
The issue of handling leftover food in school kitchens has been brought to our attention. In some instances there seems to be confusion about the proper procedures related to leftover food.
Donation of Leftover Food to Charitable Organizations
The United States Department of Agriculture has been a proponent of expanding the national movement to use food recovery and gleaning as an effective means of reducing food waste and helping the hungry for decades. The NYS Senate (S5664-B) and Assembly (A2409-B) passed a Bill effective March 2018 to amend Education Law Section 305, add
Early Dismissal/Bag Lunches
This memo is to clarify the correct way to handle the meal service operation when schools encounter early dismissals. If the school food authority (SFA) offers a breakfast program, the students would receive breakfast as usual. If it is possible for the school to move the lunch service times so that all students have the chance to obtain lunch at school, before school is dismissed, this is a viable option.
Imitation Cheese and Cheese Products
It has come to our attention that some schools are serving and claiming inappropriate cheese items as their meat/meat alternate component. There are certain types of cheese products that are not allowable to count toward the meat/meat alternate component.
Cheese items labeled “imitation cheese” or “cheese product” are not valid types of cheese and cannot be counted as meat/meat alternates. These types of cheese items have never been creditable components in the Child Nutrition Programs.
Revised: Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products
Full USDA memo in printer-friendly form can be found here:https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/crediting-tofu-and-soy-yogurt-products-schoo....
Frozen Fruit Products and Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs-Exemption for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014
The final rule published on January 26, 2012, requires that frozen fruit served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) contain no added sugar beginning in School Year (SY)
2012-2013. Since 2009, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reduced the amount of added sugars in packing media for frozen fruits offered to States; however, most of the frozen strawberries, peaches and apricots offered by USDA currently contain added sugars.
Charges - Adult Meals
Recent Coordinated Review Effort (CRE) Monitoring Reviews indicate that several schools are allowing adults (teachers and staff) to charge their meals. In some instances the account balances are significant and are not always paid. When adults receive meals at no charge, federal funds intended to subsidize the meals for children are inappropriately subsidizing adult meals. Adults should be paying for their meals at the time of service or setting up pre-paid accounts.
Single Audit-Child Nutrition Cluster and Other Grants
SFAs have asked if the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Food Service Equipment Assistance Grant, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Equipment Assistance Grants and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) grant are included in the child nutrition cluster.
The child nutrition cluster consists of the: School Breakfast Program CFDA 10.553, National School Lunch Program CFDA 10.555, Special Milk Program CFDA 10.556 and the Summer Food Service Program CFDA 10.559.
Cooperation with Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) E-Rate Audits
USDA has been asked to address the appropriateness of providing information to contractors auditing school districts' receipt of funds under the FCC's E-Rate fund. The FCC, through the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), administers the E-Rate program. USAC provides discounts to schools to obtain affordable telecommunication and Internet access; the discount rates are based on the percentage of children who are approved for free and reduced price school meals. USAC has contracted with private firms to conduct audits of the discount rates given to schools.
Single Audit Issues-Sanctions for Non-Compliance School Food Authorities (SFAs)
School Food Authorities (SFAs) expending more than $500,000 in Federal dollars must conduct single audits in accordance with OMB Circular A-133.
Both Federal regulations (3052.225) and Circular A-133 mandate that State agencies take immediate corrective action when sub-recipients (SFAs) either do not conduct single audits, or conduct single audits not in accordance with A-133.