regulations
Superintendent's memos related to school nutrition
- Periodic memoranda from the Office of School Nutrition Programs to school nutrition directors and supervisors.
State Directors memos related to school nutrition
- Periodic memoranda from the Office of School Nutrition Programs to school nutrition directors and supervisors.
Federal regulations & USDA policy memos
New Meal Pattern & Nutrition Standards in School Meals
The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–296) required the US Department of Agriculture to update the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to align them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The USDA regulations for these nutrition standards were released January 26, 2012 and became effective July 1, 2012. These federal regulations increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meets the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. The improvements to the school meal programs are largely based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Science and reflect current nutritional science for school age children.
School division who are Certified by VDOE to be in compliance with these new standards will receive an additional six cents for every reimbursable lunch meal served after October 1, 2012.
The Virginia Department of Education Office of School Nutrition Programs conducted training throughout the Commonwealth for all school divisions
- See related Training Resources
Certification of Compilance with the New Meal Patterns
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA) provides for performance-based cash assistance for each reimbursable lunch served in school divisions certified to be in compliance with the new meal pattern regulations. The intended effect is to provide additional funding for school divisions to implement new meal pattern requirements, thus increasing the healthfulness of meals served to schoolchildren. In school year 2012-2013 an additional six cents per lunch becomes available for meals served after October 1, 2012, and certified to be in compliance with these new standards.
Documents required to be submitted for certification of compliance:
- Copies of the following school division menus:
- One week of menus for Breakfast and Lunch for each grade group
- One week of menus for Breakfast and Lunch for each distinct menu offered in each grade group
- Menus must reflect current practice for each menu type offered
- Completed USDA Certification tool (two parts) – for each grade group and distinct menu
- Module 1: Detailed menu worksheet
- Module 2: Simplified Nutrient assessment – Nutrient analysis of calories and saturated fat for each menu type
- Attestation form – two copies with original signatures
Guidance and memos
- Superintendent's Memo #277-12 School Nutrition Programs: Requirements for Certification of Compliance with the New Meal Patterns and Nutrition Standards (PDF)
- USDA Memo SP 31-2012r2 Q & As Certification of Compliance with meal requirements (6 cent rule) (PDF)
- USDA Memo SP 44-2012: Questions and Answers Related to the 6 Cents Certification Tool (revision) (PDF)
- USDA Certification Tool: Menu Worksheet Instructions (PDF)
- USDA Certification Tool: Simplified Nutrient Assessment Instructions (PDF)
- USDA Instructions for Transferring Data from USDA Certification Tools (PDF)
- USDACertification Meal Pattern Requirement Specification (PDF)
Important Links
- USDA School Meals – for regulations, information, resources and initiatives
- National Food Service Management Institute (NSFMI) – New Meal Pattern training resources. New Meal Pattern Training Resources focuses on Food-Based Menu Planning (FBMP) required for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). It provides an overview of the New Meal Pattern and is part of the Recognizing a Reimbursable Meal training resource. The training can be taught in short intervals or as a 6-hour session. The lesson includes a trainer's script, participants' handouts, and PowerPoint presentation.
- School Nutrition Association (SNA) – training resource, tool kits, webinars (must be an SNA Member to access some of the materials)
View VDOE's Expenses