Meal Patterns for Grades K-12 in School Nutrition Programs

Overview


School Nutrition Programs  |   Program Guidance  |   Forms  |   Resources  |   Nutrition Education


Schools and institutions that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) must offer meals that comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) NSLP and SBP meal patterns for grade K-12. Meals offered in the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) of the NSLP must follow the NSLP and SBP meal pattern requirements. 

The NSLP and SBP meal patterns require minimum daily and weekly servings of five meal components and weekly dietary specifications (nutrition standards). The current USDA meal patterns for grades K-12 were defined by the final rules, Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs on January 26, 2012, Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium on February 7, 2022, and Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs on May 8, 2026. The lunch meal pattern requirements are specified in 7 CFR 210.10 of the NSLP regulations. The breakfast meal pattern requirements are specified in 7 CFR 220.8 of the SBP regulations.

Overview of Meal Pattern Requirements

Meal Pattern Changes

On April 25, 2024, the USDA published the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (89 FR 31962). This rulemaking finalizes long-term school nutrition requirements based on the goals of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, robust stakeholder input, and lessons learned from prior rulemakings. Changes include:  

  • gradually phasing in limits for added sugars for the NSLP, SBP, and CACFP;
  • updating the limit for sugars in breakfast cereals and yogurt from total sugars to added sugars;
  • implementing a single sodium reduction in the NSLP and SBP, and commits to studying the potential associations between sodium reduction and student participation in the NSLP and SBP;
  • addressing a variety of other school meal requirements, including establishing long-term milk and whole grain requirements; and 
  • including provisions that strengthen the Buy American Requirement. 

This rulemaking was effective beginning school year 2024-25, with some changes phased in gradually over time.  

For more information, visit the CSDE's Crediting Foods in School Nutrition Programs webpage.

Changes to Milk Component

Effective January 14, 2026, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 revised the NSLP meal patterns for grades K-12 to allow unflavored and flavored whole and reduced fat (2%) milk, in addition to unflavored and flavored low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk. Effective June 8, 2026, the USDA final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs, revised the SBP and ASP meal patterns for grades K-12 to allow unflavored and flavored whole milk, reduced fat milk, low-fat milk, and fat-free milk; and the NSLP, SBP, and ASP preschool meal patterns for ages 2-5 to allow unflavored whole milk, reduced fat milk, low-fat milk, and fat-free milk. Whole milk and reduced-fat milk are not required. SFAs may choose which types of fluid milk to offer in school menus. For more information, visit the "Milk" section of the CSDE's Crediting Foods in School Nutrition Programs webpage.

Training on Meal Pattern Changes