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 (77 FR 4088) on January 26, 2012, and Child Nutrition Programs: Transitional Standards for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium (87 FR 6984) on February 7, 2022. 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.
Upcoming 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. Notably, this rulemaking:
- gradually phases in limits for added sugars for the NSLP, SBP, and CACFP;
- updates the limit for sugars in breakfast cereals and yogurt from total sugars to added sugars;
- implements 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;
- addresses a variety of other school meal requirements, including establishing long-term milk and whole grain requirements; and
- includes provisions that strengthen the Buy American Requirement.
While this rulemaking takes effect school year 2024-25, the USDA is gradually phasing in the required changes over time. Program operators are not required to make any changes to their menus as a result of this rulemaking until school year 2025-26 at the earliest.
- Added Sugars ("Dietary Specifications" section)
- Final Rule (89 FR 31962): Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- Final Rule - Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 DGAs (USDA webpage)
- Summary of Final Rule Updates to the Meal Patterns for the School Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
- Updates to the School Nutrition Standards (USDA webpage)
- USDA Memo SP 19-2024, CACFP 07-2024, and SFSP 12-2024: Initial Implementation Memorandum: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- USDA Webinar Recording and Slides: Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Training on the Meal Pattern Changes
- The Road to Successful Menu Planning for School Meals Training Series (Institute of Child Nutrition)