Overview

Child Nutrition Programs  |   Program Guidance  |   Resources  |   Nutrition Education

Children in your community do not need to go hungry this summer. During the school year, nutritious meals are available through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). These programs end when school ends for the summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) helps fill the hunger gap by providing nutritious meals and snacks for children ages 18 and younger.

Site Locator  |   Meal Patterns  |   Meal Service  |   Menu Planning  |   Quick Links

Site Locator

Find a Summer Meal Location

Meal Patterns for the SFSP

• Meal Patterns for the SFSP (CSDE)
• Overview of Meal Pattern Components for the SFSP
  • Requirements for the Grains/Breads Component of the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
  • Requirements for the Milk Component of the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
  • Requirements for the Meat/Meat Alternates Component of the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
  • Requirements for the Vegetables/Fruits Component of the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
• Resources for the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
• Serving Sizes for Grains/Breads in the SFSP (CSDE)
• USDA Comparison Chart: How Do They Compare? Child Nutrition Programs’ Meal Pattern Requirements
• Understanding Meal Pattern Requirements (Part One in the USDA's Nutrition Guide: Summer Food Service Program)
• Meal Modifications for Special Diets
  • Meal Modifications in the SFSP: pages 18-20 in the USDA's Nutrition Guide: Summer Food Service Program
  • Guidance for Meal Modifications in the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Medical Statement: Request Form for Meal Modifications in the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Resource List for Special Diets in Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
  • Resources for Special Diets in Child Nutrition Programs (Documents/Forms section of CSDE's Special Diets in School Nutrition Programs webpage)
  • USDA Memo CACFP 14-2017 and SFSP 10-2017: Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in CACFP and SFSP
• Noncreditable Foods
  • Noncreditable Foods in the SFSP (CSDE)
  • USDA Memo SP 06-2012: Serving Additional Foods in the Summer Food Service Program

Meal Service for the SFSP

• Congregate Meals in the SFSP: Successfully Operating a Congregate Feeding Site (USDA)
• Family Style Meal Service in the SFSP 
  Allowed only at closed enrolled SFSP sites, SSO sites, and camps
• Family Style Meal Service: page 46 in the USDA's Nutrition Guide: Summer Food Service Program
  • Family Style Meals (USDA)
  • Family Style Meals: A New Way to Teach Healthy Eating Habits (USDA)
• Meal Service Requirements for the SFSP
  • Chapter 4: Meal Requirements (USDA's Administration Guide: Summer Food Service Program
  • Meal Time Requirements: page 61 of USDA's Administration Guide: Summer Food Service Program
  • USDA Memo SP 10-2017 and SFSP 06-2017: Meal Service Requirements in the Summer Meal Programs, with Questions and Answers – Revised
• Offer versus Serve (OVS) in the SFSP Optional at breakfast, lunch, and supper but not allowed at snack
  • How to Do OVS (USDA)
  • Offer versus Serve (OVS) in the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Offer versus Serve: pages 44-45 in the USDA's Nutrition Guide: Summer Food Service Program
  • Video: Offer versus Serve in the SFSP (USDA)
  • Video: SFSP Meal Service Types (Washington Office of Superintendent Public Instruction)

Menu Planning for the SFSP

Crediting Foods  |   Farm to Summer  |   Menu Forms  |   Menu Planning
Production Records  |   Recipes  |   Resources  |   Sample SFSP Menus

• Crediting Foods
  • Crediting Foods in the SFSP (Documents/Forms section)
  • Crediting Summary Charts for the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
  • Noncreditable Foods
    • Noncreditable Foods in the SFSP (CSDE)
    • USDA Memo 06-2012: Serving Additional Foods in the Summer Food Service Program
• Farm to Summer
  • Farm to Summer: How Sponsors Can Use Local Foods and Agriculture-Based Activities (USDA)
  • Farm to Summer: Local Foods in the Summer Food Service Program (USDA)
  • Farm to Summer: Why Summer Meals Programs are Ripe for Local Foods and Agriculture-Based Activities (USDA)
• Menu Forms
  • Breakfast Menu Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Lunch/Supper Menu Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
  • Snack Menu Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
• Menu Planning
  • Healthy Summer Meals (USDA)
  • Menu Planning: How to Plan Your Menu (USDA)
  • Menu Planning: How to Serve a Reimbursable Meal (USDA)
  • Planning Quality Meals (Part One in the USDA's Nutrition Guide: Summer Food Service Program)
  • What to Do with Leftover Meals (USDA)
• Production Records
  • Production Records for the Summer Food Service Program (CSDE)
  • SFSP Production Record for Breakfast and Lunch/Supper (CSDE)
  • SFSP Production Record for Breakfast and Snack (CSDE)
  • SFSP Production Record for Lunch/Supper and Snack (CSDE)
  • SFSP Production Record for Meal Pattern Components (CSDE)
• Recipes
  • Recipes (CSDE's Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs webpage
  • Standardized Recipe Form for the SFSP (CSDE)
• Resources
  • Resource List for Menu Planning and Food Production for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
  • Resources for the SFSP Meal Patterns (CSDE)
• Sample SFSP Menus
  • Sample Grab and Go Menus (California Department of Education)
  • Sample Shelf-stable Menus (California Department of Education)
  • Sample Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Shelf-stable Menus (California Department of Education)
  • SFSP Montana Made Cycle Menus (Montana Office of Public Instruction)

SFSP Quick Links

• Administration Guide SFSP (USDA)
• Annual Training for SFSP Sponsors (CSDE) (Related Resources section)
• Claim Submission Schedule for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
• Connecticut SFSP and Seamless Summer Sponsor Directory (CSDE)
• Income Guidelines for Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
• Nutrition Guide: SFSP (USDA)
• Online Application and Claiming System for Connecticut Child Nutrition Programs (CSDE)
• Operation of Child Nutrition Programs During Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreaks (CSDE)
  • Includes lists of waivers for the SFSP
• Operational Memoranda for the SFSP (CSDE)
• Policies and Procedures for the SFSP (CSDE) (Related Resources section)
• Program Guidance for the SFSP (CSDE)
• SFSP Reimbursement Rates (CSDE)
• Streamlining Program Requirements and Improving Integrity in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
  Effective October 1, 2022, this final rule simplifies program requirements for SFSP program operators, improves the customer experience for participating children and families, and strengthens the integrity of the program. SFSP sponsors must comply with the provisions of this rule effective May 1, 2023.
  • Final Rule 87 FR 57304: Streamlining Program Requirements and Improving Integrity in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)
  • USDA webpage: Streamlining Program Requirements and Improving Integrity in the SFSP

Nondiscrimination Statements (USDA and CSDE)