Meal Patterns for Grades K-12 in School Nutrition Programs

Breakfast Meal Patterns

School Year 2026-27 (July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027)

The breakfast meal patterns for school year 2026-27 reflect the USDA final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs, effective June 8, 2026. For more information on the requirements for fluid milk, refer to the "Milk" section of the CSDE's Crediting Foods in School Nutrition Programs webpage.

The breakfast meal patterns for grades K-12 include three required grade groups (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12) and require daily and weekly amounts of three meal components: grains and meats/meat alternates, fruits (with optional vegetable substitutions), and milk. The weekly breakfast menu (averaged over the week for each grade group) must also meet the USDA's dietary specifications. 


Required Grade Groups  |   Optional Grade Group  |   Shorter or Longer Weeks


Required Grade Groups: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12

The breakfast meal patterns are based on a five-day week. When a school week regularly operates on a shorter or longer cycle, menu planners must increase or decrease the weekly requirements by 20 percent for each day that deviates from the standard five-day week (refer to the CSDE's Menu Planning for Shorter or Longer Weeks in the NSLP and SBP).

5-day Meal Patterns
7-day Meal Patterns

Optional Grade Groups

The USDA permits three alternate menu planning options at breakfast that allow school food authorities to use the same menu for grades K-12. These options are useful for schools and institutions with grade configurations that prevent students from being separated into the required grade groups at breakfast. 

These meal patterns require a narrower calorie range and more restrictive sodium limit than the individual meal patterns for grades K-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. Menu planners must be careful to meet these more restrictive dietary specifications when using these optional breakfast meal patterns.

5-day Meal Pattern Options
7-day Meal Pattern Options

Shorter or Longer Weeks

The lunch meal patterns are based on a five-day week. When a school week regularly operates on a shorter or longer cycle, menu planners must increase or decrease the weekly requirements by 20 percent for each day that deviates from the standard five-day week. Meal patterns for three-day, four-day, and six-day weeks are available in Appendix 2C in the USDA’s Menu Planner for School Meals.

The breakfast meal patterns are based on a five-day week. When a school week regularly operates on a shorter or longer cycle, menu planners must increase or decrease the weekly requirements by 20 percent for each day that deviates from the standard five-day week. Meal patterns for three-day, four-day, and six-day weeks are available in Appendix 2C in the USDA’s Menu Planner for School Meals.