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Meal Patterns for Grades K-12 in School Nutrition Programs

Breakfast Meal Patterns

School Year 2024-25 (July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025)

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. Breakfasts averaged over the week for each grade group must also meet the USDA's dietary specifications. 


Required Grade Groups  |   Optional Grade Groups


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).

4-day Meal Patterns

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 may be used by 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.

4-day Meal Pattern Options

5-day Meal Pattern Options

7-day Meal Pattern Options