Menu Planning for Child Nutrition Programs

Overview


School Nutrition Programs | CACFP | SFSP


The resources below provide guidance on planning, preparing, and promoting healthy meals that meet the USDA meal pattern requirements for schools and institutions participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs. For more resources, review the CSDE's Resource List for Menu Planning and Food Production.


Menu Planning  |   Nutrient Analysis of Menus  |   Promoting Healthy Food Choices


Cycle Menus  |   Food Themes  |   Menu Planning CACFP
Menu Planning Schools  |   Menu Planning SFSP  |   OVS  |   Portion Control
Procurement  |   Salad Bars  |   Seasonal and Local Foods  |   USDA Foods


Cycle Menus

Food Themes: National Food Days and Seasonal Food Promotions

Offer versus Serve (OVS)

Portion Control 

  • Basics at a Glance Poster (Institute of Child Nutrition): Recipe abbreviations, measurement conversions, portioning tools, and steamtable pan capacity

Procurement

Resource Lists

Salad Bars

Seasonal and Local Foods

USDA Foods

Nutrient Analysis of Menus

Promoting Healthy Food Choices