Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)

Annual Training


Live Annual Sponsor Training Sessions 2025

Recorded Summer Meals Annual Training Modules 2025

The CSDE's recorded Summer Meals annual training modules are housed in Qualtrics. Click on the module title to register and view the video. Each module includes a knowledge check after completing the video. Participants may print their knowledge check score to document participation in each module.

Some modules apply to all Summer Meals sponsors (SFSP sponsors, school food authority (SFA) sponsors of the SFSP, and SSO sponsors) and others apply only to SFSP sponsors. This information is indicated in the description for each module. 

SFSP Meal Patterns  |   Crediting Foods in the SFSP Meal Patterns
Crediting Documentation for Summer Meals  |   Meal Service Requirements
Offer versus Serve (OVS) for the SFSP

SFSP Meal Patterns (Length 50:42)

This module applies only to Summer Meals sites that follow the SFSP meal patterns. Topics include the SFSP meal pattern requirements for breakfast; lunch and supper, and snack; the USDA flexibilities for age-appropriate meal patterns based on larger portions for teenagers and smaller portions for children under age 6; the required meal modifications for children whose disability restricts their diet, including the USDA’s procedural safeguards; the importance of SFSP menus to a successful Summer Meals program; and key resources for guidance and training on the SFSP meal patterns.

Note: This module does not apply to SFA sponsors of the SFSP that choose to follow the meal patterns for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) of the NSLP; or to the SSO of the NSLP, which follows the NSLP, SBP, and ASP meal patterns. These meal pattern requirements are different from the SFSP meal patterns. Training on the meal patterns for grades K-12 in the school nutrition programs is available in the CSDE's training program, What's in a Meal: National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Meal Patterns for Grades K-12. 

Crediting Foods in the SFSP Meal Patterns

This series of five training modules applies only to Summer Meals sites that follow the SFSP meal patterns. It does not apply to the SSO or SFA sponsors of the SFSP that choose to follow the school meal patterns for the NSLP, SBP, and ASP.

Part 1: Introduction to Crediting Foods (Length 14:49)
This module provides an introduction to crediting foods, including the USDA’s Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs, the types of commercial processed products that require crediting documentation, the required documentation for commercial processed foods, i.e., Child Nutrition (CN) labels and product formulation statements (PFS), recipes for foods made from scratch, maintaining crediting documentation, and key resources for guidance and training on crediting documentation. 

Part 2: Milk Component (Length 17:44)

This module reviews the requirements and crediting information for the milk component of the SFSP meal patterns, including the recommended types of milk for different ages, the state beverage statute requirements for Summer Meals sites in public schools, menu planning requirements for milk, crediting milk in smoothies, fluid milk substitutes for disability reasons, fluid milk substitutes for non-disability reasons (allowed only for school food authority sponsors), keeping milk cold, noncredible milk, and key resources for guidance and training on the milk component.

Part 3: Meats/Meat Alternates Component (Length 46:56)

This module reviews the requirements and crediting information for the meats/meat alternates (MMA) component of the SFSP meal patterns, including the serving size requirements, crediting requirements for different types of MMA, including commercial processed products, deli meats, dried meats, cheeses, eggs, beans, peas, and lentils (including roasted beans, peas, and lentils and pasta made of 100 percent bean, pea, or lentils flour), nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, yogurt and soy yogurt, tofu, tempeh, surimi, and alternate protein products (APPs); noncreditable MMA; the USDA’s optional best practices for MMA; and key resources for guidance and training on the MMA component.

Part 4: Grains/Breads Component (Length 51:31)

This module reviews the requirements and crediting information for the grains/breads component of the SFSP meal patterns, including allowable grains and grain products, creditable grain ingredients, how to identify whole and enriched grains, restrictions for crediting grain-based desserts, crediting breakfast cereals, crediting corn masa, masa harina, corn flour, cornmeal, and hominy, methods to determine grains/breads servings, rounding rules for calculating grains/breads servings, noncredible grains/breads, and key resources for guidance and training on the grains component. 

Part 5: Vegetables/Fruits Component (Length 44:12)

This module reviews the requirements and crediting information for the vegetables/fruits component of the SFSP meal patterns, including allowable vegetables and fruits; serving size requirements; crediting whole fresh fruits, canned fruits, frozen fruits, dried fruits, and coconut; crediting canned vegetables, mixed vegetables/fruits, beans, peas, and lentils, dried vegetables, 100% vegetable flour pastas, and soups; crediting commercial processed products; crediting juices and the juice limit for lunch and supper; crediting pureed fruits and vegetables, including smoothies; noncreditable vegetables and fruits; best practices for offering vegetables and fruits; and key resources for guidance and training on the vegetables/fruits component.

Crediting Documentation for Summer Meals (Length 30:15)

This module applies to all Summer Meals sponsors (SFSP sponsors, SFA sponsors of the SFSP, and SSO sponsors). Topics include an overview of the crediting documentation requirements for Summer Meals, including an introduction to crediting foods; the USDA’s Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs; the types of commercial processed products that require crediting documentation; the required documentation for commercial processed foods, including Child Nutrition (CN) labels and product formulation statement (PFS) forms; recipes for foods made from scratch; maintaining crediting documentation; and key resources for guidance and training on crediting documentation.

Meal Service Requirements for Summer Meals (Length 23:20)

This module applies to all Summer Meals sponsors, including SFSP sponsors and SSO sponsors. Topics include the meal service requirements for Summer Meals, including the option for family style meal service (allowed only for camps and closed enrolled sites of the SFSP and SSO); field trips; leftovers and share tables; offsite consumption of meal components; adult meals; and key resources for guidance and training on meal service.

Offer versus Serve (OVS) for the SFSP (Length 56:17)

This module applies only to SFA sponsors of the SFSP that follow the SFSP meal patterns and choose to implement OVS. Topics include the menu planning requirements for food items at breakfast and meal components at lunch and supper; the requirements for children’s selection of reimbursable meals; identifying reimbursable meals at the point of service; OVS meal count requirements; OVS requirements for second meals; strategies for OVS success; and resources for guidance and training on OVS. This module also includes Meal or No Meal (breakfast edition and lunch/supper edition), a quiz on identifying reimbursable meals with OVS. 

More Summer Meals Training

For more Summer Meals Training, visit the SFSP section of the CSDE's Training for Child Nutrition Programs webpage.