Menu Planning, Nutrition Education & Activities

 
Helping children get the nutrition they need for health and growth is what summer meals are all about.  Below are resources to plan menus and activities to make the biggest impact possible this summer!

Meal Service Requirements for the Summer Food Service Program  

SFSP Meal Pattern Chart - Updated 2/25

SFSP Grains/Breads Chart

Crediting Tip Sheets in the Child Nutrition Programs: The crediting tip sheet series provides handy references for program operators on how to credit the five meal components in child nutrition programs. Each tip sheet provides simple, easy-to-use information for one meal component.

Food Buying Guide: Purpose: The Food Buying Guide (FBG) provides guidance on how foods may contribute toward the meal pattern requirements in Child Nutrition Programs. Users can easily search and navigate through the tool, compare food items, create a favorite foods list, make a shopping list to assist in ordering and purchasing food, and determine the meal pattern contribution for food items, which can all be accessed at any time by registered users who are signed on with their user profiles.

Routine Uses: The Food Buying Guide (FBG) is an essential tool used by Child Nutrition Program operators and food manufacturers to assist in: 1) purchasing the right amount of food and purchasing it most economically, and 2) determining the specific contribution each food makes toward the meal pattern requirements to ensure that meals provide necessary nourishment and meet program requirements for reimbursement.

FBG Training Resources: Training Modules and Webinars

Guidance Manuals

Summer Meals Nutrition Guide

Child Nutrition Recipe Box - Your resource for USDA Standardized Recipes for Child Nutrition Programs

USDA Mixing Bowl - A Collection of Recipes for Schools and Child Care Centers

Farm to Summer - Incorporate fresh local foods into your menus!

Summer Food Summer Moves - A fun, hands-on resource kit designed to get kids and families excited about healthy eating and physical activity during the summer months. The kit is designed for use by summer meal site operators and focuses on using music, games, art, and movement to motivate kids and families to choose more fruits and vegetables, choose water instead of sugary drinks, get enough physical activity every day, and to limit screen time.

The kit is available for download from USDA's website: https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/summer-food-summer-moves.