General Information
OVS is required at lunch for grades 9-12. It is optional (but encouraged) for grades K-8 at lunch and K-12 at breakfast.
- At breakfast, schools must offer at least four food items from the three required components (fruit, grains and/or meat/meat alternates, fluid milk) and students must select at least three food items, one of which is ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable.
- At lunch, schools must offer all five components and students must select at least three components, one of which is ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable.
For specific quantities of what to offer each age/grade group, please refer to the Meal Pattern Tables.
Resources
- Offer versus Serve In a Nutshell (Spanish)
- Offer versus Serve USDA Guidance Manual (currently under revision)
- Offer versus Serve Tip Sheets: (lunch) (breakfast) USDA
- Offering Food to Students Bringing Bag Lunch USDA
- Breakfast Offer versus Serve Handout
- Updated Offer versus Serve Guidance for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program in School Year 2015-16 SP 41-2015, USDA, 7/21/15
Training
- Offer versus Serve (OVS) - Meal or No Meal (Spanish)
- A training resource created by the DPI School Nutrition Team (and adapted by USDA) to use for staff determining reimbursable meals.
- Offer Versus Serve Webcast