Special Dietary Needs

Fluid Milk Substitutions

School Food Authorities (SFAs) may offer students a fluid milk substitute that is nutritionally equivalent to cow's milk without a signed medical statement. If your SFA would like to offer a fluid milk substitute to your students, please complete and submit the approval form below.

• List of Allowable Fluid Milk Substitutes
• Fluid Milk Substitute Approval Form

Guidance

• Special dietary needs rules and carbohydrate counting for students with diabetes participating in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs (Update to SNT Memorandum dated March 19, 2015) DPI SNT, 11/28/17
• Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs: Guidance for School Food Service Professionals USDA, 07/25/17
• Accommodating Disabilities in the School Meal Programs: Guidance and Questions and Answers SP 26-2017, USDA, 04/25/17
• Modifications to Accommodate Disabilities in the School Meal Programs SP 59-2016, USDA, 09/27/16
• Q&As: Milk Substitution for Children with Medical or Special Dietary Needs (Non-Disability) SP 07-2010, USDA, 11/12/09

Training & Resources

• Webcast: Special Dietary Needs
• Webcast: Carbohydrate Counting for Students with Special Dietary Needs DPI, 06/13/16
• Special Dietary Needs Flowchart - DPI
• The Food Allergy Book: What Employees Need to Know - National Education Association Health Information Network
• Managing Food Allergies in Schools Toolkit - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Voluntary Guidelines for Managing Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
  • The first national comprehensive guidelines for school food allergy management (2013)