• DGA Final Rule Summary [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• FDACS Pocket Guide: English 2026 [ 1.7 MB ]
• FDACS Pocket Guide: Spanish 2025 [ 1.8 MB ]
• Healthy School Meals Environment Self-Assessment Scorecard [ 1.1 MB ]
• Meal Pattern – NSLP & SBP 2025 [ 4.7 MB ]
• Menu Planning Packet 2026 [ 925.9 kB ]
• Nutrition Services Checklist [ 169.4 kB ]
• Pre-K in School Meals
• 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• Updates to the School Nutrition Standards
• USDA Child Nutrition Sharing Site
• USDA Meal Requirements Under NSLP-SBP Q&A Guidance Revised 2022
• USDA Menu Planner for NSLP-SBP — Revised

Offer Versus Serve (OVS) allows students to decline some of the foods offered in a reimbursable lunch or breakfast meal. At lunch, implementing OVS is mandatory at the senior high level and encouraged but optional for elementary and middle school levels. For breakfast, OVS is encouraged but also optional at all age/grade levels.

The two main goals of OVS are reducing food waste and permitting more student autonomy and decision making in selecting the foods they would like to eat from the offered items. Because students may choose fewer selections under OVS (three or four of five offered components at lunch and three of four or more offered items at breakfast), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance is provided on what constitutes reimbursable lunch and breakfast meals.

• OVS Breakfast Flyer — English 2025 [ 693.2 kB ]
• OVS Breakfast Flyer — Spanish 2025 [ 693.4 kB ]
• OVS Breakfast Tip Sheet — July 2019  [ 317.4 kB ]
• OVS Family Style Meals Memo  [ 126.9 kB ]
• OVS Grades K-8 Lunch Training Activity [ 2.2 MB ]
• OVS Grades 9-12 Lunch Training Activity [ 731.3 kB ]
• OVS Guidance Manual Effective 2016  [ 378.1 kB ]
• OVS Lunch Tip Sheet — July 2019  [ 407.5 kB ]
• OVS Lunch Flyer — English 2025 [ 1.1 MB ]
• OVS Lunch Flyer — Spanish 2025 [ 801.3 kB ]
• OVS NSLP SBP Guidance Memo SP 41-2015
• Sample Breakfast Menu Plans with OVS and Additional Flexibilities 2025 [ 242.9 kB ]
• Additional USDA OVS Materials — Resources

• USDA Vegetable Subgroup Listing [ 57.3 kB ]
• Exhibit A — The Grain Chart [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• Florida Fruit and Vegetable Quick Reference Crediting Guide 2025 [ 626.1 kB ]
• Crediting Pizza in Child Nutrition Programs [ 292.3 kB ]
• Crediting Sandwiches in Child Nutrition Programs [ 378.7 kB ]
• Child Nutrition (CN) Label/Product Formulation Statements
• USDA Food Buying Guide
• USDA Meal Component Tip Sheets:
  • Crediting Fruits in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet
  • Crediting Vegetables in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet
  • Crediting Meat/Meat Alternates in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet
  • Crediting Milk in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheet
  • Crediting Grains in Child Nutrition Programs Tip Sheets

• Signage Requirements for School Meals: FDACS Guide Sheet [ 362.2 kB ]
• K-8 Lunch Serving Line Sample Signage OVS [ 109 kB ]
• K-8 Lunch Serving Line Sample Signage Non-OVS [ 109.7 kB ]
• K-12 Breakfast Serving Line Sample Signage OVS [ 145.7 kB ]
• K-12 Breakfast Serving Line Sample Signage Non-OVS [ 119.4 kB ]
• 9-12 Lunch Serving Line Sample Signage OVS [ 105.8 kB ]
• Today's Menu Poster [ 770.6 kB ]
• USDA Maintaining Integrity Meals Served Outside the Cafeteria [ 312.9 kB ]

• 2016 USDA Memo — The Use of Share Tables [ 260.8 kB ]  
• Food Recovery Program
• Guidance on the Food Donation Program in Child Nutrition Programs USDA Policy Memo
• Share Table Poster: English | Spanish
• USDA Food Waste Infographic

• How do I credit a food item that doesn’t have a Child Nutrition (CN) label?
  • If a commercially prepared combination food item lacks a CN label sponsors must obtain a Product Formulation Statement (PFS) from the manufacturer. For scratch-made items, a Standardized Recipe is required. The USDA Food Buying Guide [ Adobe PDF Document ] can also help determine crediting.
• Is water required to be offered during lunch and breakfast service?
  • Yes, potable water must be available at no charge during NSLP and SBP meal services. 7 CFR 210.10(a)(1)(i), 7 CFR 220.8(a)(1), SP 49-2016 [ Adobe PDF Document ], SP 39-2019 [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• Can leftover foods be reused or donated?
  • Yes, unopened items may be reused or donated if food safety standards and local health codes are followed. SP 41-2016
• What are the rules for setting up a share table?
  • Share tables must be monitored and include only safe, unopened items. Consult your local health department for further guidance. SP 41-2016
• How do I credit items from a salad bar?
  • Fruits and vegetables must be at least ⅛ cup to be creditable. Use portioning tools and signage to ensure students take required amounts (e.g., ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable for Offer vs. Serve.) SP 41-2019
• Can smoothies be served and credited in the NSLP or SBP?
  • Yes, if properly documented with a standardized recipe, PFS, or CN label. 
  • SP 40-2019 [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• What are the milk requirements, and can we offer milk substitutes?
  • USDA’s final rule, Expanding Fluid Milk Options in Child Nutrition Programs, became effective on June 8, 2026, following enactment of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 on January 14, 2026. The rule removes previous milkfat restrictions and expands the allowable fluid milk options in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and Afterschool Snack Program. Schools may now offer whole and reduced‑fat milk in addition to the previously permitted low‑fat and fat‑free varieties. As part of this change, schools may also exclude the saturated fat from milk when calculating weekly totals.
  • Schools may continue to offer fluid milk substitutes. For students with lactose intolerance, lactose‑free or lactose‑reduced milk should be the first option. For students who require nondairy substitutes, schools may provide beverages that are nutritionally equivalent and meet USDA requirements under 7 CFR 210.10(d)(2)(ii). In most cases, a written statement is required unless the nondairy substitute is offered to all students. Water and juice are not acceptable fluid milk substitutes unless a written medical statement identifies them as necessary for a student with a disability.
  • For further details, see USDA Policy Memo SP01-2026 [ Adobe PDF Document ] and FR Notice 2026-09212.pdf [ Adobe PDF Document ].
• Can vegetables be used as substitutes for fruit at breakfast?
  • Yes. The meal pattern for school breakfast allows vegetables to be substituted for fruits as described in 7 CFR 220.8(c)(2)(i). If offered 1 day/week, any vegetable subgroup may be used, including starchy; more than 1 day/week requires different vegetable subgroups.
• Flexibility through SY 2026-2027:
  • USDA Memo SP 05‑2026 [ Adobe PDF Document ] allows flexibility for this requirement through school year 2026‑2027. During this time, any vegetable offered in place of fruit at breakfast may be credited without including vegetables from other subgroups in the weekly menu. 
• Can meat/meat alternates be served in place of grains at breakfast?
  • Yes. Schools may offer grains, meat/meat alternatives, or a combination of both at breakfast to meet the daily and weekly ounce equivalents for this combined component.
• Are whole, unprocessed or organic foods encouraged in the NSLP?
  • Yes. USDA encourages sourcing local and unprocessed foods that meet meal pattern requirements. SP 11-2025
• Can processed foods like chicken nuggets be served in NSLP meals?
  • Yes, if they meet USDA requirements and have a Child Nutrition (CN) label or Product Formulation Statement (PFS). For more information visit our webpage: CN Labels/PFS
• How does Offer Versus Serve (OVS) work at lunch and breakfast?
  • Under OVS, schools must offer all required meal components and portion sizes for the grades being served, however, students may decline certain items that they do not intend to eat. At lunch, students must take at least 3 of the 5 components offered, one of which must be ½ cup of a fruit or vegetable. At breakfast, students must take at least 3 of the 4 or more food items offered, one of which must be ½ cup of a fruit or vegetable. USDA Offer versus Serve Guidance Manual
• Do we need to use standardized recipes for scratch-made items?
  • Yes. Recipes must include ingredients, preparation steps, yield, and meal pattern contributions. FNW Recipes and Culinary Techniques 
• What qualifies as whole grain-rich, and how often must it be served?
  • Whole grain-rich items must be at least 50% whole grain. 80% of weekly grains must be WGR. USDA Whole Grain Resource
• How do the Dietary Guidelines for Americans relate to school menus?
  • By law, the USDA is required to develop school nutrition standards that align with the goals of the most recent edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). These guidelines are updated every five years, and any proposed changes to school meal standards are based on the latest DGA.
  • After the DGA is published, the USDA initiates a rulemaking process, which includes opportunities for public input. Once a final rule is established, implementation is typically phased in over several years to allow schools time to adjust.
• Can we offer vegetarian meals that meet NSLP requirements?
  • Yes. Schools may use meat alternatives like beans, tofu, yogurt, and eggs to meet the meal pattern requirements. Crediting Meats/Meat Alternates Tip Sheet [ Adobe PDF Document ]
• What are competitive foods and Smart Snacks, and how do they affect fundraising?
  • Competitive foods are any foods and beverages sold to students during the school day on campus that are not part of the USDA-reimbursed school meal programs (i.e., NSLP, SBP, ASP.) Such foods are subject to Smart Snacks nutrition standards.
  • In Florida, fundraisers that include foods and beverages that are not Smart Snack compliant are limited to a certain number of days per school year by school type:
  • Elementary Schools – 5 days
  • Middle/Combination Schools – 10 days
  • High Schools – 15 days
  • Food fundraisers may NOT begin until 30 minutes after the last lunch period ends.  
• Can we sell a la carte items alongside reimbursable meals?
  • Yes, but items must meet Smart Snacks standards and be priced appropriately. Guidance on Paid Lunch Equity and Revenue from Nonprogram Foods
• How can we increase the variety of food items without increasing cost?
  • Strategies to increase variety without increasing cost include using seasonal produce, cycle menus, and cross-utilization of ingredients to add variety affordably. https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool
• How do we accommodate students with special diets or allergies?
  • Students with special needs may be accommodated by providing meal modifications with a medical statement. Accommodation is required for students with disabilities. Optional accommodations may be made for non-disability reasons. 2017 Edition of Accommodating Children with Disabilities in the School Meal Programs
• What records are required to show that meals served and claimed for reimbursement meet USDA meal pattern requirements?
  • To ensure compliance with USDA meal pattern requirements and support reimbursement claims, program sponsors must maintain complete and thorough documentation. This includes meal count records, edit checks, menus, meal production and service records, standardized recipes, CN labels or Product Formulation Statements for combination foods, and nutrition facts labels with ingredients listed for grains, RTE cereal, flavored milk, and yogurt.
• What resources can we use to support our school foodservice team with program questions?
  • Helpful resources include menu‑planning tools such as FNW’s Menu Planning Packet [ Adobe PDF Document ] and USDA’s Menu Planner for School Meals, as well as USDA’s Q&A guidance and Florida’s Administrative Review Guide in FANS.
• Our school would like to add the Afterschool Snack Program. What are the requirements?
  • To qualify, programs must offer structured, supervised enrichment activities and serve one reimbursable snack per child per day that meets USDA Afterschool Snack Program (ASP) meal pattern requirements. Afterschool snacks must include at least two of the five components in the required portion sizes, with limits on beverages and juice. Schools must also document compliance through menus, production records, and meal counts. 
• How should we estimate how much food to prepare to ensure we meet all meal pattern and portion size requirements for our student population?
  • To estimate how much food to prepare and ensure you meet portion requirements, rely on standardized recipes, production forecasting, and strict portion control using the correct serving tools. Using ounce equivalents and proper documentation helps maintain consistency, meet NSLP meal‑pattern standards, and prevent shortages or waste during service.
• If our program site offers meals to Pre-K students, what are the meal pattern requirements?
  • Pre‑K meals must follow the Child Care Food Program (CCFP) meal pattern, and sites serving Pre‑K separately must use dedicated Pre‑K menus, while commingled sites must upload the Commingling Pre‑K Listing in FANS. Pre-K/Infant meal patterns and additional resources are available on our Meal Patterns webpage.
• Can starchy vegetables like potatoes replace breads or grains in program meals?
  • No, starchy vegetables are part of the vegetable component, which cannot replace the grain component in school meals.
• Which beans and peas are classified in the Beans/Peas/Legumes Vegetable Subgroup, and which ones are in the Starchy Vegetable Subgroup?
  • Mature beans belong to the Bean/Pea subgroup, fresh beans like green peas belong to the Starchy subgroup, and green beans belong to the Other subgroup because they lack the starch, protein, and key nutrients of the others.