Below are meal patterns for the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program and the Afterschool Snack Program, along with the current meal patterns for infants and preschool students enrolled in approved programs.
A meal pattern is a planned set of food items from five food components with minimum portion sizes by meal type and student age or grade group.
For a child nutrition program sponsor to receive reimbursement for a served meal or snack, the meal must offer the minimum components as indicated by the most current meal pattern standards. The information on this page is current as of April 2025. Always check the code of federal regulations for current information. Contact the State Agency with any questions.
National School Lunch Program (K-12)
- Afterschool Snack Quick Guide 2025 [ Adobe PDF Document ]
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Meal Pattern - NSLP & SBP 2025
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851 kB
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Afterschool Snack Meal Pattern 2026
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114.2 kB
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Child Care Food Program (Infant & Pre-K)
The information on this page is current as of March 2026. Always check the code of federal regulations for current information. Contact the State Agency with any questions.
Questions and Answers on the Updated Meal Pattern Requirements for CACFP (2017) Infant
Infant Guidance
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CACFP Ages 1-2 & 3-5 Meal Patterns with USDA Overview
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106.8 kB
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CACFP Infant Meal Patterns with USDA Overview
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99.4 kB
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- Infant Meal Patterns in NSLP & SBP: Q&As (2017)
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Infant Five Day Snack Menu Planning Template
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44.7 kB
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Infant Five Day Breakfast, Lunch, Supper Menu Planning Template
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45.4 kB
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Pre-K Guidance
- Preschool Meal Patterns in NSLP & SBP: Q&As (2017)
- Serving School Meals to Preschoolers [ Adobe PDF Document ]
- USDA's CACFP Meal Pattern Training Worksheets
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Vegetable and Fruit Requirements in CACFP: Q&A (CACFP 2017)
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90.8 kB
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Water Availability in CACFP (CACFP 20-2016)
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48.4 kB
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Pre-K Menu/Meal Service Resources
- Authorized Labels and Manufacturers — CN Label Verification Report
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CACFP Best Practices
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102 kB
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- CDC’s Developmental Milestones
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Comingled Preschool Meals Sites Listing
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39.1 kB
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- Exhibit A: The Grain Chart [ Adobe PDF Document ]
- Menu Planning Templates
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Pre-K Comingling Diagram Examples
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100.2 kB
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Pre-K Menu Review Checklist
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70.3 kB
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- USDA Food Buying and Crediting Guide
Summer Programs
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Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) Meal Pattern
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205.6 kB
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SFSP Breakfast Menu Verification Tool
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362.8 kB
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SFSP Lunch and Supper Menu Verification Tool
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711 kB
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SFSP Menu Review Checklist
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208.9 kB
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SFSP Breakfast Menu Verification Tool
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- Seamless Summer Option: Follow Meal Pattern – National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program (2025) [ Adobe PDF Document ]