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School Meals Program

September 2025 

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USDA Policy Memos are located at the bottom!

What is Peter Pan's favorite restaurant?     Answer found below!

Alaska Highlights! 

Study finds that in  2023, about 2% of Alaska high school students are underweight, 64% are at a healthy weight, 16% have overweight, and 17% have obesity.

The Alaska Division of Public Health has posted some interesting statistics comparing health trends of youth to adults. Fine the full report here.

Food Bank of Alaska receives national award for Meals to You!

This blog gives a shoutout to our school district staff who played such a huge part in helping Meals to You reach families in their communities. Click here for more.

Northern Bites Let’s beef frank, we’re always excited to taco about food! Submit your photos today: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/047441e6af7d42e29f1d502c440922b6 Highlight the incredible meals that your children are eating by submitting a photo of your school meal trays.  The Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) will highlight one to two photos each month (or more) featuring school meals from around the state. Photos may be submitted by any school or nutrition staff.  The photos should feature a complete meal, meeting the meal pattern requirements of the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. The meal can be a main line or alternative meal, such as a special dietary accommodation.  The goal is to highlight the great meals our students are receiving.  We hope to receive enough photo entries to host a “March Madness” style competition in March.  Please be sure that the food is the focus of the photo, we cannot share photos that contain students faces or other identifying imagery (hands, arms, shirts, etc. are okay in the background).   August 2025 highlight: Thorne Bay, Alaska (Southeast Island SD) Grains: Whole grain dinner roll from scratch. USDA recipe for schools - Whole-grain dinner rolls. Meats: Whole grain breaded chicken drumstick, Tyson (US Foods). Starchy vegetables: mashed potatoes from scratch (DOD potatoes). Vegetables: lettuce (Thorne Bay school green house), tomatoes and cucumbers (US Foods). Fruit: fresh oranges (DOD), 100 % juice (US Foods). Milk: 1% milk (USDA Foods).

School Meals Program Reminders: 

Claims - Submit claim data online through the CNP Web Database by: 

• July Claim Month - 60 Day Deadline, September 29, 2025 
  • The final claim will not be accepted if it is not in the Pending Approval status by the 60-Day claim deadline (see below).  Upward amended claims may be submitted throughout the 60-day period but no later than the 60-Day deadline.  Be aware, claims in Error status cannot be paid and if help is needed from Child Nutrition the sponsor must contact Child Nutrition well in advance of the 60-Day Deadline.
• August Claim Month - 60 Day Deadline, October 30, 2025

School Nutrition Program Monthly Call, September 10, 2025 @ 2:00 PM.

Link: Monthly School Meals Call | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams

Civil Rights Training Recording

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1K6IzkBMZxILzs5ecqfUT12MOLoyiKQF4?usp=drive_link

Reminder: Civil Rights in Child Nutrition Programs and the Bostock Rescission

(a more inclusive summary of the recission and how it affects Alaska may be found --> HERE and you may also find the original recission memo --> HERE)

On July 7, 2025, James C. Miller, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service, issued a memo rescinding previous guidance based on the 2020 Bostock v. Clayton County Supreme Court decision.

This notice applies to all child nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Program, as well as Farm to School/Farm to Child Nutrition Grants that are awarded by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED).

And Justice for All (AJFA) Poster 

Sponsors should replace their existing “And Justice For All” posters with the updated poster as soon as possible. Child Nutrition Program Sponsors must use the current version of AD-475-A (released March 2025) that is published at https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-assistant-secretary-civil-rights/and-justice-all. USDA is not printing AJFA posters at this time, you may print it on standard paper at your facility.

The USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

Only use the updated Nondiscrimination Statement that was published around March 2025.  The version published circa December 2022 is now rescinded; prior versions of the statement may be substantially similar to the March 2025 statement but must also be replaced with the most current version. The most current version is printed on the AJFA poster.

DEED Compliance Schedule

Beginning on the following dates, DEED will cite noncompliance during routine Administrative Reviews and Civil Rights or Program Investigations:

• 15 August 2025 for the National School Lunch Program (excluding Seamless Summer Option), School Breakfast Program, and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
• 1 October for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Seamless Summer Option

The Bostock rescission is effective immediately; therefore, DEED will not investigate civil rights complaints related to the expanded definition of “sex” effective immediately.

SNA NEWS - links below brought to you by School Nutrition Association Our National School Lunch Week (Oct. 13-17) is just around the corner, and this year’s theme, “Taste the World – Your School Lunch Passport” invites you to bring the excitement of travel and adventure to your cafeteria. NSLW25 resources include: Official NSLW25 Logos: Available in English and Spanish, use the official logos as “stamps” to mark all your celebration adventures. NSLW25 Toolkit: This ultimate celebration toolkit includes planning checklists, menu ideas, playlists, movie suggestions, decorations, social media tips and more. Student Activity Guide: Spark student creativity with fun, printable activity sheets and a DIY School Lunch Passport for students to track their global food adventures. Social Media Kit: Take off on social media with official, ready-to-post NSLW25 social media graphics. SNA Shop: Stock up on themed posters, stickers, shirts and more from SNA’s NSLW25 shop—perfect souvenirs to kick off and commemorate your cafeteria travels. Spotify Playlist: Our kid-friendly, travel-inspired Spotify playlists are the perfect soundtrack for your cafeteria adventures. Customizable Press Release: Share your school’s journey with local media with this customizable press release. PR Essentials: SNA’s “carry-on-kit” of PR resources to help your celebration take off, including proclamations, press templates, social posts and digital backdrops. SNA has got you covered with all the travel essentials you need to make your NSLW25 celebrations a success! Click here to view all the available resources and start planning your journey. Tired of not having enough emails to read? Stay up to date with the latest bills related to School Nutrition by subscribing to the "Tuesday Morning" newsletter by SNA! It is very informative and a good read.

Team Nutrition Updates Watch New Trainings for Successful School Menu Planning Team Nutrition added seven short trainings to The Road to Successful Menu Planning for School Meals training series. These on-demand webinars help schools plan and implement menus that meet school nutrition standards and meal pattern requirements: Menu Planning Menu Planning for the National School Lunch Program Afterschool Snack Service Nuts and Seeds Flexibilities in School Meals School Breakfast Menu Flexibilities: Grains and Meats/Meat Alternates and Substituting Vegetables for Fruit School Lunch Menu Flexibilities: Beans, Peas, and Lentils Reducing Added Sugars Reducing Added Sugars at Breakfast: Menu Planning Tips Reducing Added Sugars in Recipes Using Nutrient Analysis Software for Added Sugars Each training can count toward USDA Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs – Key Area 1000: Nutrition and Training Topic 1100: Menu Planning. They are available now in the Institute of Child Nutrition’s iLearn portal and USDA’s Professional Standards Trainings and Tracker Tool.

Reminder regarding contact information

All emails regarding school nutrition programs should be directed to eed.cnp.schoolmeals@alaska.gov.  Emails sent to other mailboxes may not receive a timely response.

For other program contacts, see the list at the end of this email.

Resources

CHILD NUTRITION (CN) LABEL

The Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Manual is available online.  CN labels are approved by USDA and provide a way for a manufacturer to demonstrate how a processed food product contributes to the meal pattern requirements in Child Nutrition Programs CNP.  The CN Labeling Manual provides food manufacturers with instructions on how to apply for and obtain approval for a Child Nutrition (CN) label.  It also contains instructions for calculating the contribution that meats, meat alternates, poultry, and seafood products make toward the meal pattern requirements for (CNP). 

CHILD NUTRITION SHARING SITE 

Child Nutrition Sharing Site (CNSS) - recruiting new resources.

FOOD BUYING GUIDE (FBG)

The Food Buying Guide includes CNP interactive web-based tools that are available in the Tools menu option on the toolbar. 

ICN's E-learning

iLearn – ICN E-learning (docebosaas.com)

ICN's CICN TRAINING SECTION The Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition (CICN) training section, is great for schools wanting to scratch cook or gain additional culinary skills: https://theicn.org/cicn/

SNA TRAINING ZONE

Check out SNA's on-demand webinars

Find educational content and earn CEU credits to achieve your professional goals with the SNA Training Zone! 

TEAM NUTRITION Sign up to receive Team Nutrition updates in English and in Spanish.

USDA POLICY MEMOS

Regulation requires sponsoring organizations and institutions to keep Bulletins, Instructions, and USDA Policy Memorandums for reference and to apply immediately the appropriate instruction to agency programs. Please call Child Nutrition Programs, if further clarification is needed.

All Policy Memos from USDA can be located here:

SP 18-2025 Guidance on Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs

SP 17-2025 Reimbursement for Off-Site Meal Consumption

SP 16-2025 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Allocation of Funds for FY 2026

SP 15-2025 Enhancing Child Nutrition Program Meal Standards

SP 14-2025 Offer versus Serve Flexibilities for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

SP 13-2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025: Effect on Child Nutrition Programs

SP 12-2025 Paid Lunch Equity: Guidance for School Year 2025-2026

SP 11-2025 Using Federal Funds to Purchase Local Foods

SP 09-2025 Buy American Accommodation Process for School Year 2025-2026

SP 08-2025 Non-Congregate Meal Service in Rural Areas: Questions and Answers #3

SP 07-2025 Requirement to Accept Medical Statements from Registered Dietitians for Schools

SP 06-2025 National School Lunch Program Equipment Assistance Grants: Installation Expenditure

SP 05-2025 Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for Meal Pattern Requirements

SP 04-2025 Fees for Electronic Payment Services in the School Meal Programs

SP 03-2025 Substituting Vegetables for Grains in American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Tribal Communities

SP 02-2025 Substitution of Vegetables for Fruit Flexibility in the School Breakfast Program: Questions and Answers for Program Operators

SP 01-2025 Fluid Milk Requirements for School Meals

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Division of Finance and Support Services
Child Nutrition Programs
P.O. Box 110500
Juneau, AK 99811

Contact Us

Disclaimer

This newsletter contains hyperlinks to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the reader’s convenience. DEED does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these sites, or the organizations sponsoring the sites.

Confidential Information

Confidential information should never be shared via email outside of the SFA’s email system.  Since email can easily be transmitted to the wrong recipient or intercepted by a third party, it could lead to a breach of confidential information.  When emailing Alaska Child Nutrition Programs, sponsors are encouraged to make arrangements with the recipient(s) to email documents with Zend To (https://drop.state.ak.us/drop/).  Please contact DEED CNP for further information.

Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.