School Year (SY) 2021-22 Spring Store Is Open 

The SY 2020-21 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods spring store is open through Friday, March 26. School Food Authorities (SFAs) may place orders using the FDP2 platform in the Cyber-Linked Interactive Child Nutrition System 2 (CLiCS2). To assist with your planning, the USDA Food Products section in CLiCS2 provides a list of items being offered. 

SY 2021-22 SFA entitlements have been completed. As stated on the Tuesdays @ 2 webinar, entitlement was estimated using meal counts from the 2018-19 program year. For entitlement adjustments or transfers, please contact our office at fns.fdp@state.mn.us. A detailed explanation of the ordering process, entitlement and other Food Distribution Program matters is available for review on our recent webinar Ready, Set, Shop 2021. 

For assistance with your CLiCS2 login, send an email to mde.fns@state.mn.us
using the CLiCS User ID Request Form. SFAs planning to participate in the Department of Defense (DoD Fresh) Program for the first time must submit a DoD Request to Participate Form. If you have questions or require further assistance, send an email to fns.fdp@state.mn.us or call 651-582-8526. 

Meal Pattern Compliance

Schools must follow the meal pattern for the program they are approved to operate. If you have been approved to operate the Seamless Summer Option, you must follow the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program meal patterns. The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) cannot provide reimbursement for meals that do not meet program requirements.  

Ensure that you check your site applications in CLiCS to confirm the program you are operating. The Seamless Summer Option is a checkbox on both the sponsor and site Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) applications in CLiCS. Upon confirming the program you are operating, review the meal pattern requirements to ensure compliance.  

• Summer Food Service Meal Pattern 
• Seamless Summer Option Meal Pattern (follows the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program Meal Patterns) 

Schools that contract with a Food Service Management Company (FSMC) or Vended Meals Provider are responsible for communicating the program they are operating to their FSMC or vendor.  

Minnesota Harvest Receipt Contest: Extended to March 16, 2021 

Does your district or school have a favorite school meal recipe that features a Minnesota locally grown food? We have extended the deadline to submit your delicious recipes to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) from March 10 to March 16.  

Check out the full contest details and instructions on the MDE Team Nutrition webpage, which includes information about the 18 Minnesota food items that are featured in the contest. Although the documents still list the end date as March 10, 2021, we will continue to accept submissions until March 16, 2021. Contact mde.teamnutrition@state.mn.us if you have questions related to the contest. 

Tuesdays @ 2 Webinars 

Join school nutrition staff for a training webinar every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Read session descriptions and register for Tuesdays @ 2 webinars. Please note, there is a date change in the Tuesdays @ 2 webinar schedule. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Application Overview webinar is now scheduled for March 30. There will not be a Tuesdays @ 2 on March 16. For those who have already registered, there is no need to re-register; the registration link will remain the same. 

CACFP Thirty on Thursdays Training Webinars 

USDA's Team Nutrition initiative presents Crediting Store-Bought Combination Baby Foods in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This webinar will show CACFP operators how to identify store-bought combination baby foods that may be served as reimbursable meals and snacks to infants.  

Register for Crediting Store-Bought Combination Baby Foods in the CACFP on March 18, 2021, 1-1:30 p.m. – English  

Register for Crediting Store-Bought Combination Baby Foods in the CACFP on March 18, 2021, 1-1:30 p.m. – Spanish