Hello! Here are the School Nutrition Program (SNP) Items of Interest for the Week of February 3
General School Meal Programs Announcements and Guidance
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) March 3-7: NSBW celebrates the importance of a nutritious school breakfast in fueling students for success. This special observance during the first week of March celebrates the national School Breakfast Program and the many ways it gives kids a great start every day. Please let us know if you have a special event planned by emailing Katie McCurdy.
Chef’s Choice: Food surprises are not necessarily a good idea when planning and publishing school menus. Please remember that the menu must clearly identify each component for National School Lunch and Breakfast Program reimbursement. Meal names such as "Chef's Choice" or "Friday Special" do not identify the components. This can also be a barrier for households and students dealing with food related disability accommodations and can result in decreased participation.
School Meal Programs Ramadan Waiver: In order to use this waiver, schools must opt-in to the waiver form available in Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System (CRRS), Applications, USDA Waivers, Detail 2024-2025. The waiver waives certain requirements of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) regarding ability to provide non-congregate breakfast and lunch meals to children fasting for Ramadan, (Friday, Feb 28, – Fri, Mar 28). Children not fasting must be offered congregate school breakfast and school lunch meals. Only school food authorities in good standing will be approved for the waivers. Meals must be claimed by student free, reduced, or paid eligibility unless a school is on Community Eligibility Provision or in a non-base year for Provision 2. Meals can only be claimed on instructional days. Weekend meals are not permitted. Parent or guardian pick up is not available. Contact your Education Program Specialist with questions.
Student Personally Identifiable Information (PII): It is critical that student information is not sent via email to the Office of Nutrition staff. All student information for the National School Lunch Program must be uploaded into the CRRS. Per agency policy, staff cannot have PII on their computers. Any emails received with PII will be deleted and unopened.
Did you know?
Can Share Table food be used throughout the school day? No, items on the share table are only available to students, during the meal service. Once meal service ends the items are to be recycled into the food service inventory as health license and NSLP regulations allow. USDA policy memo SP41-2016 The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs provides additional guidance. The most current Ohio Department of Health Share Table Guidance is available in CRRS, Download Forms, Child Nutrition Policies and Procedures, Share Table Guidance.
Upcoming Trainings and Webinars
Please visit the CRRS Training Management page, located under the green LOG-ON, in the LINKS Section to register for the trainings and webinars listed below. The registration portal only accepts one person per email. Each attendee must register with their own email. Registration closes at midnight two days prior to training. The username and password for Training Management are not the same as CRRS.
Annual Procurement Training Webinar: On Wednesday, February 5, join the Office of Nutrition from 9:00-10:00 a.m. for the repeat webinar edition of school year 2024—2025 Procurement Training. This webinar satisfies the new USDA 1-hour annual procurement training requirement. The webinar will cover strategies to maximize your purchasing power and ensure you are following the regulations. Learn how to use procurement to your advantage! A town hall-style Q&A session will follow the presentation. Register directly through TEAMS Events at Register for Procurement Training 2024-2025 Webinar.
Direct Certification ODDEX CNDC Webinar: On Feb. 6 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. join the Office of Nutrition to walk through the Ohio District Data Exchange (ODDEX) Child Nutrition Direct Certification (CNDC) best practices and navigation tips and tricks followed by an open Q&A. To register for this training, click here.
National School Lunch Basic Training: Basic Training is a program overview for new sponsors, food service directors and a can be taken as a refresher course for existing food service directors. The next class will be held February 19 at the State Library of Ohio. Seating is limited. Register in CRRS Training Management.
NEW! Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Webinar: Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) allows schools in low-income areas to provide meals at no cost to all students without collecting household applications. Schools with a direct certification rate of 25% or greater are eligible to apply. For more information about CEP and how to apply please attend one of the following webinars, click on the session to register:
USDA Foods Survey and Catalog Webinar: Join the Office of Nutrition on Wednesday, February 12 at 9:00 a.m. for a special webinar. The survey period for 2025-2026 USDA Foods has started. Learn about the USDA Foods Program, how to enter survey allocations in the Commodity Allocation Tracking System (CATS), and how to maximize entitlement usage between processors, direct delivery, and the USDA DoD Fresh Program. Guest speakers will explain useful tools to maximize your USDA Foods surveys. Register for the February 12 USDA Foods Survey Webinar via TEAMS Events.
Registration Open! 2025 Summer Summit – Fun in the SUN: SFA’s have the unique opportunity to serve summer meals through the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) or Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Register for the Office of Nutrition’s annual Summer Summit gathering to learn more about how your school can participate in Ohio’s summer meal programs. This event brings together past and future summer program sponsors and community partners for two days of specialized training and networking to elevate the administration and delivery of the summer meal programs so that every Ohio child can access a healthy summer meal. Session topics will include sourcing local foods for summer meals, the rural non-congregate option, recipe standardization, program application and compliance, and more. For more information on the Summit contact Hannah Hart.
When: Feb. 24 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Where: Quest Conference Center
9200 Worthington Road Suite 400 Westerville, OH 43082
Summit agenda and program materials are coming soon. Sessions are subject to change.
Learn More about the USDA Foods Program and the 2025-26 USDA Foods Surveys! Join the Office of Nutrition on Tuesday, February 25 at 1:30 pm for a special town hall webinar. Learn about the USDA Foods Program, how to maximize Planned Assistance Level (PAL) funds and use the Commodity Allocation Tracking System (CATS) to complete the 2025-26 USDA Foods surveys. A question-and-answer session will take place at the end of the town hall. Click here to register.
Note: Reading the Items of Interest does not count toward annual training.
We appreciate all the work you do to support nutrition programs in Ohio!
Office of Nutrition
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
614-466-2945
1-800-808-6325
Child.Nutrition@education.ohio.gov
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