The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released COVID-19: Child Nutrition Response #38 - Nationwide Waiver to Allow Meal Pattern Flexibility in the Summer Food Service Program - EXTENSION 5.
- This waives the requirements to serve meals that meet the meal pattern requirements.
- This waiver is extended until August 31, 2020.
- Sponsors are approved on a case-by-case basis - Contact your program specialist.
- As a reminder, Federal procurement regulations at 2 CFR 200.320(f) allow procurement by noncompetitive proposals when there is a public emergency.
- Washington State will participate in this waiver.
Each year, we promote using local, fresh foods in your programs. This year may look a little (or very) different than previous years, but we still want to share the value of using local produce in your summer program.
Discover more about Farm to Summer in our recorded presentation!
Is your organization celebrating Farm to Summer Week? We would love to share! Send your pictures and stories to Samantha Brueske and you could be included in our weekly newsletter!
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides healthy meals to all children, ages 18 & under, and adults ages 21 and under enrolled in a Washington school district.
SFSP sponsors must promote meal access to all children. This includes providing accommodations for children with disabilities who have special dietary needs.
Often times, accommodations can be made within the meal pattern requirements. If this is the case, a medical statement is not required. Examples of this may include modifying the texture of meals (pureed, chopped, etc.) and substituting food items from the same component.
Potential Substitutions
Gluten Free Grains
- Corn Products, such as tortillas, tortilla chips, popcorn, corn-based cereals
- Rice Products, such as rice crackers, enriched white or brown rice, rice cereals
- Oat Products, such as gluten-free oatmeal or oat-based granola bars
Milk Alternatives*
- Lactose-free milk
- Lactose-reduced milk
*Please note that approved milk substitutes are not creditable in SFSP without a note signed by a state-recognized medical authority.
Meat Alternates
- Yogurt, flavored or unflavored and nonfat, low-fat, or whole
- Cheese, such as cheddar, mozzarella, American, or Swiss
- Beans or Peas, such as black beans, refried beans, chickpeas, or hummus
- Nuts/Seeds*, such as almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds
- Nut/Seed Butters, such as almond butter, peanut butter, or sunflower butter
- Eggs
*Please note that Nuts/Seeds may only comprise 50% of the M/MA component at lunch/supper.
Substitutions Outside the Meal Pattern
If an accommodation cannot be made within the meal pattern requirements, a statement signed by a state-recognized medical authority would need to be submitted. The statement must detail:
- Food(s) to be avoided
- How the food impacts the participant
- Food(s) to be substituted
OSPI has developed the Special Dietary Accommodations Form, available in both English & Spanish, as a resource. When supported by a signature from a state-recognized medical authority, meal modifications that do not meet meal pattern requirements can be claimed for reimbursement.
Resources on Special Dietary Accommodations
Questions? Please email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
If your organization is being reviewed this summer, you have an upcoming deadline!
The second section of the SFSP Records requested are due this Friday, August 7! Please review your email from your specialist for details.
IMPORTANT UPDATE!
Please notify the summer meals inbox once all documents have been uploaded into WINS. Originally we askedbyou to send your notification to a different inbox, please ensure to send this notification to the summer meals inbox.
For an overview of how to upload your documents, please review the Preparing for Your SFSP Desk Review webinar.
Questions? Please email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
You must communicate updates to your meal distribution plan and waivers if details of your service change.
- Submit your Meal Distribution Plan & Waiver Updates survey here.
- Update your WINS Calendars.
OSPI makes the information provided from your WINS application and the electronic application checklist available to the community.
Possible WINS changes may include:
- Meal service times
- Dates of service changes
- Changes to Average Daily Attendance (ADA)
-
Sponsors with vended meals must make ADA revisions prior to submitting monthly claims. Revised ADAs will not be approved for claims that go into error status due to meals claimed over the approved CAP.
- Adding sites (contact your specialist)
Possible Meals Distribution Plan and Waiver updates may include:
- Use of available waivers
- Changing days of meal distribution
- Providing more than one meal at a time
- Providing multiple days' worth of meals
Questions? Unsure if you need to make adjustments? Please contact your program specialist.
USDA's Team Nutrition put together a webinar series on how to implement meal pattern changes in Child Nutrition Programs.
- Moving Forward: Update on Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs with Guidance for Dried Meat Products [Recorded Webinar]
- Additional Meat/Meat Alternates Options for CNPs: Crediting Tempeh and Surimi [Recorded Webinar]
- Crediting Coconut and Vegetable Noodles in CNPs [Recorded Webinar]
- Crediting Popcorn, Hominy Corn Masa and Masa Harina in Child Nutrition Programs: [Recorded Webinar]
- CN Labeling Program: Update for Industry [Recorded Webinar]
The USDA has released several waivers that extend through the summer, as well as some extending through June 2021.
Please visit the OSPI Nutrition & Meals Guidance webpage, under the Important Updates header, to review any of these waivers.
The National CACFP Sponsors Association is hosting a Virtual Summit in August!
Registration is $149 and includes access to 20 training sessions.
Register Here
Some sessions included in your registration:
-
Summer Meals: Leveraging Mobile Solutions in Rural Communities
-
Child-Friendly Menu Planning Using Seasonal Foods
- Grant Writing 101
-
Applying a Racial Equity Lens to Recommendations for CACFP and SFSP
- Summit Welcome & Policy Update
Discover more sessions and speaker information in the Virtual Summit Flyer.
School’s Out Washington’s annual Bridge Conference is a multi-day regional convening focused on exploring, celebrating, and influencing our collective field(s) through the act of solidarity and unified learning.
Register and Learn More Here!
The 2020 Bridge Conference will take place from Tuesday, October 27 – Friday, October 30 with the following components offered throughout the 4-day experience.
- Dynamic keynote speakers
- Interactive and engaging workshops
- Story telling hour
- Intentional community building sessions
- NEW THIS YEAR! Regional Bridge after-parties in-person or virtually, to be determined closer to the date
- Access to recorded sessions for a limited time after Bridge concludes for continued learning
August 15
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July Claims Due in WINS
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