OSPI Child Nutrition Services (CNS), the Puget Sound Joint Purchasing Cooperative (PSJPC), and the Spokane Cooperative are hosting a USDA Foods Show for sponsors of school meal programs. The Food show will include education sessions on a variety of topics relevant to anyone who orders USDA Foods, and an opportunity to sample foods available for order
The Food Show is free to attend, with two opportunities to attend! Registration is now open.
Register for the West Side
Location: University Place, WA
Date: January 29, 2024
Time: 8:00am–3:00pm PT
Register for the East Side
Location: Spokane, WA
Date: February 2, 2024
Time: 8:00am–3:00pm PT
Registration closes January 19th. Please limit attendees to 2 per district.
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Child Nutrition Financial Report (CNFR)
Private schools and residential childcare institutions (RCCIs) participating in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs are required to complete and submit a Child Nutrition Financial Report (CNFR) annually. This includes sponsors that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Special Milk Program (SMP).
The CNFR reports the net resources for state fiscal year ending 2023 (July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023). The report is filed in Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) and is due by December 31, 2023.
Local Education Agencies (LEAs) who do not submit their CNFR in WINS by December 31 will receive a claim error when submitting claims after this date. Claims will remain in error status until the CNFR is in approved status.
Resources
Report 1505 for School Districts with FSMC
Local Education Agencies with Food Service Management Companies (FSMC) and those with inter-district agreements are required to complete and submit a Financial Information Report (Form 1505) annually.
The financial information gathered in Form 1505 is used to complete the 1800 Report. The 1800 Report is a compilation of reports and statistics for public schools to evaluate the performance of their food service operations.
Form 1505 records the distribution of FSMC expenditures for school fiscal year ending August 31, 2023.
Submit your 1505 report to Kiara Walton, Procurement & FSMC Specialist, by December 31, 2023.
Questions? Contact Kiara Walton.
Breakfast Meals for Kids (Form Package 383)
This grant opportunity is available to public school districts, tribal compact schools, and charter schools.
How to Apply
Applicants may apply for a single school or multiple schools, including central kitchens. Applications are completed in iGrants (Form Package 383) and are due before 5 pm PT, Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the Evaluation Document, located on the Profile Page of iGrants, before starting the application.
Focus Areas for This Grant
This grant focuses on starting a new meal program, increasing participation in an existing program, improving program meal quality, and improving the equipment and facilities used in an existing program.
Application and Grant Funding Resources
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Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Game, and Eggs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) recently revised SP 01-2016, CACFP 01-2016, SFSP 01-2016: Procuring Local Meat, Poultry, Seafood, Game and Eggs. The memo clarifies the regulatory requirements related to food safety and provides a series of questions and answers included as an attachment. Questions six, seven, and eight are updated to better reflect opportunities to access domesticated and wild game. Program operators are required to comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local, (including Tribal) laws and regulations.
Crediting of Tofu and Soy Yogurt
USDA also released SP 02-2024, CACFP 02-2024, SFSP 02-2024: Revised: Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meals Programs, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program. This memo supersedes SP 53-2016, CACFP 21-2016: Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products in the School Meal Programs, Child and Adult Care Food Program from August 8, 2016. The new policy memo provides guidance on the following:
- Crediting tofu and soy yogurt products in the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
- Extends previous guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products to the Summer Food Service Program,
- Extends previous guidance on crediting tofu and soy yogurt products to the infant meal pattern in the Child and Adult Care Food Program,
- Explains how to credit tofu and soy yogurt in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.
Program operators offering the NSLP and SBP during the 23–24 school year are encouraged to join us for monthly webinars!
Webinars include annual program requirements, new policy guidance, important reminders, and an opportunity to ask questions.
The next webinar is January 4 and will focus on Verification Summary Reports, On-Site Reviews, and other state updates!
Register for the School Meal Programs Monthly webinars here!
Dates: Monthly through June 2024
Time: 2–3pm PT
Please note: You only have to register once and you will receive updates and reminders for each webinar.
Reminders
- Save us on your calendar! When you register, there is an option to add us to your calendar at the bottom of the confirmation email.
- A reminder email with your link to log into the webinar is sent 1 hour before the session starts.
- Follow up emails with a copy of the slides are sent to everyone registered for the session, even if they did not attend.
- We do not post recordings to the CNS webpages.
- Please keep an eye out in your inbox for these emails, if you do not see them in your inbox please check your SPAM box.
Have topic suggestions for a future monthly webinar? Email suggestions to SchoolMeals@k12.wa.us.
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State law requires school districts offering any sort of academic, enrichment, or remedial program during the summer months at qualifying sites must* offer a food program AND be open to all children in the area unless a compelling case can be made to be closed. Qualifying sites are schools that have 50 percent or more of the children enrolled during the regular school year who qualify for free and reduced-price meals (*RCW 28A.235.160).
Review the Comparison of Summer Meal Programs to understand your options. If you would like to request an exemption to offer meals and/or not open up the meal service to the community, please complete the SFSP/SSO Exemption Request (alchemer.com). These exemptions are approved on case by case basis and must be approved in advance.
Questions? Please email summermeals@k12.wa.us.
December –
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Lentils are a type of pulse. The name “pulse” refers to pols, a thick soup. They grow in pods and appear as lens-shaped seeds.
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Lentils were among one of the first crops to be domesticated in the Near East and have been part of our diets since the Stone Age.
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Like other legumes, lentils add nitrogen to the soil, improving soil health. This makes them a good rotational crop with wheat and other grains.
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Lentils are available in a variety of colors which include brown, yellow, green, red, and black.
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Lentils are an excellent source of fiber, protein, and folate. Lentils are also a good source of iron, potassium, and vitamin B6.
Select lentils that are dry and clean. Store lentils in airtight containers in a dry, dark, and cool place for up to a year. Cooked lentils can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
It is important for school districts to have access to product information for USDA Foods to meet meal pattern requirements and make accommodations for student dietary needs.
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USDA Foods in Schools Product Information Sheets provide a general compilation of vendor product information, but do not include specifics such as allergens, ingredients, and kosher or halal certifications, as those can vary from vendor to vendor.
- The USDA Foods Database has similar information to the Product Information Sheets, but also includes nutrient, allergen, ingredient, and certification information that is unique to each vendor.
We strive to provide useful resources for all stakeholders and will continue to make the Product Information Sheets available until further notice. We encourage you to make use of the Product Information Sheets and USDA Foods Database to learn about USDA Foods direct delivered products in preparation of the release of the Foods Available List in the coming months.
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December 13
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Plant Based School Meals Grant Closes 5pm
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December 15
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November Claims Due in WINS
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December 30
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October 60-Day Claim Deadline—if you haven't already, submit your claim
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December 31
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CNFR & Form 1505 Due
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January 4
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School Meals Monthly Webinar | 2–3pm PT
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January 16
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Breakfast Meals for Kids Grant Applications Open
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