Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (which is known as SNAP) is a food assistance program in the United States. It supplies food for no-income or low-income people. Hot foods are not included. The program was originally called Food Stamp Program. It was renamed in 2008 through farm bills. The term EBT is often used.

During fiscal year 2012, close to $75 billion for assistance in food was distributed. As of September 2012, almost 48 million people received benefits. The average amount was less than $135 per month. Some states get more food assistance than other states.

SNAP

Glossary of SNAP

• A la carte Food items available for cash sale independent of the reimbursable meal.

• Active Managerial Control (AMC) Taking a preventive, rather than reactive, approach to food safety by understanding and consistently applying the school food safety plan to prevent, eliminate, or reduce the occurrence of risks that may result in foodborne illness.

• Administrative Review (AR) The comprehensive offsite and onsite evaluation of all school food authorities participating in the Program. The term “Administrative Review” is used to reflect a review of both critical and general areas.

• Administrative Review Manual The comprehensive manual developed by USDA Food and Nutrition Service to guide State agencies through the Administrative Review process.

• Afterschool Snack Service A federally assisted snack program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. To qualify, a school district must run the National School Lunch Program and sponsor or operate an afterschool care program that provides educational or enrichment activities in a supervised environment.

• Allergen A protein in a food item that stimulates an allergic reaction.

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation A nonprofit organization that serves as a catalyst for children’s health with a goal to reduce the prevalence of childhood obesity and empower kids to develop lifelong healthy habits. Founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works with schools, companies, community organizations, healthcare professionals, and families to transform the conditions and systems that lead to healthier kids.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The ADA was enacted in 1990 and amended in 2008.

• As Purchased (AP) The form(s) in which a food is purchased.

• Average Daily Participation (ADP) The average number of students who participate in either the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program daily, based on school attendance (not enrollment). When determining participation by eligibility category for Administrative Reviews, it means the average number of children, by eligibility category, participating in the program each operating day. These numbers are obtained by dividing (a) the total number of free lunches claimed during a reporting period by the number of operating days in the same period; (b) the total number of reduced- price lunches claimed during a reporting period by the number of operating days in the same period; and (c) the total number of paid lunches claimed during a reporting period by the number of operating days in the same period.  

• Beans and peas (legumes) The mature forms of legumes. They include kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, black- eyed peas, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), split peas, and lentils. They are available in dry, canned, and frozen forms. They can credit toward the vegetables component legumes subgroup or meat/meat alternates component.

• Broker An independent sales agent who negotiates sales for manufacturers by working with food distributors and school nutrition operations. The broker assists manufacturers by introducing new products to the school nutrition market. Brokers can assist the school food authority staff by providing samples for taste-testing to the districts.

• Build-a-lunch A menu item that offers several meal components and allows students to choose foods for a reimbursable meal.

• Buy American Provision Requires school food authorities (SFAs) to purchase, to the maximum extent practicable, domestic commodities or products.

• Calories The measurement of energy provided by foods and one of the dietary specifications for school meals. Each grade group meal pattern, lunch and breakfast, has a calorie range based on daily average for the menu week.

• Celiac disease A medical condition in which the immune system is abnormally sensitive to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley.

• Certification of Compliance Worksheets or

• Menu Planning Tool for Certification for Six Cent

• Reimbursement USDA-developed tools to demonstrate that menus meet components and dietary specifications to qualify for an additional 6 cents per meal in reimbursement. They are also known as menu worksheets.

• Child (a) A student of high school grade or under as determined by the State educational agency, who is enrolled in an educational unit of high school grade or under as described in the definition of “School,” including students who are mentally or physically disabled as defined by the State and who are participating in a school program for the mentally or physically disabled; or (b) a person under 21 chronological years of age who is enrolled in a residential child care institution; or (c) for purposes of reimbursement for meal supplements served in afterschool care programs, an individual enrolled in an afterschool care program operated by an eligible school who is 12 years of age or under, or in the case of children of migrant workers and children with disabilities, not more than 15 years of age.

• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) The program authorized under the National School Lunch Act that provides reimbursement for healthy foods served to infants, children, and adults in day care in accordance with 7 CFR 226.

• Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling A program that provides manufacturers the option to include a standardized food crediting statement on their product label. CN Labels must be authorized by USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) prior to being used.  Manufacturers must have an approved quality control (QC) program and inspection oversight that meet FNS, Child Nutrition Programs requirements. CN Labeled products are generally purchased by providers for USDA meal programs. Benefits of CN Labels are that they clearly identify the contributions of the product toward the meal pattern requirement and provide a warranty against audit claims if the CN Label is used according to manufacturer’s directions. It is important to know, the CN Logo (the box with CN on each side that surrounds the meal pattern contribution statement) is one of the four integral parts of a label, which includes the product name, ingredient statement, and inspection legend.  All four parts must be on the product carton in order for the CN label to be valid.

USDA is working hard to expand access to farmers’ markets for those participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

• Child Nutrition Act of 1966 A law enacted by Congress in 1966 (42 USC 1773 et seq.) to strengthen and expand domestic food service programs for children under the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture. These programs include Special Milk and School Breakfast Programs and State Administrative Expense Funds (SAE).

• Child Nutrition Programs Include the National School Lunch Program (7 CFR 210) (including the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, the Seamless Summer Option, and afterschool snacks), Special Milk Program (7 CFR 215), School Breakfast Program (7 CFR 220), and the Food Distribution Program, as it relates to the donation of food to schools participating in the Child Nutrition Programs.

• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) The codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. Child nutrition regulations are contained in Title 7 of the CFR.

• Control Measures Steps to reduce food contamination or bacterial growth.

• Cost Reimbursable Contract A formal, legally enforceable contract that reimburses the vendor for costs incurred under the contract, but does not provide for any other payment to the vendor, with or without a fixed fee. Allowable costs will be paid from the nonprofit school nutrition account to the vendor net of all discounts, rebates, and other applicable credits occurring to or received by the vendor.

• Creditable (and noncreditable) How a food contributes toward the required component for reimbursement. The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG) provides crediting information for all meal components. Noncreditable foods are either portions of components too small to count toward crediting or foods that do not fit into one of the five meal components.

• Critical Control Points (CCPs) Points in food preparation where process control (example — cooking) is essential to keep food safe.

• Critical Limits A time and temperature range for food preparation and service for keeping food safe (hot — 135 °F or higher or cold — 41 °F or lower).

• Cross-contact A potentially hazardous condition that occurs when allergens from one food come in contact with other foods that do not normally contain that allergen.

• Culture of Food Safety Behaviors and beliefs about food safety within an organization; exists when food-safe behaviors are second nature to the members of your school community — your school nutrition team, school administrators, teachers, parents, and students – and these behaviors are consistently practiced to help keep students healthy and safe.

• Customer relationship How your organization relates to and communicates with its customers (students, parents, teachers, administrators, etc.).

• Cycle menu A set of meal components and food items that are different for each day during a set period of time (cycle) and repeated.

• Daily required minimum serving amount The amount of a food that meets the meal pattern requirement for a component in a specific meal. Amounts differ for meal patterns, components, and by grade group at lunch and breakfast.

• Day of Review (Administrative Review) The day(s) on which the onsite review of the individual sites selected for review occurs.

• Diet order or diet prescription Terms used for the information provided by the physician’s statement for students with disabilities requiring dietary restrictions. This information must include the student’s dietary needs, foods restricted in the student’s diet, and appropriate substitutions.  

• Disability that restricts the diet A Major Life Activity or Major Bodily Function as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which, when restricting the diet, must be accommodated in school meal programs; requires documentation by a licensed physician or, at a State agency’s discretion, a State-recognized health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law.

• Distributor A commercial food company that purchases, receives, and/or stores commercial food products. Distributors sell, deliver, and bill the Recipient Agency for goods and/or services provided. A distributor sells the products made by manufacturers.

• Edible Portion (EP) The amount of a food that can actually be eaten, after trimming and cooking.

• Entrée (Main Dish) An item that is served as the main dish and is either: (i) A combination food of meat and/or meat alternates and grains; or (ii) A combination food of vegetables and/or fruits and meat and/or meat alternates; or (iii) A meat or meat alternate alone with the exception of yogurt, low-fat or reduced-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butters, and meat snacks (such as dried beef jerky); or (iv) A grain that is served as the main dish of the School Breakfast Program reimbursable meal.

• Farm to School Program Efforts that connect schools with local or regional producers in order to serve local or regionally produced foods in school cafeterias; improve student nutrition; provide agriculture, health and nutrition education opportunities; and support local and regional farmers.

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans Science-based recommendations issued every 5 years by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services which serve as the cornerstone for all Federal nutrition education and program activities; they provide sound advice for making food and physical activity choices that promote good health and a healthy weight, as well as help prevent disease for Americans ages 2 years and over, including Americans at increased risk of chronic disease.

• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) Nutrient reference values developed by the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; formerly known as the Institute of Medicine or IOM. They are intended to serve as a guide for good nutrition and provide the scientific basis for the development of food guidelines in both the United States and Canada.

• Dietary specifications Specific limits per grade group for calories, saturated fat, sodium, and trans fat averaged over the school week and which apply to breakfast and lunch separately.

• Dietary Specifications Assessment Tool The set of questions used to assess compliance with meal pattern requirements and dietary specifications during the offsite activities and conducted by the State agency as part of the onsite review.

• Diet-related disability (student with) Any child who has a physical or mental impairment as defined in 7 CFR 15(b)(3) of USDA’s nondiscrimination regulations.

• Disability A Major Life Activity or Major Bodily Function as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, which, when restricting the diet, must be accommodated in school meal programs.

• Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition

• Programs (FBG) The authoritative guide developed by USDA to help child nutrition professionals determine purchase amounts of foods for crediting meal components in food-based menu planning. The FBGand related resources are available at (https://www.fns.usda.]]

• Food insecurity A condition that exists when there is limited access to food due to a lack of money and/or other resources.

• Food intolerance A medical condition that occurs when the body’s digestive tract reacts abnormally to a meal component; does not involve the immune system.

• Food item A specific food offered within the five meal components: fluid milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat/meat alternates. For example, a hamburger patty on a bun is one food item with two of the five meal components (meat/meat alternates and grains).

• Food Production Record Documentation of what foods were prepared and served. This documentation is necessary to support the claim for reimbursable meals and to identify information needed for the nutrient analysis.

• Food supply chain A group of stakeholders who have specific responsibilities involved in the procurement process. Each stakeholder operates as an independent business and each has specific sustainability goals. The school nutrition food chain includes the school food authority staff, the distributor, the manufacturer, and the USDA.

• Fat-free milk Fluid milk with milkfat removed, also called nonfat or skim milk. Unflavored and flavored fat-free milk are two of the allowable choices of fluid milk in school meals.

• Federal poverty line A simplified version of the Federal poverty thresholds used for administrative purposes – for example, determining financial eligibility for certain Federal programs. They are issued each year in the Federal Register by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

• First in, first out (FIFO) An inventory accounting method by which the first items placed in inventory (i.e., foods and other meal service goods) are the first items used in meal preparation and production.

• Fixed Price Contract A cost reimbursable contract where a fixed amount of money is agreed upon at its inception. The fixed fee includes the vendor’s direct and indirect administrative costs and profit allocable (being allocated) to the contract.

• Fluid milk component The meal component in Nutrition Standards for School Meals that includes unflavored or flavored fat-free and 1% (low-fat) milk.

• Food allergy A medical condition where the body exhibits a specific and reproducible immune response to certain foods.

• Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) The agency under the United States Department of Agriculture responsible for administering the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, Special Milk, and other nutrition and food assistance programs.

• Geographical Preferences A product specification that places preference on foods produced locally or within a specific geographical area.

• Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) A specific code used to trace a product from farm to table; used when a food recall is active. GTIN can also be used for inventory management.

• Gluten intolerance A physiological intolerance of foods containing the protein gluten found in barley, wheat, and rye.

• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good

• Handling Practices (GHP) A collection of principles that apply to on-farm production and post-production processes. The Food and Drug Administration published guidance in 1998 to outline eight basic principles of microbial food safety within the realm of growing, harvesting, packing, and transporting fresh produce. Using these principles, farmers can develop proactive, preventive controls to reduce the opportunity for microbiological, chemical, and physical hazards that affect the safety of the produce.

• Grab-and-go kiosk A method of meal service that allows students to quickly select a meal from a preassembled option, often packaged in a bag.

• Grade group (age/grade group) USDA-established groupings used for menu planning that reflect the grade structure of the majority of schools: K-5 (ages 5-10), 6-8 (ages 11-13), and 9-12 (ages 14-18).

• Grains component The meal component in Nutrition Standards for School Meals that is comprised of cereal grains and products made from their flours. All foods credited towards grains in school meals must be whole grain-rich (See the Interim Final Rule Child Nutrition Programs: Flexibilities for Milk, Whole Grains, and Sodium Requirements (82 FR 56703), which provides State agencies discretion to grant whole grain-rich exemptions through school year 2018-2019. For additional guidance, please contact your State agency).

• Food-Based Menu Planning (FBMP) The method for meal planning for National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program which includes required quantities from specific meal components daily and weekly in meal patterns. These components are: fluid milk, fruits, vegetables (including subgroups), grains (whole grain-rich), and meat/meat alternates. Minimum portion sizes are established by ages and grade groups.

• Foodborne illness Any illness that results from eating contaminated food.

• Food-safe schools A school-wide approach to food safety, that, with the help of partners in the school community, creates a culture of food safety. Food-safe schools have two main ingredients – first, they are built on comprehensive procedures, policies, and plans that address the science of food safety. Second, they address people’s behavior to encourage the use of food safety procedures, policies, and plans.

• Forecasting The process of analyzing current and historical data to determine future trends. In the case of school nutrition programs, forecasting involves predicting and estimating the goods, works, and services needed in specified areas for the coming year, and/or assessing needs by reviewing current procurement activities. Forecasting allows for procurement plans to evolve each fiscal year.

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) A program under the National School Lunch Act that provides funding to States to make free fresh fruits and vegetables available in eligible elementary schools.

• Fruits component The meal component in Nutrition Standards for School Meals that is comprised of fruits (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and pasteurized full-strength juice).Up to half of fruit offerings may be in the form of full-strength juice.

• Just In Time (JIT) A system of receiving goods as close as possible to when they are actually needed. For schools, this is often several times weekly for milk, fruit, and vegetables, and weekly for other foods and supplies depending on storage capacity and terms of procurement contracts.

• Lactose intolerance A physiological intolerance of foods containing the sugar lactose found in milk and milk products.

• Licensed Physician According to State law, the person authorized to provide a medical statement that identifies a student with a disability that restricts the diet. Or, at the State agency’s (SA) discretion, a disability may be documented by a State-licensed health care professional who is authorized to write medical prescriptions under State law.

• Local Educational Agency (LEA) A public board of education or other public or private nonprofit authority legally constituted within a State having administrative control of schools.

• Low-fat milk Fluid milk with 1% milk-fat content. Unflavored or flavored 1% (low-fat) milk are two of the allowable choices of fluid milk in school meals.

• Hazard Analysis A review of a food service operation to identify areas where food safety problems may occur. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) A systematic approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety risks.

• Institute of Medicine or IOM An independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public. This division is part of the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (the Academies).

• Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) The only federally funded national center dedicated to applied research, education and training, and technical assistance for child nutrition programs. It is located at the University of Mississippi and was formerly known as the National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI).

• Invitation for Bid (IFB) A type of solicitation document used in sealed competitive bidding in which the primary consideration is cost; the expectation is that competitive bids will be received and an acceptance (award) will be made to the responsive and responsible vendor/bidder whose bid is the lowest price. An IFB is a formal method of procurement that uses sealed bidding and results in a fixed price contract with or without adjustment factors. The IFB must be publicly advertised; and bids shall be solicited from an adequate number of known suppliers, providing them with sufficient time to respond prior to the date set for opening bids. Also, the IFB should describe the minimum standards expected of a responsible vendor/bidder in measurable terms.

• Meat alternates A subset of the Meats/Meat alternates (M/MA) component that includes foods such as beans and peas, eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts, and seeds, which provide protein and other nutrients similar to meat products.

• Meats/meat alternates (M/MA) component The meal component in Nutrition Standards for School Meals that includes meats (beef, pork, poultry, fish, etc.) and meat alternates, such as eggs, cheese, yogurt, beans and peas (legumes) nuts, and seeds.

• Merchandising The planning and promotion of sales by presenting a product to the right market at the proper time; by carrying out organized, skillful advertising; by using attractive displays; etc.

• Minimum creditable amount The smallest portion of a food that contributes toward meal component requirements.

• MyPlate A nutrition education tool intended to help consumers make healthier food choices. The graphic represents the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy plate.

• National Nutrition Database for Standard

• Reference A USDA database featuring nutrition information on over 8,000 foods. It is the major source of food composition data in the United States. It provides the foundation for most food composition databases in the public and private sectors.

• National School Lunch Act (NSLA) Legislation that established the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, 7 CFR 210. Formally known as the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, it is a Federal law that governs assistance to States in establishing, maintaining, operating, and expanding child nutrition programs offered through schools.

• Main Dish (Entrée) An item that is served as the main dish and is either: (i) A combination food of meat and/or meat alternates and grains; or (ii) A combination food of vegetables and/or fruit and meat and/or meat alternates; or (iii) A meat or meat alternate alone with the exception of yogurt, low-fat or reduced-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butters, and meat snacks (such as dried beef jerky); or (iv) A grain that is served as the main dish of the School Breakfast Program reimbursable meal.

• Major Bodily Functions A category of disabilities defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that includes, but is not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

• Major Life Activities A category of disabilities defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act that includes but is not limited to functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, cardiovascular, endocrine, and reproductive functions.

• Marketing Mix (5 Ps) The parts of a marketing plan, which is comprised of product (school meals), price, promotion, placement, and people (customers).

• Meal component One of the five food groups which comprise reimbursable meals. The five meal components to be offered to students are: fluid milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat/meat alternates.

Offer Versus Serve (OVS)]] A provision that allows students to decline a specific number of meal components/food items depending on the menu planning approach used.

• Offsite Assessment The Administrative Review activities completed by the State agency with the school food authority’s assistance usually prior to the day of review.

• Onsite Assessment The Administrative Review activities completed by the State agency with the school food authority’s assistance during the review.

• Ounce equivalent (oz eq) A weight-based unit of measure for grains and meat/meat alternate components that takes into account dry versus cooked grains and variations in meats/meat alternates.

• Primary customer Students, who are the intended participants in school meal programs.

• Process Approach to HACCP (Process Approach) A Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) method of grouping menu items into one of three processes depending upon the number of times the food goes through the temperature danger zone (41 °F to 135 °F).

• Procurement A multistep process for obtaining the most responsive goods, products, and/or services at the best possible price. The steps in this process are planning, writing specifications, advertising the procurement, awarding the contract, and managing the contract.

• Product Formulation Statement (PFS) A document that provides specific information about a food product and shows how the food credits toward the Child Nutrition meal pattern citing Child Nutrition Program resources and/or

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) The program authorized under the National School Lunch Act that allows participating schools to operate a nonprofit lunch program in accordance with 7 CFR 210. General and special cash assistance and donated food assistance are made available to schools in accordance with 7 CFR 210.

• Noncreditable foods Portions of meal components too small to count toward crediting or foods that do not fit into one of the meal components, such as jams, gelatins, salad dressings, etc.

• Nondisability medical nutrition need A condition that exists when a person may benefit from a dietary restriction but does not have disability.

• Nonprofit School Nutrition Account The restricted account in which all of the revenue from the school nutrition operations conducted by the school food authority principally for the benefit of school children is retained. This account is used only for the operation or improvement of the nonprofit school nutrition operation. Additionally, any money earned from the school nutrition operation can be used only to operate or improve the program.

• Nutrient dense Foods and beverages that provide vitamins, minerals, and other substances that may have positive health effects with relatively few calories.

• Nutrition Facts label The standard food label providing nutrition information regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

• National School Lunch Programs The school meal regulations published in 2012 (and subsequent guidance).   and all significant evaluation factors. Once the RFP is publicized, it is used to solicit proposals from a number of sources. Negotiations are conducted with more than one of the sources submitting proposals, and either a fixed price or cost reimbursable type of contract is awarded. Competitive proposals may be used if conditions are not appropriate for the use of competitive sealed bids.

• Rounding down The mathematic process to ensure an accurate crediting calculation by always rounding numbers down, i.e., 1.4 oz eq of grains credits as 1.25 oz eq.

• Salad Bars to School An alliance devoted to increasing the number of salad bars in school meal programs comprised of the Chef Ann Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, and Whole Foods Market.

• Saturated fat A type of fat that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends should be limited to less than 10 percent of total daily calories; it is one of the dietary specifications monitored for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program at less than 10 percent of total calories per meal daily (averaged over a week).

• School Breakfast Program (SBP) The program authorized by Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, which provides meals to children in the morning hours served at or close to the beginning of the child’s day at school and which meet the nutritional requirements set out in 7 CFR 220.8.

• School Food Authority (SFA) The governing body that is responsible for the administration of one or more schools, and has the legal authority to operate the program therein or be otherwise approved by Food and Nutrition Service to operate the program.

• School meal patterns Required daily minimum serving amounts of the meal components that constitute the lunch and breakfast meals in school nutrition programs. regulations.

• Production Record Documentation of what foods were prepared and served. This documentation is necessary to support the claim for reimbursable meals and to identify information needed for the nutrient analysis.

• Public Release Notification of Program

• Availability Public notification (media release) of the availability of the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs, etc., required at the beginning of each school year by the school food authority.

• Purchasing cooperative A group of School Food Authorities joined together to collectively purchase products and services in an effort to reduce costs and increase quality for all participants.

• Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW) Tool developed by USDA Food and Nutrition Service to help school nutrition professionals calculate component contributions of each meal component in a recipe.

• Recognizable food item A food that is visible in the breakfast or lunch offered, and allows students to identify the food groups and amounts recommended for consumption at mealtime. Foods must be recognizable to be creditable in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

• Reimbursable meal A meal served within one of the Federal nutrition or food assistance programs that meets the USDA meal pattern requirements, served to an eligible student, and priced as an entire meal rather than based on individual food items. Such a meal qualifies for reimbursement with Federal funds.

• Request for Proposal (RFP) A type of solicitation document used for the formal procurement method of competitive proposals. The RFP identifies the goods and services needed A style of meal service that provides the daily minimum required serving amount of each required meal component in the meal pattern to each student and does not allow the student to decline a food or accept a smaller portion.

• Smallest creditable amount The smallest portion of a food that contributes toward component requirements in the meal pattern.

• Smart Snacks in School (Smart Snacks) Nutrition standards that apply to all foods sold to students at school outside of the federally reimbursable meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

• Sodium A dietary mineral required for good health; however, high intakes of sodium are associated with increased risk of high blood pressure. Sodium is a one of the dietary specifications monitored in school meals.

• Solid fats Fats that are solid at room temperature (for example, butter, lard, margarine, shortening). These fats tend to be high in saturated fats or may contain commercially created trans fats.

• Solicitation A document used by the school food authority to acquire goods, products, and/or services. Solicitations must incorporate a clear and accurate description of the technical requirements for the material, product, and/or service to be procured. Solicitations must also identify all of the requirements the respondents must fulfill and all other factors to be used in evaluating the solicitations.

• Solicitation specification A concise statement of a set of requirements to be satisfied by a product, material, and/or process.

• Meals Report) The 2009 Health and Medicine Division report requested by the USDA to guide development of the Nutrition Standards of the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.

• School Nutrition Director (SND) Most typically, the one individual directly responsible for the management of the day-to- day operations of school nutrition service for all participating schools under the jurisdiction of the school food authority.

• School week The period of time used to determine compliance with the meal requirements.

• Seamless Summer Option (SSO) Offers school food authorities (SFAs) operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) a streamlined option for providing summer meals by continuing to follow several of the same operational requirements, such as the NSLP/SBP meal patterns and procedures for filing claims and determining student eligibility. SSO allows SFAs to provide free summer meals in low income areas during the traditional summer vacation periods and, for year-round schools, during school vacation periods longer than 10 school days.

• Seasonality charts Lists of fruits and vegetables by growing and harvest season when produce is at peak freshness and flavor, and usually most affordable.

• Secondary customers Stakeholders who are not the primary customer (students) of school nutrition programs.

• Self-service food bar Any location in the food service operation where students serve themselves.

• State agency (SA) The State educational agency or any other agency of the State that has been designated by the Governor or other appropriate executive or legislative authority of the State and approved by the Department to administer the program in schools, as specified in 7 CFR 210.3(b); or the Food and Nutrition Service Regional Office (FNSRO), where the FNSRO administers the program as specified in 7 CFR 210.3(c).

• State Distributing Agency (SDA) The State agency that distributes USDA Foods to school nutrition programs in each State.

• State-Recognized Medical Authority The physician or health or medical authority, such as a nurse practitioner, registered dietitian, or other qualified health professional, recognized by a State agency to identify dietary restrictions.

• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) A federally funded, State-administered program that reimburses providers that serve healthy meals to children and teens in low-income areas at no charge primarily during the summer months when school is not in session.

• Targeted Menu Review A Targeted Menu Review is a process that takes place during the Administrative Review at one school that is determined to be at the highest risk for nutrition-related violations. The State agency must conduct a Targeted Menu Review in accordance with one of the options described in Administrative Review guidance materials (see your State agency for the most current version of the Administrative Review Manual). The program under which participating schools receive cash assistance for each half-pint of milk served in accordance with 7 CFR 215.

• Stakeholders People or organizations with an interest in your program, including students, teachers, administrators, parents, and others in the community who are also interested in the well- being of children.

• Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Written documents that guide practices and procedures for producing safe food. SOPs are part of the required written food safety plan. Key sections of SOPs include instructions, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and recordkeeping.

• Standardized recipe A recipe that has been tried, adapted, and retried several times for use by a school nutrition operation. The recipe has been found to produce the same good results and yield every time when the exact procedures are used with the same type of equipment and the same quantity and quality of ingredients.

• Standards of Identity (SOI) Federal requirements that define what a food product is, its name, and the ingredients that must or may be used in the manufacture of that food. SOIs protect consumers by ensuring labels accurately describe the products contained within the package. An example of a food with a standard of identify is fruit cocktail which is consistent no matter the processor; fruit mix does not have a standard of identity, thus it may vary in proportions and types of fruit included.

• United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) The Federal entity designated by Congress to administer the National School Lunch, School Breakfast, and Special Milk Programs.

• USDA Foods Nutritious foods produced by American agricultural producers and purchased by USDA for distribution in Federal feeding programs including the National School Lunch Program. In recent years, USDA has reformulated products in every food category to lower the levels of sodium, sugar, and fat and to help offer nutrient-dense, kid-friendly meals.

• USDA Department of Defense (DoD)

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program A program operated by the Defense Logistics Agency at the Department of Defense that allows schools to use USDA Foods entitlement dollars to buy fresh produce.

• USDA Foods Product Information Sheets Documents that provide detailed product descriptions, nutrition facts, crediting/yield, and links to culinary tips and recipes and food safety information.

• Vegetable subgroups The five categories of vegetables within the vegetable component required in school lunches across the menu week: dark green, red/ orange, beans and peas (legumes), starchy, and other vegetables.

• Vegetables component The meal component in Nutrition Standards for School Meals that is comprised of vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned, dried, pasteurized full- strength juice) and includes five subgroups (see vegetable subgroups). Up to half of vegetable offerings may be in the form of full-strength juice.

• Weighted average The method used for nutrient analysis that is based on the projected amount of each food item in the menu, thus giving more ‘weight’ in the analysis to

• Team Nutrition (TN) An initiative of the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to support the Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for food service, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity.

• Technical assistance Guidance or advice provided to the school food authority or school by the State agency or Food and Nutrition Service to improve program operations.

• Temperature Danger Zone The temperature range from 41 °F to 135 °F, which promotes growth of bacteria in foods.

• Time AND Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) The redefinition of Potentially Hazardous Foods to mean a food that requires time/temperature control for safety to limit pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation.

• Time as a Public Health Control (TPHC) A requirement for written procedures prepared in advance, maintained in the food establishment, and made available to the regulatory authority if time without temperature control is used as the public health control for a working supply of temperature control for safety before cooking, or for ready-to-eat temperature control for safety that is displayed or held for sale or service with a maximum time of up to 4 hours before discarding food.

• Traceability The ability to follow (trace) a specific food from farm to table; required as part of a food safety program.

• Trans fat A type of dietary fat produced when oils are commercially hydrogenated (for example, some shortenings and margarines). Trans fats are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Trans fat is one of the dietary specifications monitored in school meals. The nutrition label or manufacturer specifications for all foods served in school meals must indicate 0 (<0.5) grams trans fat per serving the food items students select more often.

• Wellness Policy (Local School Wellness Policy) A comprehensive local educational agency policy that establishes goals and guidelines for nutrition education, physical activity, nutrition promotion, and other school-based activities to promote student wellness, prevent and reduce childhood obesity, and provide assurance that school meal nutrition guidelines meet the minimum Federal school meal standards.

• Whole Grain Resource for the National School

• Lunch and School Breakfast Programs A document developed by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to help school programs recognize and serve whole-grain and whole grain- rich products in school meals.

• Whole grain-rich Grain products in which at least 50 percent of the grain in the product is whole grain. Any remaining grains in the product are enriched.

• Whole grains Grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked, or flaked grain seed whose principal anatomical components — the starchy endosperm, germ, and bran — are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain seed. Whole grain- rich products must conform to USDA Food and Nutrition Service guidance to contribute toward the grains component.

Also see

• Food service guidelines

Portals

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