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School Meals

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National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

Federally funded programs that provide meal reimbursement to public and nonpublic schools and Residential Child Care Institutions. These Programs provide nutritionally balanced, low-cost or no-cost lunches and breakfasts to children each school day. The funds provided for these Programs are from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and are administered in Iowa through the Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services in the Department of Education.

National School Lunch Program
School Breakfast Program

Iowa School Nutrition Fact Sheet - Provides an overview of School Nutrition Programs in Iowa including the benefits, how to build a reimbursable lunch, participation data, and reimbursement information.

Assigned Consultants - Consultant assignments for Child Nutrition Programs in schools:

Student Meal Debt - In 2018, the Iowa Legislature passed and the Governor signed into legislation HF2467 addressing student meal debt. The following documents provide guidance and answers pertaining to the legislation:

Seamless Summer Option

USDA has issued a nationwide waiver that allows School Food Authorities (SFAs) the option of operating the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/School Breakfast Program (SBP) or the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) when school is open during the regular school year, effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.

School Nutrition COVID-19 Back to School Food Safety Resource

The Iowa Department of Education Bureau of Nutrition & Health Services and the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals collaborated on development of this resource to assist school nutrition programs.

USDA Waiver Requests - Public Notification

The Iowa Department of Education Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services is seeking the following waivers from the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service.

Submitted USDA Waiver Requests