Menu Planning and Meal Patterns Toolkit

Local education agencies are free to use the following resources.

Team Nutrition

Dietary Specifications

• Sodium Reference Sheet

Food Allergy

• Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in School Nutrition Programs
• Food Allergy Action Plan (Food Allergy Research & Education)
• CDC Tool Kit for Managing Food Allergies in Schools

Food Safety

• Food Safety Notifications from the Food and Drug Administration
• WA Department of Health Food Recalls and Safety Alerts
• USDA Food Safety Resources
• The Center of Excellence for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs
• Produce Safety (NFSMI)
• Food Safety Rules and Regulations (WA State)

Food Waste

• School Food Donation Guidelines
• Guide to Conducting Student Food Waste Audits: A Resource for Schools
• Washington School Food Share Program Toolkit
• Plate Waste Infographic

Identification of Reimbursable Meals

• ID Reimbursable Meal – Ideas and Resources
• ID Reimbursable Meal – Sign - List
• ID Reimbursable Meal – Sign - Tray Image

Meal Pattern

• Meal Pattern Chart Lunch and Breakfast | Spanish
• Meal Pattern Chart 3 day week
• Meal Pattern Chart 4 day week
• Meal Pattern Chart 7 day week
• Preschool Meal Pattern
• Meal Patterns Reference Sheet
• Meal Pattern Flexibilities Reference Sheet
• USDA Meal Program Comparison Chart

Meal Pattern Contribution and Standardizing Recipes

• Standardizing Recipe Components
• Figuring Meal Pattern Contribution
• Calculating Grains Contribution from a Recipe
• Exhibit A with Ranges
• USDA's Food Buying Guide
• Recipe Development Canvas Course

Menu Planners

• USDA's Menu Planner for School Meals
• Menu Builder Tool
• Breakfast Menu Planner All grade group 7-Day Week
• Breakfast Menu Planner All grade groups
• Lunch Menu Planner All grade groups 7-Day Week
• Lunch Menu Planner All grade groups
• Lunch Menu Planner K-5
• Lunch Menu Planner 6-8
• Lunch Menu Planner 9-12
• Fruit and Vegetable Bar Planner
• 7 day week (legal size paper)
• USDA Menu Worksheet (certification worksheets)
• Tools for Schools
• Menu Graphics
• Editable Shortage Notice Letter Template | Chinese | Marshallese | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Vietnamese
  • Families must be communicated to in a language they understand. OSPI CNS Provides translated documents for families in the top 6 languages encountered in student homes in the state. Ensure to translate vital documents into the top languages encountered in your service area.
  • We recommend LEAs to send an Important Information Notice with the English materials while translating documents into the top languages encountered in their service area. Review the LEP-Important Information to Translate Notice Reference Sheet for more details.

Offer vs Serve

• USDA Offer vs. Serve Manual
• Lunch OVS Quick Reference
• Offer vs Serve Reference Sheet
• USDA's Offer vs Serve Tip Sheets and Posters

Product Documentation

• CN Label Verification Report
• Food Buying Guide Reference Sheet
• Interactive Food Buying Guide
• Tips for Processed Products Documentation
• USDA Guidance for Accepting Processed Products Documentation
• Product Documentation Reference Sheet
• Product Formulation Statements Guidance
• Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Meat/Meat Alternates
• Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Vegetables with Subgroups / Fruits
• Product Formulation Statement for Documenting Grains - Ounce Equivalents

Production Records

• Lunch Production record (1)
• Lunch Production record (2)
• Lunch Production Record (2) with Temps
• Breakfast Production Record
• Breakfast Production Record (1)
• Breakfast Production Record with Temps
• Condiment Study
• Fruit and Vegetable Bar Production Record
• Production Record Reference Sheet

Recipes and Menus

• Healthier Kansas Menus
• Healthy School Meals - Project Bread Massachusetts
• Ohio Menus that Move
• USDA Recipe Box
• Washington State FY21 Team Nutrition Training Grant Recipes
• White Chicken Chili

Vegetable Sub Group

• Vegetable Subgroup Posters
• Vegetable Subgroup handout (color version)
• Meal Pattern Promotion and Talking Points

Whole Grains

• Whole Grains Reference
• Whole Grain-Rich Exemption Request
• USDA's Whole Grains Resource

Wellness Policy

• USDA School Nutrition Environment and Wellness Resource
• Action for Healthy Kids Wellness Policy Toolkit
• CDC Healthy Schools
• WellSAT.org - A tool to help you score and improve your local School Wellness Policy.
• Alliance for a Healthier Generation Refresh Your Policy