School Meal Programs Training

USDA Meal Programs are designed to promote the health and well-being of children by providing nutritious meals to children. OSPI Child Nutrition works to compile trainings that helps sponsors of the program serve meals according to USDA requirements, keep them up-to-date on current requirements, and expand general knowledge of the programs they serve.

We are hosting our trainings using the Canvas platform, check out our School Meal Programs Training courses today!

School Meal Programs Annual Training

SY 2026–27 School Meal Programs Annual Training

OSPI will host annual training in a virtual format with back to back sessions on August 5, 6 & 13, 2026. August 5, the Institute of Child Nutrition will hold a half-day Cafeteria as a Classroom training. August 6 will begin with OSPI updates followed by four different 75-minute sessions on crediting, recipe development, production records, and W-ACES, the new Food Distribution Management System. August 13 will begin with OSPI updates followed by four different 75-minute sessions on procurement, common administrative review findings, resource management, and Child Nutrition Program hot topics. 

Sessions will not be recorded and are only available virtually at Annual Training. Recorded trainings on program requirements, such as meal pattern, processing applications, and verification, are available on the School Meal Programs Training Canvas course.

Best Practice: Review the Annual Training Registration form to view session descriptions and times. 

Registration Information

• Each participant must register for the event separately using the form linked above.
• Registrants will receive a reminder email with their selected sessions 1-week and 1-day before the event.

Accessing Virtual Training

1. Go to the School Meal Programs Training Canvas course and follow the account creation instructions.
2. After creating an account, you will be directed into the School Meal Programs Training course.
3. Watch the Recorded Session(s) and utilize the Slide Printouts as needed by selecting the links.
4. Document your Professional Standards Credits. Please keep record of your participation by using your training log or by printing the professional standards slide from the slide printout.

Basics of Operating the School Meal Programs

The Basics of Operating the School Meal Programs Canvas course is an introduction to fundamental topics in school meal programs, from meal pattern and crediting to processing applications, and more!

The course is intended for food service directors or managers who recently started working with the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Participants can work through topics at their own pace. Estimated time for the full course is 7-10 hours; most modules are between 30 and 60 minutes long.

There are two tracks for the course:

• Performance Standard 1: Applications, Direct Certification, Verification, and Meal Counting & Claiming
• Performance Standard 2: Meal Components & Quantities, Crediting, Production Records, Special Dietary Needs, Service Styles, and Food Safety

You must complete all modules in a Performance Standard to obtain the Certificate of Completion for that group of topics.

Enroll in the course using this link. If you have a Canvas account, you'll be asked to log in before enrolling. If you don't have an account, the link will ask you to create one and then enroll in the course. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the Canvas login page.

At-Risk Afterschool Meals Annual Training for Districts

School District Sponsors

Review the steps below to complete At-Risk Training for District Sponsors. Please keep record of your participation by using your training log or by printing the professional standards slide from the slide printout.

How to Access the Training

All CACFP sponsors must certify completion of all training requirements when submitting their FY 2026–27 (FY27) sponsor application in WINS. Use the FY27 CACFP Annual Training Checklist to help you ensure to meet your training requirements.

Training requirements include:

1. Watch Required Trainings

Required annual training is available virtually in the FY24 Required Training for LEA CACFP Sponsors module in Canvas. You will need to create a free account to access these trainings. To complete training requirements, you must enroll in the course and complete all applicable training requirements.

Use the FY25 CACFP Annual Training Checklist to help you ensure to meet your training requirements.

2. Complete Requirements and Obtain Your Certificates

1. Certify completion at the end of the Canvas Module after you have viewed the recorded trainings per your sponsor type.
2. Once you certify completion of the training, a training certificate will be available to print.
   • You may download and print your certificate. Retain this documentation for your records.
   • The person completing the FY24 CACFP sponsor application will certify sponsor staff will complete all required annual training in the Washington Integrated Nutrition System (WINS) Sponsor Application.
   • We will not ask for a copy of your certificate during renewal but may ask for it during administrative reviews.

Community Organization At-Risk Sponsors

Community Organization At-Risk Sponsors must attend the Child Care Centers, Family Day Care Home Sponsors, and At-Risk Sponsors Annual Training. Please visit the CACFP Training Webpage for more details.

Administrative Review Prep Training

Training on Preparing for your Administrative and Procurement Review is available on the School Meal Programs Canvas.

Staff Training - Use these trainings to train your staff

• Meal Pattern Training: Part 3
• Breakfast Meal Pattern Training
• New Meal Pattern Overview
• Whole Grains PPT | Whole Grains Handouts
• Vegetable Sub Groups PPT | Vegetable Sub Groups Handouts | Vegetable Sub Groups Worksheet
• OVS at Breakfast Training Video
• OVS at Lunch Training Video
• Civil Rights Training

Civil Rights training must be completed annually by all staff who help administer a Child Nutrition Program. Program directors and administrators must train staff on organizational practices and requirements. This training is geared toward Child Nutrition Program sponsors and administrators or directors of organizations. While this training goes over what is required for Civil Rights training, it does not go specifically into organizational practices.

To view this training:

• Go to the School Meal Programs Training Canvas course and follow the account creation instructions.
• Select the "Civil Rights" training module.
• Watch the Recorded Session and utilize the Slide Printouts as needed by selecting the links.
• Watch the recording and document your Professional Standards Credits.

Outside Organizations

The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN)

• Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) E-Learning Portal – free self-paced online courses for all staff members
  • Basic Culinary Math
  • Focus on the Customer
  • Food Safety in Schools
  • Food Allergies in School Nutrition Programs
  • Introduction to HACCP for School Nutrition Programs
  • Meal Patterns Weights and Measures
  • Nutrition 101
  • A 6-part course on preparing healthy meals.

• Request a Face-to-Face Group Training - ICN offers free group training on a broad range of topics for child nutrition professionals working in school nutrition and child care settings. Training may be requested free-of-charge for presentation at local sites throughout the country.

• Request a Virtual Group Training - ICN offers free virtual group training and may be requested free-of-charge.

• Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) S.T.A.R. Webinars - focuses on creative strategies and best practices for school nutrition hot topics. A few topics include:
  • Offering Virtual Training
  • Managing Personalities and Conflict
  • Food Safety
  • Customer Service

• ICN and USDA - Produce Safety Webinars
  • How to Use AMS Market News Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Information in School Meal Programs
  • Writing Produce Specifications
  • Good Agricultural and Good Manufacturing/Handling Practices for Fresh and Fresh Cut Produce
  • The Produce Lab Quality, Condition, & Safe Handling and Preparation

USDA Training

• USDA Professional Standard Requirements- requires a minimum amount of annual training hours for all state directors of school nutrition programs, state director of distributing agencies, school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff.

• USDA’s Professional Standards Training Base – Users can search for training on various topics and be directed to USDA-approved training.
  • Offer vs Serve – Breakfast Webinar (University of California)
  • Offer vs Serve – Lunch Webinar (University of California)
  • School Nutrition Toolbox: Offer Versus Serve Online Training (Project PA)
  • Meal Claiming Requirements Webinar (University of California)

USDA Team Nutrition Resources

• Team Nutrition Website- focuses on training for school food service, nutrition education for children and families, and resources to support a healthier school environment.

• Team Nutrition's Be in the Know Webinar Series- focuses on food crediting implementation released in 2019. Includes:
  • Moving Forward: Update on Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs with Guidance for Dried Meat Products
  • Additional Meat/Meat Alternates Options for CNPs: Crediting Tempeh and Surimi
  • Crediting Coconut and Vegetable Noodles in CNPs
  • Crediting Popcorn, Hominy Corn Masa, and Masa Harina in Child Nutrition Programs
  • CN Labeling Program: Update for Industry

• Food Buying Guide- Helps schools plan for purchasing, preparing, and serving nourishing meals by providing data for the different food groups.

Administrative Staff Training

Program Training for Administrative Staff

• Direct Certification - Medicaid
• Serving Preschool Meals in School District Settings
• Smart Snacks

Community Eligibility Provision

• Applying for CEP Using WINS
• Introduction to Community Eligibility Provision Presentation Slides
• Preparing CEP Data (2017) Presentation Slides

Verification

The Verification Summary Report (VSR) will be completed in the Washington Integration Nutrition System (WINS). To discover more about this process, we recommend the following:

• Review the VSR Update Training
• If you are new to verification, review these two trainings -
  • Verification Training
  • Completing the Verification Summary Report in WINS

Additional Training

Additional recorded trainings can be found on the School Meal Programs Canvas course. Training topics include:

• Administrative and Procurement Reviews
• Breakfast After the Bell (BAB)
• Claims and Financial Management
• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
• Food Distribution Program topics
• Meal Applications and Verification
• October Building Data
• Procurement and Purchasing
• Serving Preschool Meals

Power Up Your Program

Power Up Your Program with Team Nutrition - The USDA's Team Nutrition initiative supports training and nutrition education to enhance child nutrition programs.

• 2025–26 Recruitment Flyer - Join Power Up Your Program for action-focused training and collaboration with Child Nutrition Program peers from across Washington. Choose one of four learning pathways: Nutrition Education, Program Promotion & Marketing, Culturally Inclusive Meals, or Local Wellness Policies.
• SY 2024–25 Power Up Your Program Celebration Video - This 7-minute video highlights some ways the Power Up Your Program participants created nutrition education experiences and enhanced student and family engagement in their programs.

Power Up Your Program Success Stories

We're excited to feature Power Up Your Program Success Stories from school districts across the state. Each success story highlights the incredible work of school food service programs to enhance nutrition education and cultural connections for their students and families. 

• Power Up Your Success Story-Ellensburg
• Griffin
• Highline - Nutrition Education
• Highline
• Issaquah
• Okanogan
• Selah
• Vancouver
• West Valley - Yakima

USDA Foods Show

2026 USDA Foods Show

OSPI is hosting a USDA Foods Show for Washington state 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 a vendor floor where you can sample foods available to order. 

Registration Information 

Register to attend the USDA Foods Show. There are two opportunities to attend; January 26 in University Place and January 30 in Spokane. Review the agenda and session descriptions.