Nourishing News

Happy Fourth of July!

FPF reviews different types of kitchen facilities including self-prep, on-site kitchens, central kitchens, and food service management companies/caterers. Community Operations will conduct an on-site review of kitchen facilities to ensure they can produce the expected number of reimbursable meals during the summer months. VPAs are carried out for new organizations not currently participating in a Child Nutrition Program, as well as for established CE's with prior year operational issues, prior to the approval of the application and execution of the Permanent Agreement. For Program Year 2024, CACFP and SFSP Community Operations has received requests for 19 VPAs, 80 VPA site requests, and conducted 52 VPA site visits. We also received 27 FPF requests, conducted 21 FPF site visits, and 385 site visits as part of an Administrative Review. In addition, we received 38 requests for ADP increases and conducted 46 site reviews as part of the ADP increase process.

The USDA has announced that as of April 2024, the Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program is under revision to reflect the Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, please visit the official webpage.

This 5–10 minute survey helps inform the agency of Texas Farm Fresh activity, and provides feedback on your needs and how to support Farm Fresh programming in schools and childcare settings across the state. Click here to complete this important survey. Survey closes July 31, 2024!

The Institute of Child Nutrition Applied Research Division (ICN ARD) is conducting a research study to identify child care centers' challenges in participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The ICN ARD invites you to complete a survey on the CACFP challenges and issues you may experience in child care.

Click Here to complete the survey.

Be nationally recognized for your summer meal program! Visit the official Square Meals website to view updated and new resources to assist with the award application process! Watch our overview video, view our Application Toolkit for application assistance, and explore our Summer Activity Toolkit of curated nutrition activities and resources! Interested in applying or want more information? Click here to let us know!

It’s Time Texas is hosting the Sweet Summer Habits Olympics! Their goal is to inspire and empower children and their families to prioritize their wellbeing throughout the summer. Visit their website to learn about the initiative, download activities and resources for the summer.

Beginning in School Year 2024-2025, TDA will allow School Food Authorities (SFAs) to retain an amount of net cash resources in their food service accounts not to exceed six months’ average expenditures (expanded from a three-month threshold). Net cash resources are defined as all monies that are available to or have accrued to a school food authority's nonprofit school food service account at any given time, less cash payable. Such monies may include, but are not limited to, cash on hand, cash receivable, earnings on investments, cash on deposit and the value of stocks, bonds, or other negotiable securities.

Note that this change is not retroactive, and any SFA that has already submitted a spend-down plan for having an excess of three months’ average expenditures in its account must adhere to its submitted plan. Currently, this expansion only applies to SFAs operating NSLP; the three-month threshold remains in place for Contracting Entities only operating CACFP or SFSP.

SFAs who identify 6 months or greater in net cash resources at the end of their SFA fiscal year are encouraged to submit a spend-down plan for TDA approval prior to the deadline of the Financial Report. In mid-July, TDA will release an updated Excess Net Cash Resources Plan form to reflect the expansion of the excess net cash resource threshold, and a subsequent ARM update will be published at the end of July.