There is an urgent need to extend the federal nutrition waiver program before the end of June to help school lunch programs meet the requirements. Schools are already experiencing shortages of 150 to 200 menu items per order, scrambling to find substitutes, and unheard of price increases. However, Congress must act this week to pass legislation extending the waiver program. To save the day, the following tips will help school lunch programs renew their waivers: SFSP The SFSP nutrition waiver is an extension of the existing program, allowing schools that do not meet Area Eligibility criteria to continue feeding their students. This waiver applies to both SFSP and SSO sites. The waiver extension is effective for school years 2021-2022. It extends the deadline for state agencies to assess local wellness policies and eliminates fiscal action for violations of meal pattern requirements related to COVID-19 supply chain disruptions. The waiver will allow SFSP Sponsors to continue serving meals during excessive heat conditions. While the waiver is intended to increase program participation, it will have minimal impacts on state systems, technology, and regulatory barriers. Sponsoring organizations will be notified once they receive the waiver. More information on the application requirements will be released in coming weeks. However, it is unclear whether this waiver will extend to operators in 2020 and 2021. In the meantime, participating sites may continue serving meals while complying with the existing requirements. In addition to the SFSP nutrition waiver, the Seamless Summer Option allows school food authorities to operate a summer meal program. This program allows SFSP-operated schools to use the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program reimbursement rates. The program is effective for schools in July 2021 and lasts until June 30, 2022. The reimbursement rates for meals served under the Seamless Summer Option program are different from those for the National School Lunch Program. The FNS's website offers detailed information on the reimbursement rates for this program. For organizations that did not operate the SFSP in summer 2020, there is an annual training for sponsors. This training is being closed captioned. The Moodle course will also contain updated training. To attend the training, sponsors must register for the biweekly webinar on May 5 at 11am. Alternatively, sponsors must attend an in-person training or attend a virtual one. Regardless of the location, both training sessions will be recorded and posted on Moodle. SSO In order to participate in the SSO, school nutrition authorities must follow the NSLP meal pattern. This is a mandatory requirement. The program is designed to ensure that all meals served are free for schoolchildren, based on a child's nutritional needs and family income. Meals that fall under the SSO program must meet the SBP dietary standards and must be served in units of ten or more. The approved SFAs will serve meals to low-income students free of charge during the summer vacation or other extended period of time. The USDA recently announced that it will issue a number of nutrition waivers for school meals during the school year 2021-22. The first of these waivers COVID-19, issued to Sponsors for SSO during SY 21-22, will expire on March 11, 2020. The Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Program has released resources that explain the transition to traditional congregate service during the summer. This document should help school nutrition authorities communicate the changes to schoolchildren. In order to qualify for an SSO nutrition waiver, program operators must comply with meal pattern requirements and provide an explanation of why deviations were made. The deviations can be due to COVID-related issues, staff shortages, and issues with vendors and supply chain. MCCPs must also describe how staff identifies meals served to ensure they meet the USDA standards. The SSOnutrition waiver is temporary and only effective if the state agency elects to use it. The SSO/SFSP COVID-19 waiver is targeted for children attending closed schools. Children in closed schools may be eligible for meals provided by childcare centers. The closed schools must be located in low-income areas. To qualify for the SSO nutrition waiver, the childcare center should also be in a low-income area. The SSO/SFSP COVID-19 nutrition waiver is an exception to the traditional eligibility requirements for child nutrition. Whole grains The Whole Grains Nutrition Waiver is an exception to the requirement that schools provide a variety of grain products, including whole grain breads and cereals. Schools can apply for a waiver to sell non-whole grain products, which count as reimbursable meals. The waiver allows SFAs to serve grain products that children enjoy while also meeting the requirement. In order to qualify for the waiver, schools must prove that whole grain-rich foods negatively affect students' health. In a recent study, a majority of weekly lunch menus were 100 percent whole-grain-rich. In rural schools, this percentage was 55 percent, compared with 84 percent in urban schools. However, the opponents argue that the proposed standard would be difficult to monitor and track, and would add additional administrative burden. The State agency is still examining the benefits of granting the waiver, but it remains unclear whether it will be successful. To qualify for the Whole Grains Nutrition Waiver, a food must have at least 50 percent of whole grain. The remaining grains may be enriched to meet the waiver's criteria. The requirements for whole grain-rich foods only apply to adult and child meals. Infant meals are not included. These food products can be used as an ingredient in breads and pastas, but must be labeled as such. They must contain at least one serving of grain a day. In addition, the USDA acknowledges that it may be necessary to introduce a transitional standard until the 2012 standards are fully implemented. It acknowledges that it will be necessary to revisit the meal pattern before implementing the new rules in SY 2024-2025. In light of the comments, the USDA has agreed to adopt a standard between 50 and 100 percent of whole grains, which is a good middle ground until the final rule is implemented. Low-fat flavored milk A recent Interim Final Rule allows schools to serve low-fat flavored milk in reimbursable meals without the need to file an exemption. However, this flexibility does not apply to CACFP or SMP meal patterns, which do not offer flavored milk as part of their meal options. The form for the 2017-18 school year exemption can be found here. The deadline to file an exemption is April 10, 2019. The change to the Standards was part of a larger effort by Congress to end the uncertainty that surrounded milk policy. The School Meal Flexibility Rule, announced in November 2017, made dietary and nutritional changes for the National School Breakfast and Lunch Program, including the option to serve low-fat milk. The rule was challenged in court, and a U.S. District Court vacated the final rule. The School Milk Nutrition Act was passed in 2010 to ensure that children in the US received a balanced diet that is free from artificial additives and preservatives. The Congressional letter cited a Morning Consult survey commissioned by the IDFA, which found that ninety percent of New York City voters support the inclusion of low-fat flavored milk in public school meals. It also found that 85% of parents across the country are in favor of serving low-fat flavored milk. IDFA also wrote a direct letter to Mayor Adams urging him to preserve the policy. The USDA's flexibility on dairy products is temporary. The flexible rule enables schools to offer low-fat flavored milk until 2021, but there is a need for a permanent change. In the meantime, schools should continue to offer low-fat flavored milk to students. This option provides many of the nutrients students need to stay healthy. It is also a great alternative for those with dietary restrictions. When it comes to dairy, the USDA should consider granting the option. Age/grade groups Generally, schools must follow the guidelines for age/grade groups when planning a menu for students. The food offered must be in the same amount and contain the appropriate nutritional components for each grade. These guidelines require that schools serve the same amount of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, in addition to a certain amount of milk and fluid milk. A waiver will allow program operators some flexibility. However, there are a few things that schools should know before applying for one.