What is a Reimbursable Meal?
A reimbursable meal is a single priced meal unit that offers all of the USDA daily required meal pattern components for each age/grade group served in the minimum required amounts. Quantities vary by age/grade group, but components remain constant and necessary for all student meals claimed for reimbursement. (See ‘meal pattern’ in the index for more information on age/grade groups and vegetable sub-groups.)
Lunch meal pattern consists of five food components:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Grains
- Meats/Meat Alternates (m/ma)
- Fluid Milk (1% or fat-free white or fat-free flavored)
Under offer versus serve in the National School Lunch Program, student must take at 3 components in the required serving sizes. One selection must be 1⁄2 cup from either the fruit or vegetable component.
Breakfast meal pattern consists of three food components:
- Fruit/Vegetable
- Grains - (Meat/Meat Alternates may be substituted when minimum daily grain requirement is met)
- Fluid Milk (1% or fat-free white or fat-free flavored)
Under offer versus serve in the School breakfast Program, student must select 3 food items in the required serving sizes.
RESOURCES
- https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-04116
- 7 CFR § 210.10 Meal requirements for lunches and requirements for after-school snacks, and 7 CFR § 220.8 Nutrition standards and menu planning approaches for breakfasts.