The Child Nutrition Thursday Update is a weekly newsletter covering USDA Foods, training opportunities, program reminders, grant opportunities, and more. Browse the archive below or subscribe through the Child Nutrition community on EnGiNE.
| Date | Topics |
|---|---|
| May 7, 2026 | Reviewing Product-Based Limits for Breakfast Cereals, Flavored Milk, and Yogurt, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Update, Buy American Reporting, UEI Numbers, Join Our Team, NSLP Information Portal, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Are You Renewing SPII, Other Training, Shout Outs! |
| April 30, 2026 | School Lunch Hero Day, UEI Numbers, Summer Food Service Program Requirement, Requirement for Hiring New School Nutrition Directors, Join Our Team, NSLP Information Portal, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Are You Renewing SPII |
| April 16, 2026 | USDA Foods in SFSP, FFVP Application Reminders, Food Allergies Training, NSLP Information Portal, School Lunch Hero Day, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Are You Renewing SPII, 2026 Dairy Refresh School Nutrition Equipment Grant |
| April 9, 2026 | USDA Foods - Last Monthly Order for SY26, USDA Foods in SFSP, FFVP Application Reminders, NSLP Information Portal, School Lunch Hero Day, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Dairy Refresh School Equipment Grant |
| April 2, 2026 | USDA Foods - Last Monthly Order for SY26, USDA Foods in SFSP, NSLP Information Portal, ServSafe Class & Exam, Community Greenhouse Grant, Full Plates' Summer Meal Grant |
| March 26, 2026 | USDA Foods - Last Monthly Order for SY26, Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), Serving Meals to Students Off-site in the NSLP, 2026 Appropriation Act, Welcome Back Adriane!, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, 2025-2026 SFA Survey, NSLP Information Portal, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, SUN Meals Training, ServSafe, Community Greenhouse Grant, GEN Youth Nutrition Equipment Grants, Full Plates' Summer Meals Grant |
| March 19, 2026 | SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, Community Eligibility Provision & Special Provision II, Salad Bars to Schools Grant, SY 2027 FFVP Applications Open, USDA Foods Inventory, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, ServSafe, Culinary Skills for School Meals Training, Shout Outs! |
| March 12, 2026 | SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, Child Nutrition List Serve Now on EnGiNE, SY 2027 FFVP Applications Open, State Match Payment, Culinary Skills for School Meals Training, Net Off Invoice, USDA Foods - Egg Patties, Inventory & Storage, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, ServSafe, Shout Outs! |
| March 5, 2026 | SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, Child Nutrition List Serve Now on EnGiNE, USDA Policy Memo, ME Dairy & Nutrition Council SUN Meals Milk Cooler Grant, State Match Payment, Culinary Skills for School Meals Training, Important Update for At-Risk Sites, Net Off Invoice, USDA Foods, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Foundational Fish Skills Training |
| February 26, 2026 | SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, State Match Payment, Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, CEP Message from MSSA, Culinary Skills for School Meals Training, Important Update for At-Risk Sites, Net Off Invoice, USDA Foods, National School Breakfast Week, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Foundational Fish Skills Training, Shout Outs! |
| February 12, 2026 | USDA Foods Monthly Order, USDA Foods Annual Order, Districts That Have Not Placed Their Annual Order, CEP & Special Provision II, Financial Open Office Hours, Paula's Going Out on Medical Leave, SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Every Kid Healthy Week |
| February 5, 2026 | USDA Foods Monthly Order, USDA Foods Annual Order, CEP & Special Provision II, Serving Meals to Students Off-site, Buy American, Financial Open Office Hours, SUN Meals (SFSP) Training, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Shout Outs! |
| January 29, 2026 | Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), PAL Entitlement, USDA Foods Monthly Order, Black Bean Burgers, USDA Foods & Menu Planning, Culinary Classroom Resources, Financial Open Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, ServSafe, NSLP Information Portal |
| January 22, 2026 | List Serve Has Changed, PAL Entitlement, USDA Foods Annual Order, Black Bean Burgers, FFVP Fund Usage, USDA Memo, Financial Open Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, ServSafe, Shout Outs! |
| January 15, 2026 | List Serve Is Changing, USDA Foods Monthly Order, Annual Order, On-site Monitoring Forms, USDA Updates - Product Formulation Statements, Financial Open Office Hours, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, Turnip the Beet Awards, Regional Local Foods Coordinators, Child Nutrition Staff Changes, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, ServSafe, USDA Foods & NOI Training |
| January 8, 2026 | List Serve Is Changing, School Meals During Ramadan, USDA Foods Monthly Order, Sliced Canned Apples, NOI, Annual Order, Review CNPweb Users, On-site Monitoring Forms, Financial Open Office Hours, Production Records and Cycle Menus Workshop, National School Breakfast Week, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, ServSafe, Shout Outs! |
| December 18, 2025 | Farm to School Cook-off Registration, USDA Foods - Sliced Turkey, DoD/FFAVORS, Claims, District Audit Questions, New Food Service Director/Kitchen Managers, Financial Open Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, ServSafe, CACFP At-Risk Training, Shout Outs!, Happy Holidays! |
| December 11, 2025 | Farm to School Cook-off, Local Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment, USDA Foods, DoD/FFAVORS, Financial Open Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, ServSafe, USDA Foods & NOI Training, Shout Outs! |
| December 4, 2025 | Farm to School Cook-off, Unanticipated School Closure with Remote Learning, Financial Information, Vegetables, USDA Foods, Annual Order Deadline 12/5, Missing Sponsor and Delivery Sheets, Financial Open Office Hours, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, USDA Foods & NOI Training |
| November 20, 2025 | Production Records, Preparing for Your SY27 Annual Order, Financial Open Office Hours, Farm to School Cook-off Registration, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, Shout Outs! |
| November 13, 2025 | USDA Foods, Preparing for SY27 Annual Order, Financial Open Office Hours, Maine Regional Local Foods Project Survey, Farm to School Cook-off Registration, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, Shout Outs! |
| November 6, 2025 | October Survey, USDA Foods, Preparing for SY27 Annual Order, CNPWeb Passwords, Salad Bar/Deli Bar Production Record, Buy American Quick Guide & FAQ, Financial Open Office Hours, Local Foods Survey, Farm to School Cook-off Registration, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, Shout Outs! |
| October 30, 2025 | Maine DOE Priority Notice, Annual Financial Report, USDA Foods, Local Foods Fund Reminders, Financial Open Office Hours, At Risk Afterschool Program, Local Foods Survey, Fall Info Recap, Farm to School Cook-off, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Local Foods Training, ServSafe, ICN Training |
| October 23, 2025 | Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Reminders, Annual Financial Report, Financial Open Office Hours, Local Foods Survey, Farm to School Cook-off Registration, At Risk Afterschool Super Snack, Full Plates Full Potential Grant, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Apple Crunch Day Highlights, Shout Outs! |
| October 16, 2025 | Annual Financial Report, Financial Open Office Hours, Webinars, ServSafe |
| October 9, 2025 | Annual Financial Report, Verification, Serving Meals Off-site, USDA Foods, Financial Open Office Hours, Apple Crunch Day, Maine Farm & Sea to School Month, Webinars, Fall Info Meeting |
| October 2, 2025 | Federal Government Shutdown Update, USDA Foods, DoD/FFAVORS, October Survey, Financial Open Office Hours, Team Nutrition, 2025 Maine Farm to Institution Summit, SUN Bucks, Apple Crunch Day, Maine Farm & Sea to School Month, Webinars, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Fall Info Meeting, Maine Green Schools Symposium, Shout Outs! |
| September 25, 2025 | After School Snack Program Reminders & Updates, CNPWeb Sponsor Information Sheet, USDA Foods, October Survey, Financial Open Office Hours, 2025 Maine Farm to Institution Summit, Apple Crunch Day, Child Nutrition Webinars, ServSafe, Local Foods Training, Fall Info Meeting, Full Plates Full Potential Funding, Maine Green Schools Symposium, Shout Outs! |
| September 18, 2025 | SY2026 Unanticipated School Closure Waiver, USDA Foods - PFG Delivery Schedule, A La Carte/Catering, October Survey, Maine Farm to Institute Summit, Maine Wasted Food Awareness Week, Apple Crunch Day, Webinars, ServSafe, Fall Info Meeting, Basic Sanitation Training, Full Plates Full Potential, Maine Green Schools Symposium, Shout Outs! |
| September 11, 2025 | New Password Guidelines for CNPweb, USDA Foods, Public Release, SY2026 Unanticipated School Closure, State Local Foods Fund Changes, Maine Harvest Lunch Week, Apple Crunch Day, Child Nutrition Training, Webinars, Verification Training, ServSafe, Fall Info Meeting, Basic Sanitation Training, Adopt A Cow, ICN Training, Full Plates Full Potential, Shout Outs! |
| September 4, 2025 | 2026 Claims, CNPweb Password Guidelines, MEFS Funding Codes, USDA Foods - September Monthly Order, Annual Public Notice Requirement, Product-based Added Sugar Limits, Buy American Changes for SY 2026, FFVP Reminders, NEW FFVP Promo Materials, Breakfast After the Bell Requirement, School Kitchen Supplies Mini-Grant, Farm & Sea to School Events, State Local Foods Fund Updates, Webinars, In-Person Training, Fall Info Meeting, Adopt a Cow Program, Shout Outs! |
| August 28, 2025 | Annual Financial Report & Office Hours, CNPweb Password Guidelines, Filling Out the CNPweb User Access Form, USDA Foods - September Monthly Order, Annual Public Notice Requirement, Buy American Changes for SY 2026, MEFS Funding Codes, FFVP Reminders, NEW FFVP Promo Materials, Farm & Sea to School Events, Webinars, In-Person Training, Shout Outs! |
| August 21, 2025 | Superintendent Letter - NSLP Participation, Annual Financial Report & Office Hours, Changes to State Local Foods Fund, USDA Foods, Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, MEFS Codes, Webinars, In-Person Training, ServSafe, Fall Info Meeting, Basic Sanitation Training |
| August 14, 2025 | SY2026 Annual Application Deadline, NOI, FFVP Promotional Material, Annual Financial Report, Changes to State Local Foods Fund, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, Webinars |
| August 6, 2025 | Annual Financial Report & Office Hours, State Local Foods Fund Changes, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, Hiring - Regional Local Foods Coordinators, Apple Crunch Day Registration, Webinars |
| July 31, 2025 | SY2026 Annual Application, SY2025 Annual Financial Report & Office Hours, Changes to State Local Foods Fund, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, USDA Rate Changes, Hiring - Regional Local Foods Coordinators, Maine Apple Crunch Day, MSNA Conference, Webinars |
| July 24, 2025 | SY2026 Annual Application, SY2025 Annual Financial Report & Office Hours, Net Off Invoice (NOI), Changes to State Local Foods Fund, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, Save the Date: Maine Apple Crunch Day |
| July 17, 2025 | SY2026 Annual Application, USDA Memo, Changes to State Local Foods Fund, Farm & Sea to School Office Hours, Save the Date: Maine Apple Crunch Day, Shout Outs! |
| July 10, 2025 | SY2026 Annual Application, FFVP Error in CNPweb, Changes to State Local Foods Fund, SY2025 Annual Financial Report, USDA Memo, The Center for Science in the Public Interest Survey |