On March 7, USDA Foods released a statement saying that under the extended meal flexibility, program operators will still be able to use USDA’s bone in chicken. Please note that the statement stresses that operators must still abide by the weekly calorie restrictions.  States can order the following USDA items with initial orders due May 1, 2013: chicken cut-up frozen 8 piece (#100098); chicken, small bulk (#100100); and chicken oven roasted, frozen (#110080). The full memo can be located here.

Today, USDA released Q&A guidance on the implementation of the new School Breakfast requirements for the School Year 2013-2014. The guidance provides an overview of the new standards and definitions for such terms as “food component” and “food item.”  Included in the document, which can be found by clicking here, are answers to questions such as serving whole-grain grits, information on how to credit meat and meat alternatives, combination food items such as a breakfast sandwich, and fruit serving sizes.  Furthermore, USDA provides detailed information on “offer vs. serve” including how it pertains to breakfast in the classroom.