Frequently Asked questions

Question: Can we offer the FFVP snack every day?

Answer: USDA requires schools to offer the FFVP at a minimum of two times a week. However, each grantee implements the program based on a budget that fits their enrollment and award per school site, and may find it possible to offer the snack more frequently.

Question: Are menu production records required?

Answer: No. However, schools must maintain supporting documentation for all the expenses charged to the grant and claimed for reimbursement.

Question: If we have leftovers from the FFVP and we added the leftovers to the salad bar, would we be able to count the salad as a meal component because we added it to the salad bar?

Answer: No. Leftovers that cannot be easily used in the FFVP can be added to the meal program line as “extra food” only to avoid waste. According to the 2014–15 USDA Offer vs. Serve Manual, “extra food” cannot be used to fulfill a meal component and must be accounted for in the weekly dietary specifications (calories, saturated fat, and sodium) to ensure compliance with the USDA New Meal Pattern.

Question: Can we purchase and serve precut and packaged fresh fruits and vegetables from a vendor?

Answer: Yes. Schools are encouraged to partner with local farmers as well as provide a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Question: Can processed fruit or vegetables be served once per week?

Answer: No. Processed fruit and vegetables are not allowed. A fresh vegetable can be cooked and served once a week as part of the FFVP if it is paired with a nutrition lesson.

Question: Do teachers need to teach a nutrition lesson daily or weekly if we offer it five days a week?

Answer: No. ­Nutrition education only needs to occur one time per week even if you offer the snack five days per week. However, we encourage sharing nutrition information with each snack offering.

Question: Can schools bid FFVP, NSLP, and SBP produce purchases together?

Answer: Yes. However, schools must be able to document which items are purchased for the FFVP because the funding for FFVP is separate from the meal programs.