Guidance on Donation of Leftover Food in CNPs

This management bulletin provides guidance from the USDA FNS regarding the donation of leftover food in Child Nutrition Programs (CNP), which includes the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Overview

On November 18, 2011, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-55) amended the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) by adding paragraph (1), the Food Donation Program, at the end of Section 9. This amendment provides statutory authority for CNP schools and agencies to have food recovery and food donation policies.

The USDA has a longstanding food donation policy in all CNPs and the current amendment to the NSLA clarifies this policy through statute. The amendment does not require changes in the current food donation policies followed by California’s CNPs.

The statute clarifies that any food prepared for CNPs that are not consumed may be donated to eligible local food banks or charitable organizations. The amendment defines the terms eligible local food banks or charitable organizations to mean any food bank or charitable organization that is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (Title 26, United States Code, Section 501[c][3]). It also extends protections against civil and criminal liability for persons or organizations when making food donations to the extent provided under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act found in the Child Nutrition Act, Section 22.

The USDA reminds CNP operators, while federal policy may be more permissive than state and local requirements, all food donations must comply with state and local requirements. Guidance for state donation requirements have been revised to include updated information from Senate Bill 557 signed into law and effective January 1, 2018. Child nutrition staff should consult with their local health departments for local guidance on donating leftover food and establishing share tables.

Food and Nutrition Service Food Donation Policy

This updated CNP policy aims to limit food waste and unnecessary costs. If a CNP operator has leftover food on a frequent basis, menu planning and production practices should be adjusted to reduce leftovers.

The USDA recognizes that due to unforeseen circumstances, CNP operators will occasionally have leftover food. CNP operators should exhaust all alternatives permitted by program regulations and state and local health and sanitation codes before they discard food. Options include using leftovers in subsequent meal services, offering share tables (see below for restrictions), or transferring food to other sites. When it is not feasible to reuse leftovers, CNP staff may donate excess food to a nonprofit organization, such as a community food bank, homeless shelter, or other nonprofit charitable organization.

Important Food Donation Reminders

1. A local educational agency (LEA) may do both of the following to minimize waste and to reduce food insecurity:
   
   
   • Provide sharing tables where food service staff, pupils, and faculty may return appropriate food items consistent with California Retail Food Code (CalCode), Section 114079, and make those food items available to pupils during the course of a regular school meal time. Please refer to management bulletin CNP-03-2018.
     
     
   • Allow the food placed on the sharing tables that is not taken by a pupil during the course of a regular school meal time in accordance with CalCode, Section 114079, subparagraph (A), to be donated to a food bank or any other nonprofit charitable organization.
     
     
2. Donations of food or food made available to students during the course of a regular school meal time may include prepackaged, nonpotentially hazardous food with the packaging still intact and in good condition, whole uncut produce that complies with CalCode, Section 113992, before donation, unopened bags of sliced fruit, unopened containers of milk that are immediately stored in a cooling bin maintained at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and perishable prepackaged food (if it is placed in a proper temperature-controlled environment).
   
   
3. When an LEA makes food available to students during the course of a regular school meal time or donates food to a food bank or any other nonprofit charitable organization for distribution, the preparation, safety, and donation of food shall be consistent with CalCode, Section 113980.
   
   
4. Leftover food that is donated to a nonprofit charitable organization cannot be claimed for meal reimbursement.
   
   

Resources

The following resources offer CNP operators additional guidance on the use of leftover foods:

• Your local health department
  
  
• California Department of Education (CDE) management bulletin CNP-03-2018: The Use of Share Tables in CNPs web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/mbcnp032018.asp
  
  
• CDE Plate Waste Prevention in Child Nutrition Programs web page at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/platewaste.asp
  
  
• USDA FNS Policy Memorandums SP 11-2012 and SFSP 07-2012 web page at https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/guidance-food-donation-program-child-nutrition-programs
  
  
• CalCode, Section 113871 (potentially hazardous foods); Section 113876 (prepackaged food); Section 114079 (food donation, sharing tables, and LEA); sections 114432 and 114433 (donation of foods and protection from liability); California Department of Public Health Retail Food Program​ web page at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/Pages/FDBPrograms/FoodSafetyProgram/RetailFoodProgram.aspx
  
  
• California Civil Code Section 1714.25 (donated food and protection from liability) California Legislation Information web page at http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes.xhtml
  
  
• The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery Food Donation web page at https://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Recycle/Schools/Food/

Contact Information

If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact your School Nutrition Program (SNP) or SFSP Specialist.

SNP: A list of SNP Specialists is available in the Download Forms section of the Child Nutrition Information and Payment System (CNIPS), Form ID Caseload. You can also email SNPInfo@cde.ca.gov to be directed to your SNP Specialist.

SFSP:A list of SFSP Specialists is available in the Download Forms section of the CNIPS, Form ID SFSP 01. You can also email SFSP@cde.ca.gov to be directed to your SFSP Specialist.