Introduction and Overview

Meal Accountability

Schools must maintain auditable records of meals and milk claimed for reimbursement. Records must include point-of-service and kitchen participation counts and complete meal production information.

Meal Count. An accurate meal count by eligibility category must be taken daily at the point of service. To show that the system is accurate, records must contain two types of meal counts by different individuals and methods. These are usually the point-of-service (office) count (by eligibility category) and the kitchen count (by food, plates, or trays). The point-of-service count must follow the procedures detailed in the LEA's approved free and reduced-price meal policy statement.

Meal Production Records. Records must show meal compliance. A copy of the Food Production Record form is included in the Supplementary Materials section of this manual. The format differs depending on which menu-planning system a school chooses (Nutrient Standard Menu Planning, Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning, Food-Based Menu Planning, or any other reasonable approach).