School Nutrition Programs Compliance Handbook
CHAPTER 13- AFTER SCHOOL SNACK PROGRAM
Aimed at promoting the health and well being of children and youth in our communities, the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) offers cash reimbursement to help schools serve snacks to children in after school care programs. School Food Authorities (SFA) must comply with requirements for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP).
Site Eligibility
To participate in the After School Snack Program, a site must be participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and sponsor an after school care program. The site must provide children with regularly scheduled activities in an organized, structured and supervised environment. The activities schools offer should include educational or enrichment activities (e.g., mentoring or tutoring programs). Competitive interscholastic sports teams are not an eligible after school activity. However, while athletic teams participating in interscholastic sports programs may not be approved, programs that include supervised athletic activity along with education or enrichment activities may participate.
Sites participating in the program may only claim one reimbursable snack per child, per day. Reimbursement is only provided for snacks served on the days school is in session. Sites can only claim snacks for an eligible after school program. Snacks are not reimbursed in programs operated before or during the child’s school day, on weekends, on holidays, evening meals, or during vacation periods. If children attend an on-site day care program on days that school is not in session, snacks cannot be claimed.
Children are eligible to participate through age 18. If a child turns 19 during the school year, reimbursement may be claimed for that child’s snacks during the remainder of the school year. Schools and RCCIs may also claim reimbursement for snacks served to individuals who are determined to be mentally or physically disabled and are participating in a school program established for the mentally or physically disabled.
Meal Components
Snacks served must meet the meal component requirements along with the nutritional requirement prescribed in federal regulations [7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2), 7 CFR Part 210.10 (0) (3), and 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (4)]. The Afterschool Snacks meal pattern is based on the nutritional needs of children ages 6 to 12 years and is as follows [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)]:
· At a minimum, two different food components must be served at the required serving sizes.
· Older children may need additional foods and increase servings to meet nutrient needs.
Table 1.1 contains the Afterschool Snack Program meal pattern for children in grades K through 12.
Table 1.1 Afterschool Snack Program meal pattern grades K through 12 |
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Select two of the five components for a reimbursable snack [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2) (ii) table 5] |
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Meal Component |
Minimum Quantities |
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Fluid Milk |
8 fluid ounces |
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Milk may be flavored or unflavored [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)]. Milk may be selected from the variety listed below [as permitted by the final rule “Expanding Milk Options in Child Nutrition (CN) Programs effective June 8, 2026, and USDA Memo SP 08 – 2026]. |
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Milk Variety |
Milk Variety |
Milk Variety |
Fat-free milk |
Low-fat (1%) milk |
Reduced-Fat (2%) milk |
Whole Milk |
Lactose Free and lactose-reduced milk |
Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk |
Cultured milk (such as cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, cultured acidophilus milk) |
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Meats/Meat Alternates |
1 ounce equivalent |
“Alternate protein products must meet the requirements for Appendix A to 7 CFR Part 226. Yogurt must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugar per 6 ounces (2 grams of added sugar per ounce). Information on crediting meats/meat alternates may be found in USDA FNS guidance [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Vegetables |
¾ cup |
“Juice must be pasteurized, full-strength juice. No more than half of the weekly vegetable offering may be in the form of juice [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Fruits |
¾ cup |
“Juice must be pasteurized, full strength juice. No more than half of the weekly fruit offering may be in the form of juice [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Grains |
1 ounce equivalent |
“At least 80 percent of the weekly serving (by ounce equivalents must be Whole Grain-Rich (WGR) as defined by federal regulation [7 CFR Part 210.2], and the remaining grain items must be enriched [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” “Grain-based deserts may not be used to meet the grains requirement [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” “Breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (0) (2)].” “Information on crediting may be found in USDA FNS guidance [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Table 1.2 contains the meal patterns for the Afterschool Snack Program for the children ages 1 through 5.
Table 1.2 Afterschool Snack Program Meal Patterns Preschool |
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Select two of the five components for a reimbursable snack [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (3) (ii)] |
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Meal Components |
Minimum Quantities Ages 1 – 2 |
Minimum Quantities Ages 3 – 5 |
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Fluid Milk |
4 fluid ounces |
4 fluid ounces |
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“Must be unflavored whole milk for children aged 1. For children ages two through five, milk may be selected from the varieties listed below, the selection must be unflavored [as permitted by the final rule “Expanding Milk Options in Child Nutrition (CN) Programs effective June 8, 2026, and USDA Memo SP 08 – 2026]. |
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Milk Variety |
Milk Variety |
Milk Variety |
Fat-free milk |
Low-fat (1%) milk |
Reduced-Fat (2%) milk |
Whole Milk |
Lactose Free and lactose-reduced milk |
Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk |
Cultured milk (such as cultured buttermilk, cultured kefir milk, cultured acidophilus milk) |
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Meat/Meat Alternates |
½ ounce equivalent |
½ ounce equivalent |
“Alternate protein must meet Appendix A of 7 CFR Part 226. Through September 30.2025, yogurt must contain no more than 23 grams of total sugars per 6 ounces [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” “By October 1, 2025, yogurt must contain no more than 12 grams of added sugars per 6 ounces (2 grams of added sugars per ounce) [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Vegetables |
1/2 cup |
½ cup |
“Pasteurized full-strength juice may only be offered to meet the fruit or vegetable component of one meal, including snack, per day [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Fruits |
1/2 cup |
½ cup |
“Pasteurized full-strength juice may only be offered to meet the fruit or vegetable component of one meal, including snack, per day [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Grains |
½ ounce equivalent |
½ ounce equivalent |
“At least one serving per day, across all eating occasions, must be Whole Grain-Rich (WGR) [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” “Grain-based deserts do not count toward meeting the grans requirement [per federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” “Through September 30, 2025, breakfast cereals must contain no more than 8 grams of total sugars per dry ounce [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) “By October 1, 2025, breakfast cereals must contain no more than 6 grams of added sugars per dry ounce [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.10 (o) (2)].” |
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Contact OKDHS School Nutrition Programs (SNP) for a copy of the Afterschool Snack Program meal patter for infants (6 months – 11 months) by emailing AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhso.org.
Determining Children's Eligibility
Pursuant to federal regulation [7 CFR Part 245.6], children participating in pricing programs must pay for snacks according to income eligibility. Children approved for reduced price cannot be charged more than 15 cents for snacks. Snacks served must be priced as a unit.
School Food Authorities (SFA) determine each child's eligibility to receive a free or reduced price snack following the same procedures used for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Area eligible sites are allowed to claim each snack per child as free due to the high rate of free and reduced priced eligible children participating in the program.
The following are general rules about children's eligibility for snacks:
- Day students – Students enrolled in a public or private school that participates in an afterschool program are eligible to receive snacks based on their income or categorical eligibility status identified in the NSLP. Schools with a nonpricing snack program will claim snacks in the appropriate category determined by income eligibility for free, reduced, or paid. Schools cannot claim children who are not considered a part of the school program (i.e., toddlers, infants, or other children who do not enrolled in the regular day school program).
- Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCI) - Children who reside in RCCIs are generally considered a household of one. The child’s income must be tracked on the master list maintained by the institution. In most cases, a child’s income will fall within the income eligibility guidelines for free meals. However, if a child receives income that exceeds the free limit for a household of one, all meals and snacks served to the child must be claimed in the appropriate category, either reduced price or paid. RCCIs must track the income of children periodically to determine the category in which meals may be claimed.
- Day students attending an RCCI – If an RCCI operates a site that accepts day students, the students’ eligibility for free, reduced or paid price meals must be determined and snacks claimed must be categorized. Day students who do not participate in an after school program cannot be claimed for snacks.
Area Eligibility
If a school or RCCI serves 50 percent or more snacks to students eligible for free or reduced price lunches, the site is area eligible and may serve snacks free to all participating students. The state agency (OKDHS) will make the determination if a site is area eligible. If the program does not meet the criteria for area eligibility, it may use the eligibility of a public school within its attendance area. Most programs operated by a RCCI can claim snack reimbursements at the free rate for all snacks.
Recordkeeping
As with all school nutrition programs records, schools must keep records for the Afterschool Snack Program for a minimum of seven years after the date of submission of the final claim report of the fiscal year or until all audit issues have been resolved [as required by the State of Oklahoma]. At a minimum, schools and RCCIs participating in the Afterschool Snack Program must maintain records listed in table 2.
Table 2: Afterschool Snack Program Records to be Retained |
The following Afterschool Snack Program records must be retained:
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Documentation must be retained for seven years after the last reimbursement has been received for the school year [as required by the State of Oklahoma]. |
Pricing
If a School Food Authority (SFA) charges students for snacks, it must price the snack as one unit. Sites that charge cannot charge more than $0.15 for a reduced-price snack. Children who are eligible for free meals in the NSLP program cannot be charged for snacks.
SFAs cannot claim the number of snacks served to adults. Either the adult must be charged for the snack they are served, or the SFA make up the adult snack charge. If a SFA chooses not to charge adults for snacks, the SFA must reimburse the Nonprofit School Food Services Account (NSFSA) with nonfederal funding for each adult snack served.
Counting and claiming
School Food Authorities (SFA) must ensure that only one reimbursable snack per child is claimed for reimbursement. Supporting documentation consists of complete production records, delivery records, snack orders, list of eligible children, and an accurate counting system.
The counting system must ensure that only eligible snacks are counted. Table 3 contains situations where snacks cannot be claimed.
Table 3: Situations When Snacks Cannot Be Claimed for Reimbursement |
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On-Site Review
SFAs operating the Afterschool Snack Program must conduct self-reviews of each snack program at each site operated two times a year. The first initial self-review is required to be conducted during the first four weeks of school starting for the school year [as required by federal regulation 7 CFR Part 210.9 (c) (7)]. SFAs must use OKDHS School Nutrition Programs’ (SNP) Afterschool Snack Program Monitoring Checklist form. When there is a no answer marked on the checklist, the SFA must take corrective action immediately to bring the Afterschool Snack Program into compliance. To request the OKDHS SNP’s Afterschool Snack Program Monitoring Checklist form, email AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org.
SFAs must conduct the second review prior to the end of the school year. The second review to be documented on the same form as the first review.
Civil Rights
All requirements for civil rights apply to the Afterschool Snack Program. See Chapter 3 for guidance. “And Justice for All” poster must be displayed in the snack area. Staff must be trained on civil rights and the procedures for filing a complaint.
Food Safety
All SFA are required to have a food safety plan for all areas in where food is served as part of the school nutrition program. Staff should review the food safety plan to determine which sections are applicable to the afterschool snack program. The plan must be available at both the preparation site and service site. For more on food safety see chapter 10.
Afterschool Snack Program Resources
Table 4.1 contains resources available upon request from OKDHS School Nutrition Programs. To request one of the items in table 4.1 email AFS.School.Nutrition.Programs@okdhs.org.
Table 4.1: Afterschool Snack Program Resources Available from OKDHS School Nutrition Programs |
· OKDHS Afterschool Snack Program Monitoring Checklist · Afterschool Snack Program Meal Patterns, including the infant meal pattern. · The Afterschool Snack Program Production Record. |
Table 4.2 Contains Afterschool Snack Program resources available online.
Table 4.2: Afterschool Snack Program Available Online |
USDA Afterschool Snack Program Webpage: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/afterschool-snacks |
