National School Lunch Week 2025 showcases the theme “Texas Taste Tour: Your School Lunch Passport!" Visit SquareMeals for digital resources like our NSLW poster, participation chart, DIY Celebration Kits, and more! Don't forget to share your celebrations and photos with us at Nutrition@TexasAgriculture.gov!

TDA has uploaded a new video presentation that will walk School Food Authorities through the most recent update to the ARM (from September 2, 2025). This update covers the specific policy updates and clarifications implemented in 16 revised sections. You can access the video here and from the list of webinars available on the NSLP Resources page.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Team Nutrition has added seven short trainings to The Road to Successful Menu Planning for School Meals training series. Team Nutrition is pleased to share these new and updated resources to support school menu planning and a healthy school environment. 

These on-demand webinars help schools plan and implement menus that meet school nutrition standards and meal pattern requirements:

• Menu Planning for the National School Lunch Program Afterschool Snack Service
• Nuts and Seeds Flexibilities in School Meals
• School Breakfast Menu Flexibilities: Grains and Meats/Meat Alternates and Substituting Vegetables for Fruit
• School Lunch Menu Flexibilities: Beans, Peas, and Lentils
• Reducing Added Sugars at Breakfast: Menu Planning Tips
• Reducing Added Sugars in Recipes
• Using Nutrient Analysis Software for Added Sugars

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School Year 2025-2026 

Mark your calendars -- the PY27 DoD Fresh Program Opt-In Form is available until October 31, 2025. See Squaremeals for link under Food Distribution for NSLP. 

TDA cancelled all turkey roasts, item 100125, due to an overwhelming response by impacted recipient agencies not to bring them in mid-January 2026. USDA did not receive vendor bids for initially requested delivery periods in September and October 2025. 

USDA recently moved some sales orders back to later delivery periods for ground beef item 100158, beef patties item 110711, canned apple slices item 100206, frozen strawberry cups item 100256, and canned carrots item 100309. Per responses by impacted recipient agencies, USDA is actively substituting some frozen strawberry cups for frozen diced peach cups.  

Make sure your team logs into WBSCM to maintain active status. Please check your user accounts in WBSCM to ensure that appropriate SFA staff are active, have the correct roles assigned, and have up-to-date email addresses. 

Requests for USDA Foods can be tracked using the WBSCM Requisition Status Report. Pricing fluctuations will continue until items reach "Purchased" status. 

If you opted into the DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program for PY26, this displays on your WBSCM Entitlement/Bonus Summary report. Funds are loaded into FFAVORS. Unspent values in WBSCM cannot be moved to increase DoD Fresh program funds. Per USDA guidelines, participants must complete receipts in FFAVORS for each delivery within 2 business days of the delivery date. If there is a discrepancy, contact your Dept. Of Defense Support Representative for resolution. 

TDA monitors the monthly utilization of DoD funds in FFAVORS to ensure proper use of values for USDA Foods. To maximize your DoD entitlement, SFAs should spend, at a minimum, 10% of their funds per month. SFAs who have not been utilizing funds may risk redistribution. 

Refer to the Resources page on www.squaremeals.org, Food Distribution Program for NSLP, for helpful information regarding ordering USDA Foods. Round 2 Recap for direct delivery is posted on the Food Distribution for NSLP under the Resources Link 

For questions regarding USDA Foods, please contact your respective Education Service Center Child Nutrition representative for guidance, training, and technical assistance in WBSCM.

Visit USDA for more information on the Final Rule and upcoming changes. Let us know what kind of resources would best support you in implementing these new meal standards – Click here!

Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 9 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. (CDT)!

TANS Talk is an office hours session that will allow Organizations (formally known as CEs) to review TANS related updates. We are excited to share all of the new updates about this platform and answer any questions.

How to Participate in TANS Talk:
Use this TANS Talk Feedback Form to submit any TANS questions you would like to see reviewed during the call. We will cover questions received at least 48 hours prior to the call, allowing our team time to prepare for the meeting. Visit the TANS homepage and Resources page for access to past TANS Talks, updates, trainings, and more.

For compliance with the Buy American Provision, there are two allowed exceptions for purchasing non-domestic products: 

A) Product is not manufactured domestically in sufficient and reasonably available quantities of a satisfactory quality.

B) Competitive procurement reveals that the cost of the domestic product is significantly higher than the cost of the non-domestic product.

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The Attachment B Upload module in TX-UNPS opened on July 1, 2025, and closes on October 31, 2025. Any SFA that does not complete the module by October 31, 2025, will receive a corrective action document (CAD).

SFAs must upload their template school meal application, application instructions, and template eligibility letters.

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On September 1, 2025, in accordance with Texas Senate Bill 1173, which raises the formal procurement threshold for school districts from $50,000 to $100,000, TDA is also raising the formal procurement threshold to $100,000 for all nutrition and household programs. 

Beginning September 1, transactions over $10,000 but below $99,999 will require the small purchase method, and transactions of $100,000 and over will require formal procurement. This is not retroactive. TDA is in the process of updating these thresholds in all program handbooks.

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