Afterschool Snack Guide

Feeding Children After-school
With more parents working outside the home and the growing emphasis on academic achievement, the
hours after school are increasingly filled with educational and enrichment programs. These programs can
also play an important role in improving students’ health and wellness by providing nutrition education,
physical activity and a nutritious snack.
A healthy snack is an essential part of any after-school program. It gives children the boost they need to
get through the afternoon and keeps them away from unhealthy alternatives. School nutrition departments
can support student health and wellness by providing food for the after-school program.
To make it easier for school nutrition departments to provide a nutritious snack, the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides funding for snacks through the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP). Additionally, funding is available to provide suppers as well as snacks through the Child and
Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
NSLP Snacks
School nutrition departments that participate in the NSLP can provide federally funded snacks
to after-school programs — both school-based and in the community. The school nutrition
department already has a working relationship with the state child nutrition agency that
administers the NSLP and is familiar with the paperwork commonly required by the child
nutrition programs. The school nutrition department also has the expertise, staff and facilities
to produce nutritious snacks, making their help invaluable to the after-school program.
After-school Program Requirements
To receive NSLP funding for snacks, the after-school program must be school-sponsored, but
it can take place on or off school grounds and can be operated by the school or by another
organization such as a YMCA, a Boys and Girls Club or a religious congregation. The afterschool
program must offer some educational and enrichment activities. Sports and recreation
can be part of the program, but programs that are purely competitive sports teams, such as
the high school varsity basketball team or a baseball league, are not eligible.
Program Eligibility
An after-school program qualifies for the NSLP by its location or the income of the children in
the program:
• If the program is located in a low-income area — where 50 percent or more of the
elementary, middle or high school students qualify for free or reduced-price school meals
— then the school receives the highest rate of reimbursement, called “the free rate,” for
all of the snacks it serves to all children. Tens of thousands of schools meet this test.
• If the program is not in a low-income area, then the school receives reimbursement in
a three-tiered system (“free,” “reduced-price” or “paid”) based upon each participant’s
school meal application.
For the current snack reimbursement rates, visit:
www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/notices/naps/NAPs04-05.pdf or
www.frac.org/pdf/rates.PDF. The rates are adjusted annually for inflation.
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