• Many children come to school without breakfast. This is particularly prevalent in teenagers and includes children from all economic situations.
  
• Children who have satisfied their nutritional needs are better behaved at school, have longer attention spans, score higher on tests, and are more interested in the educational program.

• All public schools, nonprofit private schools tax exempt under 501(C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and residential child care institutions are eligible to sponsor a program that may begin at any time during the year.
  
• Participating sponsors receive cash reimbursement which is adjusted annually.
  
• A sponsor may receive severe-need funding if 40 percent or more of the breakfasts are served free or at a reduced price, and if unusually high preparation costs exceed the regular breakfast reimbursement.

• Sponsors must annually sign an agreement with the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, New Jersey Department of Agriculture that includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements:
  
  • Plan menus which meet specific minimum standards for key nutrients and calories through selection of an approved menu planning system.
    
  • Claim reimbursement only for breakfasts served to children that meet the required meal pattern.
    
  • Provide a free or reduced price breakfast to any child from a household meeting criteria for eligibility, based on household size and income.
    
  • The program must be operated on a non-profit basis solely for the benefit of all children within the school.
    
• The intent of the School Meals Initiative regulations is to provide meals that meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and are low in fat and sodium and are high in Vitamin A, C and Iron. Sponsors must serve meals in the National School Breakfast Program consistent with the menu planning system selected:

Option 1 and 2 - Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (NSMP) Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (ANSMP)

• Must have a computer and purchase USDA approved software to conduct their own nutrient analysis, or hire a consultant to conduct the nutrient analysis.
  
• Menus developed based on the analysis of nutrients in the menu items and foods offered over a school week to determine if specific levels for key nutrients and calories are met.
  
• A minimum of three menu items must be offered, a fluid milk served as a beverage, and any two other foods except a food of minimum nutritional value.

Option 3 and 4 - Enhanced Food Based Menu Planning and Traditional Food Based

• Menus developed based on the four traditional meal components (one serving each of milk, vegetable/fruit, two servings of grains/breads or two servings meat/meat alternate or one serving of grains/breads and one serving of meat/meat alternate) must equal the minimum quantities required by age or grade group.
• A sponsor must offer all four required food items.
• Nutrient analysis of menu items offered is completed by the state agency.

• The price charged to paying children is established by the sponsor, but must be within the maximum prices established by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs.
  
• The price charged to adults for breakfast must exceed the price charged to children by a margin established by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, to compensate for the reimbursement available only for children's breakfasts.

• A reimbursement voucher is filed monthly with the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
  
• Maintain current records to include, but not limited to, applications for free and reduced price meals, daily meal count and income records, daily dated menus, production records, standardized recipes and manufacturer's nutrition fact sheets for commercially processed foods.
  
• The required statistical and financial records supporting all reimbursement vouchers must be kept on file for a period of three years following the fiscal year to which they pertain except that, if audit findings have not been resolved, the records shall be retained beyond the three year period as long as required for the resolution of issues raised by the audit.
  
• All records must be available for administrative review and/or audit by the Bureau of Child Nutrition Programs, New Jersey Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture.