The Arkansas Department of Education Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) administers the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, the Special Milk Program, the Afterschool Snack Program, the provides Seamless Summer Program and the Fresh Fruits and Vegetable Grants in the public schools in Arkansas.

The CNU provides technical assistance, training, monitoring, and processes claims for reimbursement of federal funds used in the operation of local school nutrition programs in accordance with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations. 

 Facts About the Impact of Child Nutrition in Arkansas(PDF)

Resources for Child Nutrition Programs During COVID-19

Additional information is available on the COVID-19 Information page

Meal Service Resources

• 2020 Fall Meal Service Considerations
• Seamless Summer Option:  Providing Multiple Meals at a Time During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
• Feeding Kids When Schools Are Closed 
• Child Nutrition Program Meal Service During COVID-19:  Best Practices for Parent Pick-Up of Meals and Snacks

Resources From the School Nutrition Association

• COVID-19 Thought Starters on Reopening Schools for SY 2020-2021, School Nutrition Association, 2020  (PDF)
• Chain Reaction, School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020 (PDF)
• The Financial Blows of COVID-19, School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020 (PDF)
• Sad, Mad, Bad and Occasionally Rad, School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020  (PDF)
• Food, Fun, and Creativity in the Time of COVID-19, School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020  (PDF)
• Getting Through This Together, School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020   (PDF)
• The Intersection of Health, Duty and Compassion,  School Nutrition, Special Supplement 2020  (PDF)

Resources From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Considerations for Schools, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PDF)
• CDC Readiness and Planning Tool to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 in K-12 Schools (PDF)
• COVID-19:  Quarantine vs. Isolation (PDF)
• What School Nutrition Professionals and Volunteers at Schools Need to Know about COVID-19 (PDF)
• Quarantine If You Might Be Sick (PDF)
• Isolate If You Are Sick (PDF)

For more information, please contact: