Support Materials for Software Companies
Developing Software for Nutrient Standard Menu Planning
These materials were compiled to assist companies who are developing or revising software programs for USDA to approve for use with Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (NSMP) and implementing the Schools Meals Initiative (SMI) requirements in USDA's Child Nutrition Programs.
- Annual Update
Letter to Software Developers (PDF | 12
KB)
This letter is sent out annually after each release of the CN Database and includes important information about changes to the software evaluation and approval process. - Brief
Description
of Nutrient Standard Menu Planning Requirements (PDF | 12 KB)
This document gives a quick overview of the requirements for Nutrient Standard Menu Planning. - Benefits of USDA Approved Software
This link lists benefits of having your software approved by USDA for NSMP. - List of Approved Software
This list includes the programs currently approved by USDA for use with NSMP in the Child Nutrition Programs. The list of approved programs is updated annually and when new programs are approved. - SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE SOFTWARE SYSTEM
(SFSSS) : Specifications and Functional Requirements Document
For Nutrient Standard Menu Planning Software Programs
(PDF | 68
KB)- updated October 2009
This updated document explains the requirements for software programs used for NSMP in Child Nutrition Programs. Referred to as the “specifications document”. - Checklist
for
Nutrient Standard Menu Planning Software Programs- CN 13 Version, revised (PDF | 45 KB)- revised October 2009
This document was updated to match the organization of the updated specifications document. You can use this checklist to test your software program to find out if it meets the basic requirements and specifications. - Required Nutrient Standards
The documents below list all the nutrient standards required in the approved software programs. These documents are also found in the specifications document (#5 above).- Age Groups
(Modified Nutrient Standards) and Individual Ages (PDF | 26 KB)
(these also appear in the Specifications document on pages 14-16 under Specification #10) - Grade Groups and Age to Grade Correlations (PDF | 27 KB)
- Age 51+ (PDF | 27)
- Optional Nutrient Standards (PDF | 16 KB)
- Age Groups
(Modified Nutrient Standards) and Individual Ages (PDF | 26 KB)
- Child Nutrition
Database
Here you will find the Child Nutrition Database and its documentation. This database must be included in all software programs approved by USDA for NSMP. - Combined Breakfast Lunch Weighted Nutrient Analysis (PDF | 29 KB)
This letter describes the methodology for calculating the combined breakfast and lunch weighted nutrient analysis. A worksheet titled Worksheet for Calculating the Nutrient Value of a Combined Breakfast and Lunch Using the Weighted Nutrient Analysis Procedure accompanies this letter. These documents are also found in the specifications document (#5 above).An Excel spreadsheet (XLS | 38 KB) of this the worksheet for the combined breakfast lunch analysis is also available.
- Guidance for software developers
These documents provide guidance for developers creating programs for use with NSMP.- Moisture and Fat Changes in Recipes (PDF | 56 KB)
- Guidelines for Including USDA Production Recipes in USDA-approved Software Programs (PDF | 472 KB) - written to assist software developers who voluntarily add the USDA Recipes for Schools as production recipes with ingredients to their software programs and is to be used with the Excel spreadsheet, Ingredients Used in Yield Factor Method Analysis of USDA Recipes for Schools (XLS | 686 KB).
- Child
Nutrition
Programs: Menu Planning Systems (DOC | 48 KB)
USDA. Food and Nutrition Service.
This document describes the five menu planning systems that can be used by schools to meet the required nutrition standards. - Historical Documents
Here you will find historical documents, such as CN Database release announcements, old letters updating the requirements and other old documents related to the software evaluation and approval process.
