FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

Question: Can we offer the FFVP snack every day?

Answer: Yes. USDA requires schools to offer the FFVP at a minimum of two times a week. However, each grantee implements the program based on a budget that fits their enrollment and award per school site, and may find it possible to offer the snack more frequently. 

Question: Are menu production records required?

Answer: No. However, schools must maintain supporting documentation for all the expenses charged to the grant and claimed for reimbursement. 

Question: If we have leftovers from the FFVP and we added the leftovers to the salad bar, would we be able to count the salad as a meal component because we added it to the salad bar?

Answer: No. Leftovers that cannot be easily used in the FFVP can be added to the meal program line as “extra food” only to avoid waste. According to the 2014–15 USDA Offer vs. Serve Manual, “extra food” cannot be used to fulfill a meal component and must be accounted for in the weekly dietary specifications (calories, saturated fat, and sodium) to ensure compliance with the USDA New Meal Pattern. 

Question:  Can teachers participate in FFVP?

Answer:  Yes. Only teachers who are directly responsible for serving the fruit or vegetable to their students in a classroom setting may partake of the fruit and/or vegetable.

Question:  Can the fresh fruits and vegetables be served at the same time as the breakfast or lunch program but in a separate part of the cafeteria?

Answer:  No. The FFVP can not be provided at the same time as the service of the breakfast or lunch program. 

Question: Do teachers need to teach a nutrition lesson daily or weekly if we offer it five days a week?

Answer: No. ­Nutrition education only needs to occur one time per week even if you offer the FFVP five days per week. However, we encourage sharing nutrition information with each FFVP offering.