Summer Food Service Program / SUN Meals · Iowa
Iowa SFSP and SUN Meals — State Agency, Sponsor Requirements, and Summer Meal Rules
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), branded federally as SUN Meals, provides free meals to children age 18 and under when school is out for the summer. In Iowa, SFSP is administered by Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services. Below is the state agency contact, how to apply as a sponsor or site, and the federal meal pattern rules that apply at every Iowa summer meal site.
Iowa SFSP State Agency
- Agency
- Iowa Department of Education
- Division
- Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services
- Phone
- (515) 281-5356
- Official SFSP page
- https://educate.iowa.gov/pk-12/nutrition/summer-food-service-program
- FNS Region
- Mountain Plains Regional Office — USDA FNS Mountain Plains
Who Can Sponsor SFSP in Iowa
The following organizations may apply to IDOE to become an SFSP sponsor in Iowa:
- Public or private nonprofit school food authorities running summer meals at Iowa school sites.
- Units of local, municipal, county, or tribal government including parks, recreation departments, and libraries.
- Private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based and community-based groups, meeting SFSP financial and administrative standards.
- Residential and non-residential summer camps serving children from areas with at least 50% free and reduced-price eligibility.
- Public or private nonprofit universities and colleges running upward bound or similar programs.
Site Eligibility for Iowa Summer Meal Sites
Most SFSP sites in Iowa qualify as open sites in areas where at least 50% of children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. Iowa sponsors can also operate:
- Closed enrolled sites serving a defined group of enrolled children when at least half of them would qualify for free or reduced-price meals.
- Migrant sites primarily serving children of migrant workers.
- Camp sites that claim only the children from eligible households attending.
- Non-congregate rural sites allowed under permanent USDA rule for Iowa communities that meet the rural non-congregate designation under 7 CFR 225.6.
How to Apply as a Iowa SFSP Sponsor
- Contact IDOE early — most states, including Iowa, begin sponsor outreach and training in late winter for the following summer.
- Complete the required sponsor training offered by IDOE. SFSP sponsor training covers meal patterns, recordkeeping, civil rights, and financial management.
- Submit the sponsor application, management plan, and budget to IDOE through the state agency's portal.
- Identify Iowa site locations and document their eligibility (open, closed enrolled, camp, migrant, or rural non-congregate).
- Receive state agency approval and enter into a Permanent Agreement. Begin serving meals once the agreement and site approvals are in place.
SFSP Meal Pattern for Iowa Summer Meal Sites
Unlike CACFP, SFSP uses a single meal pattern for all children ages 1 through 18 (7 CFR 225.16). Sites in Iowa must include the following components per meal:
| Meal | Required components |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | 1 cup milk · 1/2 cup vegetable, fruit, or full-strength juice · 1 serving of grains or bread · optional meat/meat alternate |
| Lunch or Supper | 1 cup milk · 2 oz meat/meat alternate · 3/4 cup combined vegetables and fruits from two or more sources · 1 serving of grains or bread |
| Snack (2 of 4) | Choose 2 of: 1 cup milk, 1 oz meat/meat alternate, 3/4 cup vegetable/fruit/juice, 1 serving grains or bread |
Source: 7 CFR 225.16 and USDA FNS SFSP meal pattern chart. Sponsors in Iowa may also serve meals that meet the NSLP or CACFP patterns at their option.
Need year-round meals in Iowa?
SFSP only runs while school is out. For year-round child care, Head Start, afterschool, and adult day care meals in Iowa, see the Iowa CACFP state page.
Plan audit-ready SFSP menus for your Iowa summer sites
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