Summer Food Service Program / SUN Meals · North Carolina
North Carolina 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 North Carolina, SFSP is administered by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition 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 North Carolina summer meal site.
North Carolina SFSP State Agency
- Agency
- North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
- Division
- School Nutrition Services
- Phone
- (984) 236-2800
- Official SFSP page
- https://www.dpi.nc.gov/districts-schools/district-operations/school-nutrition/programs/summer-food-service-program-sfsp
- FNS Region
- Southeast Regional Office — USDA FNS Southeast
Who Can Sponsor SFSP in North Carolina
The following organizations may apply to NCDPI to become an SFSP sponsor in North Carolina:
- Public or private nonprofit school food authorities running summer meals at North Carolina 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 North Carolina Summer Meal Sites
Most SFSP sites in North Carolina qualify as open sites in areas where at least 50% of children qualify for free or reduced-price school meals. North Carolina 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 North Carolina communities that meet the rural non-congregate designation under 7 CFR 225.6.
How to Apply as a North Carolina SFSP Sponsor
- Contact NCDPI early — most states, including North Carolina, begin sponsor outreach and training in late winter for the following summer.
- Complete the required sponsor training offered by NCDPI. SFSP sponsor training covers meal patterns, recordkeeping, civil rights, and financial management.
- Submit the sponsor application, management plan, and budget to NCDPI through the state agency's portal.
- Identify North Carolina 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 North Carolina Summer Meal Sites
Unlike CACFP, SFSP uses a single meal pattern for all children ages 1 through 18 (7 CFR 225.16). Sites in North Carolina 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 North Carolina may also serve meals that meet the NSLP or CACFP patterns at their option.
Need year-round meals in North Carolina?
SFSP only runs while school is out. For year-round child care, Head Start, afterschool, and adult day care meals in North Carolina, see the North Carolina CACFP state page.
Plan audit-ready SFSP menus for your North Carolina summer sites
CrEATe lets you build SFSP-compliant summer meal menus in minutes, validate meal pattern requirements, and export production records and daily meal counts ready for your North Carolina state agency review.