A single priced meal that offers all of the USDA daily required meal pattern components for each age/grade group served in the minimum required amounts is referred to as a “reimbursable meal.”

Quantities vary by age/grade group, but components remain constant and necessary for all student meals claimed for reimbursement. Components of a reimbursable meal include: meat/meat alternative, grain, fruit, vegetable and milk. Under a provision called Offer Vs. Serve, students only need to take 3 out of the 5 components being offered (with at least one of those 3 components being a fruit OR vegetable serving) to count as a reimbursable meal. The meal is the same price if they select 3, 4, or 5 components.