Ohio's Office of Nutrition, part of the Department of Education and Workforce, published a Nov. 2–7 bulletin addressing reporting changes, training sessions, eligibility rules and a statewide student cooking contest.
District EMIS coordinators have a new field to work with: the CNDC Export Summary report now carries a column labeled EMIS FD Date, which they should use when submitting data to the state agency. According to the office, that instruction does not extend to child nutrition programs, where the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs must rely on the Run Date instead.
A Verification Report webinar on completing the report in the Claims Reimbursement and Reporting System is scheduled for Dec. 3 (11 a.m.–12 p.m.), Dec. 9 (9–10 a.m.) and Jan. 13 (1:30–2:30 p.m.). A Community Eligibility Provision miniseries session on verification for CEP schools is set for Nov. 5, 2:30–3 p.m.
Sponsors preparing for Summer Program Year 2027 can join trainings starting in December, including application preparation on Dec. 8 and Jan. 5, a Feb. 2 session on moving from pre-season to opening day, and the Tuesdays at Two series (Nov. 17 closeout, Dec. 1 meal gaps map, Dec. 15 new sites, Jan. 12 area eligibility).
The office is also seeking student-led culinary teams for the 2027 Ohio Grown Student Chef Showcase. Teams in grades 6–12 at schools in the National School Lunch Program develop recipes using Ohio Proud ingredients; the five highest-scoring teams cook live, receiving a private lesson with the department's Farm to School Chef and up to $500 for ingredients and travel. The Ohio Department of Agriculture adds a Best of the Buckeye Bounty award, with up to $200 for supplies plus State Fair tickets.
Eligibility reminders: SNAP or Ohio Works First receipt makes every child in a household eligible, while Medicaid free or reduced status can only be established through direct certification, and case numbers on household applications are not accepted. Other-source categories such as homeless, runaway, migrant or Head Start status are decided child by child; foster children need no prior confirmation. Ohio permits no Smart Snacks fundraiser exemptions, the bulletin states, citing state law and memo SP 36-2014.