Skip to agency navigation
Skip to main content

Official website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means it's official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 
    Resources for Aging Professionals

    Provider Guidance

    Find the most recent guidance for Area Agencies on Aging staff and other providers of older adult services, offered by the Department. Information will be revised as updated or new guidance is issued.

    Search Aging Program Directives and Technical Assistance Bulletins

    Providing and Recording Nutrition Services Incentive Program (NSIP) Eligible Grab and Go Meals

    Effective: October 1, 2025

    Grab and Go meals are an effective means of providing nutrition services to older adults through the Senior Community Centers (SCCs). Grab and Go meals are also commonly referred to as Carry-out, Take-out, or Drive-thru meals.  Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) may, but are not required, to utilize this method of providing meals to SCC participants in their Planning and Service Area (PSA). For meal planning and ordering purposes, the Department suggests utilizing a reservation system when providing this service.

    Grab and Go meals are defined as meals packaged and distributed for consumption by a SCC participant at a location other than the congregate meal site. To be eligible for Nutrition Service Incentive Program (NSIP) funding, Grab and Go meals shall meet the nutritional requirements and standards set forth in APD 15-03-02 and are provided to participants at no cost. Participants shall be given the opportunity to voluntarily contribute toward the cost. Similarly to congregate meals, participants shall, at a minimum, complete Sections 1 and 2 of the Needs Assessment Tool – Express (NAT-E) annually. This tool contains the nutrition screen (DETERMINE checklist) and demographic data required by the Federal government.

    Effective October 1, 2025, every NSIP-eligible Grab and Go meal shall be recorded in the Social Assistance Management System (SAMS), also known as Wellsky Aging and Disability, as a “Grab and Go - In-Home Meal” for reporting purposes. Funds provided for these meals shall be allocated to cost center “1020 - Home Delivered Meals” in AccuFund. Under no circumstance shall Title III-C1 funds be used to provide these meals nor be allocated to cost center “1030 – Congregate Meals” in AccuFund.

    In instances where the AAA or SCC has organized an off-site activity for participants and includes a congregate meal, the meal shall be recorded as the appropriate “Congregate Meal” service in SAMS. Title III-C1 funds provided for these meals shall be allocated to cost center of “1030 – Congregate   Meals” in AccuFund.

    AAAs and SCCs may establish non-NSIP eligible meal programs on a private pay basis and shall follow the guidance specified in APD 15-03-02. These meals are not required to meet nutritional requirements and may be recorded as a “Private Pay Meal” in SAMS. Title III-C1, Title III-C2, and NSIP funds shall not be used to prepare or provide these meals.

    In accordance with APD 15-03-02, SCCs shall provide information about safe food handling and reheating instructions for meals taken out of the center. The safety of food after it is removed from the meal site is the responsibility of the participant.

    Domestically Produced Foods

    The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes NSIP which provides grants to states, territories, and eligible tribal organizations to incentivize OAA older adult nutrition programs to serve more meals. These grants are in addition to Title III-C1 and Title III-C2 funding. NSIP allocations may only be used to buy domestically produced foods which are part of a meal. In addition, the OAA encourages the use of locally grown foods in meal programs.

    “Domestically produced” are agricultural foods, beverages and other food ingredients which are a product of the United States, its Territories or possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands (referred to as “the United States”), except as may otherwise be required by law, and shall be considered to be a product if it is grown, processed, and otherwise prepared for sale or distribution exclusively in the United States except with respect to minor ingredients. Ingredients from non-domestic sources will be allowed to be utilized as a United States product if such ingredients are not otherwise:

    1. Produced in the United States; and
    2. Commercially available in the United States at fair and reasonable prices from domestic sources.

    AAAs can ensure NSIP funds are spent on domestically produced foods in various ways. Purchasing locally produced goods, such as milk, bread, proteins (chicken, beef, fish, eggs, cheese), and produce assures this requirement is met. The Department also recommends reviewing food labels and identifying the origin of the product before purchase. AAAs shall work with their nutrition vendors to ensure the foods they are using for nutrition programs are in alignment with this requirement. When soliciting bids for the nutrition program, AAAs may include provisions for the vendor, such as purchasing only domestically produced foods and logging lot numbers and the origin of products in the Request for Proposal.

    Technical assistance relating to this guidance should be directed to: