New Meal Pattern
Effective SY 2012-2013
West Virginia Department of Education
Office of Child Nutrition
New Provisions
 Grade Groupings
– Grades K-5, 6-8, 9-12
 Food-Based Menu Planning Approach ONLY
 Offer vs. Serve
– A student must select a fruit or vegetable component for a
reimbursable meal
– Full fruit and vegetable servings must be offered, but
students may select ½ cup serving of either
New Provisions
 Five Meal Pattern Components
– Fruit
• Must be offered daily
– Vegetable
• Offer subgroups weekly
– Grain
• Offer weekly grain ranges; half of grains must be whole-grain
rich
– Meat/Meat Alternate
• Offer weekly ranges
– Milk
• Offer only fat-free, unflavored or flavored OR low-fat
unflavored
New Provisions
 Four Dietary Specifications
– Weekly average requirements
• Calories
– Min-max range for each age/grade grouping
• Sodium
– Maximum limits for each age/grade grouping
– Beginning SY 2013-2014
• Saturated fat
– Limit remains the same; <10% of total calories
– Daily requirement
• Trans fat
– Limit remains the same; zero grams of trans fat per portion
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Fruits (cups)
Vegetables (cups)
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
2.5 (0.5)
3.75 (0.75)
2.5 (0.5)
3.75 (0.75)
5 (1)
5 (1)
Dark green
0.5
0.5
0.5
Red/Orange
0.75
0.75
1.25
Beans and peas (legumes)
0.5
0.5
0.5
Starchy
0.5
0.5
0.5
Other
0.5
0.5
0.75
Additional Veg to Reach Total
1
1
1.5
Grains (oz eq)
Meats/Meat Alternates (oz eq)
Fluid milk (cups)
8-9 (1)
8-10 (1)
5 (1)
8-10 (1)
9-10 (1)
5 (1)
10-12 (2)
10-12 (2)
5 (1)
Dietary Specifications: Daily Amount Based on the Average for a 5-Day Week
Min-max Calories (kcal)
Saturated Fat (% of total calories)
Sodium (mg)
Trans Fat
550-650
600-700
750-850
< 10
< 10
< 10
< 640
< 710
< 740
Nutrition label or manufacturer specifications must indicate
zero grams of trans fat per serving.
Fruits
 Fruits/vegetables are now two separate components
 Fruit choices:
– Fresh (preferred)
– Frozen without added sugar (current stock may be used up
this year)
– Canned in juice/light syrup
– Dried (1/4 cup of dried fruit = ½ cup fruit)
 No more than half of fruit offerings may be juice
– 100% juice only
 Utilize the FBG for whole fruit crediting
Fruits
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Fruits (cups)
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
2.5 (0.5)
2.5 (0.5)
5 (1)
Vegetables
 Weekly minimums of all vegetable subgroups are required
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Vegetables (cups)
Dark green
Red/Orange
Beans and peas (legumes)
Starchy
Other
Additional Veg to Reach Total
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
3.75 (0.75)
3.75 (0.75)
5 (1)
0.5
0.75
0.5
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
0.75
0.5
0.5
0.5
1
0.5
1.25
0.5
0.5
0.75
1.5
Vegetables - Dark Green
Offer ½ cup weekly
Can Include:
Kale
Bok Choy
Spinach
Romaine
Dark Green Leafy Lettuce
Broccoli
And more…
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html
Vegetables - Dark Green
 Crediting Leafy Greens
– Raw leafy green vegetables count as ½ of the measured
amount
• 1 cup of raw leafy greens counts as ½ cup vegetable
• ½ cup cooked greens counts as ½ cup vegetable
Vegetables – Red & Orange
Offer Weekly
6-8 = ¾ cup
K-5 = ¾ cup
Can Include:
9-12 = 1 ¼ cup
Sweet Potatoes
Carrots
Butternut Squash
Red Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
And more…
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html
Vegetables – Beans and Peas
Offer ½ cup weekly
Can Include:






Black Beans
Split Peas
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans
Garbanzo Beans
Edamame
And more…
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html
Vegetables – Starchy
Offer ½ cup weekly
Can Include:
Corn
Green Peas
Potatoes
And more…
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html
Vegetables – Other
K-5 = ½ cup
Can Include:
Asparagus
Offer Weekly
6-8 = ½ cup
Green Beans
9-12 = ¾ cup
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Beets
Celery
Zucchini
Iceberg Lettuce
Yellow/Green Bell Peppers
And more…
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/vegetables.html
Additional Vegetables
Total Weekly
Vegetable
Requirement
Minimum Weekly
Subgroup
Requirements
Additional
Vegetables to
Reach Total
Grades
K-5
3 ¾ cups
2 ¾ cups
1 cup
Grades
6-8
3 ¾ cups
2 ¾ cups
1 cup
Grades
9-12
5 cups
3 ½ cups
1 ½ cups
 Any vegetable subgroup may be offered to meet the total
weekly vegetable requirement
Fruits and Vegetables
 Serving Sizes
– What needs to be provided?
•
•
•
•
⅛ cup?
¼ cup?
½ cup?
More?
– Any of the above can work if you have enough of each
option
• 1/8 cup is the minimum creditable amount!!
• You must serve enough vegetables to meet the full ¾ cup or
1 cup offering
Fruits and Vegetables
 Salad Bars/Garden Bars
– Excellent way to offer a variety of fruits/vegetables
– Must be monitored
– Must be before the POS or have State approval
Fruits and Vegetables
 Multiple Serving Lines
– Each serving line must offer all the vegetable subgroups
weekly
– Vegetable subgroups can be offered multiple times each
week in various serving sizes (1/8 cup minimum), however,
• The minimum weekly serving sizes must be met AND
• The full daily minimum must be offered, based on grade
grouping
– There are no maximums on fruit and vegetable subgroups,
as long as the calories are not exceeded
 A student selects:
–
–
–
–
–
1/4 cup leafy greens
1/8 cup carrots
1/8 cup broccoli
1/8 cup tomatoes
1 sugar snap pea
Does this amount of
vegetable allow it to be
counted for a
reimbursable meal?
“A Student Selects” Activity
YES!!
–
–
–
–
–
1/4 cup leafy greens
1/8 cup carrots
1/8 cup broccoli
1/8 cup tomatoes
1 sugar snap pea
1/8 cup vegetables
1/8 cup carrots
1/8 cup broccoli
+ 1/8 cup tomatoes
4/8 cup vegetables
4/8 cup vegetables = 1/2 cup vegetables
A Student Selects Activity
Grains
 Weekly minimum and maximum quantities
 Schools must offer the daily minimums and weekly
serving ranges at lunch
– 1 grain serving daily for grades K-8
– 2 grain servings daily for grades 9-12
 By SY 2012-13, at least half of grains offered during the
week must be whole grain-rich
 Beginning in SY 2014-15, all grains offered must be whole
grain-rich
Grains
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Grains (oz eq)
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
8-9 (1)
8-10 (1)
10-12 (2)
If you are planning a menu for grades 6-8 and you offer 10
ounce equivalents that week, how many ounce equivalents
must be whole grain rich?
5 ounce equivalents
Grains
 Criteria for Whole Grain Rich Foods
– Meet the serving size requirements in the Grains/Breads
Instruction, and
– Meet at least one of the following:
• Whole grains per serving must be ≥ 8 grams
• Product includes FDA’s whole grain health claim on its
packaging
• Product ingredient listing lists whole grain first
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods
and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may
reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.”
Grains
 Short School Weeks
– 3 or 4 day school week
• Decrease weekly grains by 20% for each day < 5
 Grain-Based Desserts
– Only two creditable grain-based desserts allowed at lunch
per school week
– These items are a major source of solid fats and added
sugars per DGA 2010
Grains
 Product Ingredient List
– Non-Mixed Dishes: Whole grains must be the
primary ingredient by weight
• A whole grain is the first ingredient on the list
– Mixed Dishes: Whole grains must be the
primary grain ingredient
• A whole grain is the first grain ingredient on
the list
Grains
 Battered or Breaded Food Products
– SY 2012-2013
• Will not need to be counted toward the maximum weekly
grain requirements in the meal pattern
– SY 2013-2014
• All grains must be counted toward weekly grain
requirements
¼ ounce equivalent is the
minimum creditable amount for
grains!
Grains
 USDA Foods: Helping Schools Meet the New
Requirements
– Whole grains meet WGR (>50%) requirement
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pastas
Brown Rice – regular or par-boiled 25# bags
Rolled oats
Tortillas
Pancakes
Whole kernel corn for further processing
Whole wheat flour
Meat/Meat Alternate
 Daily and weekly requirements for lunch
– 1 oz eq. daily for students grades K-8
– 2 oz eq. daily for students in grades 9-12
 Variety of meat/meat alternate encouraged
 Both tofu and soy yogurt will be allowable as meat
alternates
Meat/Meat Alternate
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Meats/Meat Alternates (oz eq)
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
8-10 (1)
9-10 (1)
10-12 (2)
• Eggs and cheese may be used to meet all or part of the
Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA) component
• Nuts or seeds may only be used to meet one-half of the
component and must be paired with another M/MA to
meet the full requirement
• Two tablespoons of nut and/or seed butters equals one
ounce of the M/MA requirement
Fluid Milk
 Milk requirements go into
effect for both breakfast
and lunch in SY 2012-13
 Allowable milk options:
– Fat-free (unflavored or flavored)
 Must offer at least two
choices
 Does not alter nutrition
standards for milk substitutes
(e.g., soy beverages)
– Low-fat (unflavored only)
– Fat-free or low-fat (lactose-
reduced or lactose-free)
 Milk provisions also apply to
children ages 3-4
Lunch Meal Pattern
Grades K-5
Meal Pattern
Fluid milk (cups)
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day)
5 (1)
5 (1)
5 (1)
Dietary Specifications
Dietary Specifications: Daily Amount Based on the Average for a 5-Day Week
Min-max Calories (kcal)
Saturated Fat (% of total calories)
Sodium (mg)
Trans Fat
Grades K-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
550-650
600-700
750-850
< 10
< 10
< 10
< 640
< 710
< 740
Nutrition label or manufacturer specifications must
indicate zero grams of trans fat per serving.
 Weekly average requirements
– Calories, saturated fat and sodium
 Daily requirement
– Trans fat
Dietary Specifications
 Calories
– Minimum and maximum calorie levels
– Current regulations only established minimums
Dietary Specifications: Daily Amount Based on the Average for a 5-Day Week
Min-max Calories (kcal)
Grades K-5
Grades 6-8
Grades 9-12
550-650
600-700
750-850
Dietary Specifications
 Sodium
– Maximum limits on sodium; gradual implementation
Dietary Specifications: Daily Amount Based on the Average for a 5-Day Week
Target 1 (SY 2014-2015)
Grades K-5
Lunch
Breakfast
< 1230
< 540
Grades 6-8
Lunch Breakfast
< 1360
< 600
Grades 9-12
Lunch
Breakfast
< 1420
< 640
Target 2 (SY 2017-2018)
< 935
< 485
< 1035
< 535
< 1080
< 570
Target 3 (SY 2022-2023)
< 640
< 430
< 710
< 470
< 740
< 500
Sodium (mg)
Dietary Specifications
 Saturated Fat
– Limit remains the same; <10% of total calories
 Trans Fat
– Nutrition label or manufacturer’s specifications specify
zero grams per serving
 No Total Fat Requirement
Offer vs. Serve
 Offer vs. Serve continues to be mandated at the
secondary level and optional at lower grade levels
 The Dietary Guidelines stress the importance of
increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables
 The final rule requires that the reimbursable lunch
selected by a student includes a fruit or a vegetable for
SY 2012-2013
Offer vs. Serve
 Must offer 5 food components:
– Milk, fruit, vegetables, grains, meat/meat alternate
 Student may decline as many as two food components
 The full component serving size must be offered to the
student
 Student must select at least ½ cup of either a fruit or
vegetable. The minimum creditable amount of a
individual fruit or vegetable is 1/8 cup to counts towards
the minimum ½ cup
Offered to
students in full
serving sizes:
SandwichBread and Meat
Lunch Example
Grades 9-12
Broccoli-1 Cup
Apple-1 Cup
Student takes
Is the meal reimbursable?
Milk- 1% White
Point of Service
 Staff must be trained to determine accurately the
quantities of self-serve items on a students tray to
identify the ½ cup fruit/vegetable servings:
– Spoodles and portioning spoons
– Pre-portioned cups
 Identification of Food Items
– Must identify at or near the beginning of the serving line
the food items that contribute to the unit-priced
reimbursable meals
Point of Service
 Opportunity to Select
– Current
– New
POS
POS
Resources
 USDA Team Nutrition Best Practices Sharing Center
– http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/best-practices
 HHFKA Meal Pattern Calculator
– http://www.kneat.org/SNP/SNP_Menus/SNP_Guidance_Menu_Planning_
M2_Forms.htm
Questions????