Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
School Food Services
Karen Wooton, RD, LD, Director
Laina Fullum RD, LD Assistant Director
Historical Overview
• 1946-National School Lunch Act
• 1969- Free & Reduced Priced
Eligibility
• 1975- School Breakfast Program
• 1995- School Meals Initiative (SMI)
for Healthy School Meals
Purpose of the National
School Lunch Program
A National Crisis during WWII
“No nation is any healthier than its children”
~Harry Truman, 1946
“The NSLP safeguards the health and well
being of the Nation’s children…”
School Meals Initiative
(SMI)
• USDA issued regulations to define how the
Dietary Guidelines would be applied to
school meals.
• Compliance is to be achieved through a
choice of meal planning options for schools
to be in compliance with Nutrient
Standards.
• Four menu planning options.
Menu Planning Options
• Traditional Food Based Menu Planning,
(TFBMP) 34%
• Enhanced Food Based Menu Planning,
(EFBMP) 15%
• Nutrient Standard Menu Planning,
(NSMP) 51%
• Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning,
(ANSMP)< 1%
The Nutrient Standards
• The nutrient standards for healthy
meals were established by averaging
the Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDA) for key nutrients,
for different groups of children.
Key Nutrients
• Calories
• Calcium
• Iron
• Protein
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• No more than 30% of
calories from fat
• Less than 10% of
calories from
saturated fat
1/3 RDA for Lunch
1/4 RDA for Breakfast
State Values
• Cholesterol
• Dietary Fiber
• Sodium
Averaged Over a Week
• Key Nutrients and State Values must
be met over an averaged school week
period.
• School decides food items served as
long as meal pattern and nutrients
are met.
Traditional Food Based
Menu Planning
•
•
•
•
•
5 Components
Meat/Meat Alternate
Grains/Bread
Fruit and/or Vegetable
Second Fruit and/or Vegetable
Fluid Milk
– Grade groups are K-3 and 4-12
Enhanced Food Based Menu
Planning for Lunch
• Same components as TFBMP
• Differences are as follows:
– larger portions of meat/meat alternate
for K-3
– larger grains/bread weekly minimums
– larger fruit/vegetable weekly minimums
– Grade groups are K-6 & 7-12
Nutrient Standard Menu
Planning Pattern
• LEAs choosing NSMP must conduct
nutrient analysis on all menu items or
foods offered as part of the reimbursable
meal.
• Entrée
• Side
• Milk
Assisted Nutrient
Standard Menu Planning
• Same pattern as NSMP
• An outside entity provides menus
including the analysis.
• The State agency must approve the
initial menu cycle, recipes, & other
specifications.
Offer Verses Serve
Option
• Schools may allow a certain number
of items from a given pattern to be
refused.
• This varies with menu planning option.
• This encourages schools to offer
variety and cuts down on waste.
OVS example NSMP
• Entrée
• Spaghetti with
side salad
• Side dish 1
• Side dish 2
• Milk Choice
• Bread Stick
• Canned peaches
• 2% & Skim
chocolate
May have all four or refuse two items
OVS example FBMP
• Meat/meat
alternate* & grains
bread* components
• Fruit &/or
vegetable* choice
• Spaghetti w/meat
sauce
• 2nd F/V choice*
• Milk choice*
• Peaches
• 2% or skim chocolate
• Side salad
May refuse any two components*
Who Plans School Meals?
• The district is responsible for its
own menu planning based on what
menu planning option they have
selected.
Portion Sizes
• There is no maximum limit to the
portion size.
• NSMP: does not specify a portion
size
• FBMP: sets minimum portion sizes
All menu planning options must meet
USDA’s nutrient standards weekly
Convenience Foods
Verses Scratch Cooking
• Schools can plan however they choose
within the menu planning option
• The most expensive commodity in a
kitchen is labor…
• Many schools walk a fine line between what
kids will eat verses what is healthy
Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables
• There are various reasons schools
select certain menu items.
–
–
–
–
–
Food budget
Student preferences
Availability of fresh fruits & vegetables
Food waste issues
Lack of skilled labor
NSLP Funding
• Federal
• Local
51%
48%
– Student charges
• State
1%
Commodity Program
• Federal donations of food for use in school
food service programs provide a constructive
and effective use of foods that are
purchased by USDA under agriculture price
support and surplus removal programs.
• These commodities, along with direct food
purchases with school lunch program
appropriated funds, help keep the price of
meals within the reach of the maximum
number of children.
NSLP Funding
• Schools are reimbursed for serving a
meal (one per student) that meets
the selected meal pattern
requirements.
• The application process determines
which students get free, or reduced
price benefits.
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control
Point:
Is a seven principle FDA food safety
program that is a preventive system
of hazard control that can be used
by processors to ensure the safety
of their products to consumers.
Schools must adopt program effective
July 1, 2005
Food Safety Inspections
• By July 1, 2005 schools must have
two food safety inspections yearly
instead of one.
Questions:
• Fried Verses Baked?
• Salad Bars?
• Ketchup?
• Recess?
• Adequate eating time?
• Food vs. non-food
fundraisers?
• Hand washing?
• Candy as a reward?
• Teacher’s eating
healthy?
• Pouring contracts:
How much money do
schools get?
• Free students &
competitive foods?
• Food Safety Issues?
Competitive Foods
• Any foods sold in competition with the
NSLP & SBP to students in foodservice
areas during the meal periods.
• The sale of such foods must be to the
benefit of the nonprofit school food
service, the school, or student
organizations approved by the school.
Foods of Minimal
Nutritional Value (FMNV)
• Artificially sweetened foods which provides less
than 5% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for
8 specified nutrients per serving; and in the case
of all other foods, a food that provides less than
5% of the RDI for 8 specified nutrients per 100
calories and per
serving.
• May not be sold in food service
areas during the meal periods
FMNV Categories
•
•
•
•
Soda water
Water ices
Chewing gum
Certain candies
such as:
– Hard candy
– Jellies and gums
– Marshmallow
candies
– Fondant
– Licorice
– Spun candies
– Candy coated
popcorn
Vending Machines &
FMNV
• FMNV may not be sold or served in
the food service area during meal
service periods.
What is the role of
Extension/NPA in changing the
school environment?
• Getting out the word to parents, students,
teachers, food service staff, school
administrators etc. how important it is to
offer and select healthier choices at
school and at home.
• Encourage appropriate local wellness
policies in your local school districts.
Local Wellness Policies
• By 2006-2007 school year districts
must establish a local school wellness
policy.