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Lunch Meal PatternPart Two

Dietary SpecificationsLunch Requirements

Menu PlanningResources

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Dietary SpecificationsRequirements

(Commonly Known as Nutrients)

1. Calories Weekly Requirement2. Sodium Weekly Requirement3. Saturated Fat Weekly Requirement4. Trans Fat Daily requirement

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1. CaloriesCalorie ranges are weekly averages.

• Student selections may be above or below the ranges.• The intent is not to reduce the amount of food but to avoid

excessive calories.• The meal patterns provide more fruits, vegetables and whole grains

and result in more nutrient-dense meals. • Does not apply daily or per meal. It applies over the entire week.

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2. SodiumTimelines For Complying With The Sodium Targets

Sodium is another dietary specification that must be met.

This is the chart with timelines for complying with the sodium targets. This requires schools to make a gradual reduction in the sodium content of the meals, as recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). USDA recognizes that it is difficult to achieve substantial reductions in sodium immediately.

Therefore, schools are required to meet two intermediate sodium limits, as well as a final limit. Target 1 is currently in effect for SY 2014-2015.

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2. SodiumDoes the sodium limit apply to each meal offered?

• No – the sodium limit applies to the weekly average of meals offered over the school week.

• The sodium limit does not apply daily or per meal.

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2. Sodium Reduction EffortsWhen preparing bid specifications, state the specific milligrams of sodium you will accept in a product. Modify procurement specifications and recipes to meet sodium limits.

Resources for Reducing SodiumLink to Team Nutrition Healthy Meals Resource System website http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction

Link to Institute of Child Nutrition (Formerly National Food Service Management Institute) Sodium Information http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdf

Link to USDA Food Fact Sheets for Sodium http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/nslp-usda-foods-fact-sheets

Link to What’s Shaking: Creative Ways to Boost Flavor with Less Sodium websitehttp://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/whatsshaking

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3. Saturated FatThere is a limit of less than 10% of total calories from saturated fat.

The 10% limit:• Applies to the weekly average.• Does not apply daily or per meal.• Is the same as the previous regulatory standard.

Total Fat: There is no total fat limit.

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4. Trans Fat• Nutrition label or manufacturer’s specifications must specify

zero grams of trans fat per serving (less than 0.5 gram per serving).

• Naturally-occurring trans fat is excluded for items such as beef, lamb, dairy products.

• For mixed dishes containing beef, lamb, or dairy products:• The only clear way to determine if a product is in compliance

with the new trans fat requirement is to request the information from suppliers regarding how much of the trans fat is naturally occurring versus if any other ingredients contain trans fat.

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Lunch Requirements

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Training and Signage• All schools must identify food items that make a

reimbursable meal at or near beginning of line.• Schools using OVS must identify what food items

students must select as part of a reimbursable meal.

• Point of Service and serving line staff must be trained on what makes a reimbursable meal:

• Example #1: Knowing if duplicate items are allowed• Example #2: Recognizing appropriate serving sizes

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Meal IdentificationAll menu items on serving line must be:

• Identifiable• Labeled• Listed at the beginning of serving line• Listed prior to Point of Service (POS)

MDE may authorize alternatives to Point of Service lunch counts.

• All items must be labeled in the same way as POS items.• There must be a system in place to ensure all meals are

reimbursable.

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Pre-Plating, Pre-Packaging And Bundling

• Pre-plating/pre-packaging/bundling is allowed.• SFAs are encouraged to offer choices to the extent possible.

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Menu Planning Section

Menu Planning

When you are planning a lunch, you must offer 5 components:

• Fruit• Vegetable• Grain • Meat/Meat Alternate• Milk

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Components vs. ItemsA component is one of the 5 food groups that comprise a reimbursable lunch and must be offered:

Fruit VegetableGrainMeat/Meat AlternateMilk

An item is a specific food offered within the 5 components and can consist of several food components

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Menu Planning for Grades K-5 and 6-8• The meal requirements for K-5 and 6-8 grade groups overlap. • A single menu can meet the needs of children in grades K-8. • The daily minimum requirements for food components are

identical.• The menu must meet following requirements:

8 oz eq grains/week (minimum)9 oz eq meats/meat alternates/week (minimum)Average daily calorie range 600-650

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Menu Planning for Grades 6-8 and 9-121. For schools with grades 6-8 and 9-12, one way to simplify menu planning is:

• Start with a menu that is appropriate for grades 6-8. • Add in a few additional foods to serve to the older grade group.

2. Some modest adaptations to menus that accommodate needs of older students are:• Offer ½ cup more fruit daily• Offer ¼ cup more vegetables daily

3. Remember that meals for older students require:• ½ cup more red/orange• ¼ cup other• ½ cup additional (any subgroup) some time during the week

These changes alone may meet calorie needs for the 9-12 group.

4. Consider an additional oz eq of grain and/or meat/meat alternative for the older students.

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Short and Long Weeks: Clarifications• When a school operates on a cycle that is shorter or longer than

a standard 5 day week, menu planners should increase or decrease weekly requirements by 20% for each day that is over or under a standard 5 day week schedule.

• There are tables for shorter and longer weeks.• For occasional short weeks, such as holiday or conference

schedules that include additional half days or full days off:• Menus do not have to be adjusted.• Menus must still be consistent with intent of meal pattern.

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Multiple Offerings: Daily Minimum1. All component offerings must meet the daily minimum requirement.

Example: When offering pizza and a sandwich for Grades 9-12 on a daily basis, both items should contain 2 oz eq grains.

2. The average of the Grain or Meat/Meat Alternative ounce equivalents offered cannot be used to meet the daily minimum requirement. Daily minimum requirements must be met each day of the week.

Example: The weekly average equals 10 eq grains, but that week:•Two days are under the 2 oz eq daily minimum requirement.•Three days are over the 2 oz eq daily minimum requirement.

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Multiple Offerings: Weekly RangesWeekly range for Grains and Meat/Meat Alternates (M/MA):

1. The sum of all daily minimum requirements for grains and m/ma must meet at least the weekly minimum requirement for both components.

2. Each line or station must meet all the daily and weekly minimums for grains and m/ma.

3. Remember to treat each serving line as its own meal.

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Multiple Offerings: ClarificationsEach independent line must meet the daily and weekly requirements (including subgroups)

• If different stations available for selecting components, then all the stations as a whole must meet the daily and weekly requirements.

• If all students have access to the same salad bar, which contains fruit and/or vegetable components, then subgroups could be met over the week (providing all vegetable subgroups are offered over the course of a week on the salad bar).

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Combination Foods at LunchCombination foods at lunch are foods that contain more than one food component.1. While an entrée may be a single “item”, it may in fact, consist of more than one food component as outlined in the school meal pattern.

Examples:• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce• Hamburger on Bun• Macaroni and Cheese

2. Meals can provide five food components yet feature only four food items on the menu.Examples:

• Cheese Pizza - combination food of WG crust (grain) and cheese (m/ma) • Fresh Apple (fruit)• Lettuce Salad (vegetable)• Milk (milk)

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Sample Menus Menus That Move

The following slides show lunch menus that were developed by the State of Ohio. These menus are:

• Good examples that may help you when planning menus• Posted on the USDA Best Practices Sharing Center website

These menus meet nutrient standards, provide all recipes, and are:• Seasonal• Grade specific• 6 cent compliant

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5 Week Cycle Menu

You can see that the menus provide a seasonal 5 week cycle menu.

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Whole Grain Substitutes• Notice how the menus

meet all the meal pattern requirements.

• You can easily substitute WGR products to meet the WGR requirement if you do not have an exemption for specific grain items.

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Resources Page 1

This list of links provides you access to many resources for school meal programs.

Link to USDA Website http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htmLink to Child Nutrition Programs School Meals Home Page http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/child-nutrition-programsLink to FNS New Meal Pattern Website http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htmLink to Best Practices Sharing Center http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/bestpracticesLink to USDA Technical Assistance Resources http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/policyLink to Whole Grain Resource http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/whole-grain-resourceLink to Healthier School Day Website http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschooldayLink to Fact Sheets for Healthier School Meals http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-libraryLink to USDA Food Buying Guide http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/foodbuying-guide-child-nutrition-programsLink to Food Buying Guide Calculator http://fbg.nfsmi.org/Link to Healthy Kids Cookbook Recipes http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/recipes-healthy-kids-cookbook-child-care-centers-0Link to Choose My Plate Resources http://www.choosemyplate.gov/food-groups/Link to Fruits and Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-libraryLink to TN Healthy Meals Resource System http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction

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Resources Page 2

This list of links provides you access to many resources for school meal programs.

SodiumLink to Fact Sheets for Healthier School Meals http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/jtf_resources.pdfLink to Institute of Child Nutrition (formerly NFSMI) http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdfLink to USDA Foods http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/nslp-usda-foods-fact-sheetsLink to Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/TA07-2010v3os.pdf

Child Nutrition Labeling Program Link to USDA Labeling Program http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-programLink to Label Watermark Memo SP 11-2015(v2) http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/SP11v2_CACFP10_SFSP13-2015os.pdfLink to Watermark Label Administrative Review Process SP27-2015 http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cn/SP27_CACFP09_SFSP12-2015os.pdfLink to How USDA Foods Support Meal Pattern Requirements (Chart) http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Meal_Pattern_USDA_Foods_Chart_Sept2013.pdfLink to USDA Complete List of Available Foods http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/foods-expected-be-availableLink to USDA Foods Fact Sheets http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/nslp-usda-foods-fact-sheets

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Technical Assistance Resources

• NEW! SP 41-2015: Offer Versus Serve: Guidance for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program

• NEW! SP 10-2012 (v.9): Q and As on "Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs"

• SP 30-2012: Grain Requirements for the National School Lunch & School Breakfast Programs

Link to FNS USDA School Meals Policy websitehttp://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/policy

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Conclusion• This concludes the Lunch Meal Pattern - Part Two

training module. • There is a companion training module, Lunch Meal

Pattern – Part One, that should also be viewed in order to gain a complete understanding of the Lunch Meal Pattern in the National School Lunch Program.

• It is recommended to view Part One first, prior to viewing Part Two.