HealthierUS School Challenge

1. HealthierUS School Challenge Tips for Success Revised3/22/10

2. Application Process

3. Application Process • Application can be submitted after all 4 weeks of HUSSC menus have been served. • Applications can be accessed at teamnutrition.usda.gov/healthierUS/index

4. Application Process • I have a school with grades K-12. Which HUSSC application and criteria do I use? • If the school only has one principal, it must apply for all grade levels. • Use application packet for the award level you are applying (Gold, etc.) and include additional pages for physical education and nutrition education at both elementary and secondary grade levels.

5. Application Process • If a K-12 school has separate principals for the elementary grades and secondary grades: • The school can apply for all grade levels as on previous slide OR • The school can apply for only the elementary grades or only the secondary grades.

6. Average Daily Participation Criteria

7. Average Daily Participation

8. Menu Criteria

9. Menu CriteriaNumber of Serving Days • Four consecutive weeks • Cannot have a week off between these weeks • Minimum of 3 days per week • Must have a total of 16 days over the 4 weeks • All 4 weeks do not have to be in the same calendar month • Ex.: Last 2 wks from Jan. and first 2 wks from Feb.

10. Menu Criteria • Every student should have the opportunity to select a reimbursable lunch that meets the HUSSC criteria • Ex. Cannot use brown rice from the main line and the baby carrots from the grab and go if a student is not allowed to choose both that day • Ex. Three different fruits/vegetables are used in meeting the criteria, however, students are only allowed to select 2 fruits/vegetables each day as part of the reimbursable meal

12. Menu Criteria • If Offer vs. Serve is being used, submit a brief description of how it is being implemented. • Are the students allowed to exceed the meal pattern with no additional charge (ex. 3 fruits/vegetables)? • This may be explained on your menu copy that is submitted.

13. Menu Worksheets Vegetables/Fruit

14. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • Different vegetable and fruit must be served daily each week • Different forms of the same vegetable/fruit do not count separately • Examples: • baked potato and french fries • mandarin oranges and orange wedges

15. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • If items such as fruit juice bar or sherbet are used to count as a fruit, it is counted as the type of fruit used as the base • Sherbet (AL State Bid): apple juice base • Juice bar (AL State Bid): pear juice base • Please submit ingredient labels for these items.

16. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • Avoid terms on the menu worksheet or production records such as fresh vegetables or fresh fruit, please specify the name of the vegetable or fruit that was served

17. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • If a term is used that does not clarify which type of vegetable/ fruit is being counted, please specify what kind is being used. • Ex.: If the tomatoes in Mexican casserole are used, may enter “Tomatoes (Mex. Casserole)” • Ex.: Fruit salad – may enter “Grapes (fruit salad)”

18. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • If a recipe is used that may lead the reviewer to question whether it provides a minimum of ¼ cup of actual vegetable/fruit per serving, please submit recipe • Ex.: Squash Casserole • Otherwise, recipes for vegetables/ fruit are not needed in packet

19. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • Can schools offer a salad bar every day of the week to meet the HUSSC criteria for vegetables and fruit? • Yes, as long as the planned serving size is at least ¼ cup for each selected

20. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • Salad Bar (cont’d) • The planned portion size is determined by the menu planner based on actual student consumption • Production records show sufficient quantities are planned • Include salad bar production record in packet if salad bar is used to meet criteria • Salad bar production record is located on our website at www.alsde.edu

21. Menu WorksheetsVegetables / Fruit • If a vegetable medley or mixed fruit dish is served, can this meet the requirement for a vegetable or fruit? • Yes, in dishes where more than one veg./fruit are used, one of the single items in the dish can be used to meet the criteria • Ex: Broccoli in California Medley can be used. May be indicated as “Broccoli (Calif. Medley)” on worksheet. • Would not have to be ≥¼ cup of Broccoli, but ≥ ¼ cup serving of California Medley.

22. Menu Worksheets Dark Green/Orange Vegetables

23. Dark Green / Orange Vegetables • Review Guidance on Dark Green and Orange Vegetables and Dry Beans for HUSSC to be sure correct vegetables are being used to meet criteria • Link on page 1 of HUSSC application • Of the 3 required, at least 2 must be different vegetables.

24. Dark Green / Orange Vegetables • Can baby carrots count as both the vegetable for that day and also an orange vegetable for the week? • Yes, the same menu item can be used to meet both criteria.

26. Dark Green / Orange Vegetables • If turnip greens are used, do not enter only the word “turnips” on the menu worksheet. • Enter the entire name, “turnip greens” to distinguish the difference between the greens and the root vegetable.

27. Menu Worksheets Dry Beans & Peas

28. Dry Beans & Peas • At least 1 serving / week required • Dry refers to the bean being harvested dry, not to the purchase form of the bean

29. Dry Beans & Peas • Review Guidance on Dark Green and Orange Vegetables and Dry Beans for HUSSC to be sure correct vegetables are being used to meet criteria • Many canned beans & peas are actually dry beans & peas that have been cooked and canned and are therefore acceptable.

30. Dry Beans & Peas • Count as dry Beans/Peas: • Black beans • Black-eyed peas, mature • Great Northern Beans • Kidney Beans • Lima beans, mature • Pinto Beans • Red Beans • Navy Beans • Refried Beans • Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas) – typically used on salad bars • Do Not Count: • Baby limas • Green beans • Wax beans • Early peas • Any frozen beans or peas

31. Dry Beans & Peas • Can baked beans count as both a vegetable serving and the weekly dry bean/pea requirement? • Yes, the same menu item can be used to meet both criteria.

32. Menu Worksheets Fresh Fruit

33. Fresh Fruit • Gold/Gold of Distinction: At least 2 servings per week • Silver/Bronze: At least 1 serving per week • If fresh fruit is also being used as the fruit for that day of the week, it should be entered in both the Fruits category and Fresh Fruit category (on Menu Worksheet)

36. Menu Worksheets Whole Grains

37. Whole Grains • Gold/Gold of Distinction: Daily • Bronze/Silver: 3 or more days per week • Must serve at least 2 different types of whole grain products each week • Must be at least the portion size of one grains/breads serving

38. Whole Grains • How can I determine if a whole grain product credits as a serving of grain/ bread? • Compare the weight of one serving in ounces or grams with those on pages 3-15 and 3-16 of the USDA Food Buying Guide. • Be sure correct (creditable) weight is entered on menu worksheet.

39. Whole Grains • If using dry whole grain rice or pasta in a recipe: • the recipe must provide at least 25 grams dry rice or pasta per serving OR • be a USDA recipe

40. Whole Grains • Example: • Recipe calls for 6# dry brown rice • Yield: 100 servings • 1# = 453.597 grams • 6# X 453.597g = 2721.582 grams dry rice • 2721.582 g/100 servings= 27.21 g/svg • This would be acceptable as a serving of whole grain.

41. Whole Grains • Whole grain products from Group A must be the majority of whole grain foods offered each week • Ex.: 5 day serving week – need at least 3 Group A • Ex.: 4 day serving week – need at least 3 Group A

42. Whole Grains • Group A: Whole grain(s) as the primary ingredient by weight

43. Whole Grains • How do you determine if the whole grain is the primary ingredient by weight in a grains/breads product?

44. Whole Grains • A whole grain is listed first on an ingredient statement Ex.: whole wheat flour listed as first ingredient on ingredient label OR

45. Whole Grains • If a school-made recipe contains whole grains, a total of whole grains weigh more than any other ingredients • Ex.: In a school recipe, the weight of the whole wheat flour is greater than the weight of any other single ingredient • Ex.: In a school recipe, the weight of the whole wheat flour plus the rolled oats is greater than the weight of any other single ingredient OR

46. Whole Grains • In purchased products that contain multiple grains, if the total weight of all the whole grain ingredients is greater than the weight of the first ingredient listed

47. Whole Grains • Group B: Whole grain(s) as the primary GRAIN ingredient by weight • Ex.: water is listed as first ingredient followed by whole wheat flour • Ex.: In a school recipe for whole wheat cookies, the weight of the sugar is greatest followed by the weight of the whole wheat flour

48. Whole Grains • Submit recipe(s) or ingredient label(s) for all whole grain menu items used to meet the HUSSC criteria with your application packet

49. Whole Grains • Use Attachment B when necessary • Documentation for Foods Containing Multiple Whole Grains for the HUSSC • Ex. A cookie recipe using both whole wheat flour and rolled oats. • Access by clicking Whole Grains Resource on first page of HUSSC application