Menu Writing 101 Planning Menus for Traditional & Enhanced Food Based Menu Plans

1. Menu Writing 101Planning Menus for Traditional & Enhanced Food Based Menu Plans Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Team Child Nutrition Skills Development Course Summer 2011

2. Course Overview • Basics • Portion Sizes • Offer Versus Serve • Nutrition Standards • Cycle Menu’s • Standardized Recipes

3. Why is Menu Planning Important? It influences almost every aspect of your food service operation. • Purchasing • Preparation • Popularity

4. The Menu Planning Process 10 Steps To Success USDA Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals Chapter 4, page 91 http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/menuplanner.html

5. Schedule a Time to Plan Menus Collect Menu Resources. • Plan menus well in advance • Review • Feedback • Taste Test • Pull together a variety menu resources • Successful menus • Recipe files • Students • Internet

6. Think About Where You Are And Where You Want To Go Think about changes that you want to make: • Review menus, products and preparation • Are they working? Need Changes? • What areas are OK? What areas need modifying?

7. Determine a Time Period • Plan menus by the week • Plan a cycle menu that works for your operation

8. Lets Talk Cycle Menus • Advantages • Better meals, time savings, improved cost control • Variety • Use experience • Adjusting • Seasonal Menus

9. Focus on the age or grade groups you are serving

10. Decide The Number Of Choices You Will Offer • The number of choices you offer depends on your operation • Offering choices allows you to add new foods without risking drops in participation

11. Select The Entrée For Each Day’s Breakfast And Lunch • Set the stage for the rest of the menu

12. Select the Other Menu Item or Items • Pick items that compliment the entrée • Use variety of fruits, vegetables and grains • Good place to introduce “new” foods

13. Provide Variety of Fluid Milk Choices • Must offer at least 2 of the following: • fat-free milk • low-fat (1%) milk • fat-free or low-fat lactose reduced milk • fat-free or low-fat lactose-free milk • fat-free or low-fat buttermilk • fat-free or low-fat acidified milk.

14. Make Sure You Are Meeting Nutrition Goals • Are meals nutritionally balanced? • Do meals have all required components?

15. Nutrition Standards • Eight Nutrient Standards • RDA’S

16. The Key Elements Of Nutrient Standards • Calories • Total Fat • Saturated Fat • Protein • Calcium • Iron • Vitamin A • Vitamin C

17. Other Nutrients • Reduce Sodium • Increase Fiber • Reduce Cholesterol

18. SMI – School Meals Initiative • Reviewing two weeks of menus, production records, and supporting documentation for both breakfast and lunch to determine compliance with nutritional standards. • More information will be forthcoming on this with the final rule regarding Nutrition Standards (which will include the new meal pattern requirements).

19. Do meals have all required components?

20. Evaluate What you Have Planned

21. Review -10 Steps • Schedule a time to plan menus. Collect Menu Resources • Think about where you are and where you want to go • Determine a time period • Focus on the age or grade groups you serve

22. 5. Decide the number of choices you will offer 6. Select the entrée for each day’s breakfast and lunch 7. Select the other menu item or items 8. Provide fluid milk choices 9. Make sure you are meeting nutrition goals 10.Evaluate what you have planned

23. Basic Menu Planning Principles • Balance • Variety • Choices • Contrast • Color • Appeal

24. Balance Strive for balance • Balance flavors in appealing ways • Balance higher-fat foods with lower-fat ones

25. Variety Emphasize variety. • Include a wide variety of foods • Vary the types of main courses • Include different forms of food • Include an occasional “new” item

26. Choices Offer Choices. • Decide on number of choices • Offer choices within as many components as you can • Include food combinations

27. Contrast Add contrast. • Think about texture, taste and appearance • Avoid having too much of the same • Use a pleasing combination of different sizes and shapes

28. Color Think about color. • Avoid using too many foods of the same color • Remember that vegetables and fruits are great for color • Use combination of colorful and bland foods • Don’t forget spices

29. Appeal • Eye appeal • Presentation • Plan the way you place items on tray

30. Marketing • Descriptive Menus • Promotions • Special Menu Days

31. Menu Back • Nutrition Education • Messages • Activities • Notes

32. Planned Portion Sizes

33. Breakfast • Grades K-12 • Two servings of Meat/Meat Alternate OR two servings of Grains/Breads OR one serving of each • ½ Cup Juice/Fruit/Vegetable • Milk – 8 oz fluid milk as beverage OR on cereal OR both

34. Lunch Traditional • Grades K-3 • 1 ½ oz Meat/Meat Alternate • ½ Cup Vegetables/Fruits • 8 oz fluid milk as a beverage • 8 servings per week (min 1 per day) Grains Breads • Grades 4-12 • 2 oz Meat/Meat Alternate • ¾ Cup Vegetables/Fruits • 8 oz fluid milk as a beverage • 8 servings per week (min 1 per day) Grains Breads

35. Enhanced • Grades K-6 • 2 oz Meat/Meat Alternate • ¾ cup Vegetables/Fruit – Plus an additional ½ cup per week • 8 oz fluid milk as a beverage • 12 servings per week (min 1 per day) • Grades 7-12 • 2 oz Meat/Meat Alternate • 1 cup Vegetables/Fruit • 8 oz fluid milk as a beverage • 15 servings per week (min 1 per day)

36. Offer Versus Serve • What is OVS? • Goals of OVS

37. What is OVS? • Offer versus Serve is a concept that applies to menu planning and to the determination of reimbursable school meals.

38. OVS allows students to decline some of the food offered in a school lunch or school breakfast and is applicable to all menu planning approaches.

39. Goals of OVS • To reduce food waste in the school meals program • To permit students choices to select the foods they prefer

40. General OVS Requirements • Choice is strictly the students decision. • Students must take FULL servings to count toward a reimbursable meal • Students may decline any item

41. Specific OVS Requirements For Lunch • The minimum serving sizes of 5 food items from the 4 food components must be offered. • Grades 9-12 must be 3 of 5 • Grades K-8 choice of 3 of 5 or 4 of 5

42. Specific OVS Requirements For Breakfast • The minimum serving sizes of 4 food items from the 3 or 4 food components must be offered • OVS is optional at all grade levels • If implemented, each student may refuse one item

43. Consistency Counts • The same number of food items • The same number of choices within the food items

44. To Achieve OVS Goals Of Less Food Waste • Keep accurate production records • Use forecasting to plan food quantities • Use Cycle menus

45. Teaching Students Concerns: • Number of Items to select • Portion Sizes • Pricing Strategies: • Encourage a complete meal • Use posters, table tents, signs at Point of Service • Portion control utensils or pre-portioned servings • Hands on Demonstrations • Enlist teachers help • Daily Friendly reminders

46. Standardized Recipes • The information to be included on a standardized recipe form includes: • Yield and contribution to meal pattern • All ingredients • Correct measures, weights, and/or pack size. Preparation procedures.

47. References • USDA’s Food Buying Guide http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/foodbuyingguide.html • USDA’s A Menu Planner for Healthy School Meals http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/menuplanner.html • Measuring Success with Standardized Recipes http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20090506091901.pdf

48. Questions? The students of Wisconsin benefit from the nutritious meals you provide to them!

49. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). In the Midwest Region please notify the Regional Director, Civil Rights/EEO, 77 W. Jackson Blvd., FL 20, Chicago, IL 60604-3591 or call (312) 353-3353. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.