Meal pattern requirements and offer versus serve manual

              This manual contains information on Federal policy regarding meal pattern
requirements and offer versus serve in the National School Lunch and
School Breakfast Programs. Policies in your State may vary. State
agenc1es may institute State policies that do not conflict with the Federal
requirements. Check w1th your State agency if there are any quest1ons
regarding State policy.
Cover Photograph
The photograph on the front cover contatns the followtng food
ttems:
Meat/meat alternate
Cheese tn the Toasted Cheese Sandwtch (F-7)
Chtcken tn the Chtcl<en Vegetable Soup (H-4b)
Bread bread alternate
One sltce of bread on the Toasted Cheese Sandwtch
Vegetable/fruit
Vegetable Salad Combtnatton
Apple
Vegetables tn the Chtcken VPgetable Soup
Milk
Lowfat mtlk
August 1990
Contents
Introduction .. .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .... .. .... . ... . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. .. ...... . . .... .. .. . . .. . .... . 1
Part 1 - Meal Pattern Requirements in the National
School Lunch Program . . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . .. . . .. .. . . . .. . . . .. . 3
Meat/Meat Alternate Component . .. . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . . . .. . . . ... . . ... .. .... . . .. . . . . . .. .. 4
Alternate Foods . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . . .. . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Meat/Meat Alternate Combinations . .. .. ....... .... . . .. . ... .... ....... ... . .. . .. .... ..... 7
Vegetable/Fruit Component .. . . . .. ... . .. .. .. .. .. ..... .... . ... . .. . . ... . . . . .. .. .. . ... .. .. . . .. ... . 9
Bread/Bread Alternate Component ......................................................... 12
Milk Component ...................................................................................... 15
Sample Menus identifying Food Components and Food Items .............. 16
Food Item Exercise ............................................................................. 18
Traditional School Lunch Exercise ...................................................... 19
Part 2 - The Reimbursable Lunch Under Offer Versus Serve .... 22
What a Student Must Be Offered ............................................................. 22
What a Student Must Take ...................................................................... 22
Identifying Food Items ........................................................................... 23
Sample Menus and Student Choices ...................................................... 24
Exercises in Identifying a Reimbursable Lunch Under OVS ............... 27
Part 3 - Meal Pattern Requirements in the School Breakfast
Program ...................................... .................................................... 29
Milk Component ....................................................................................... 29
Vegetable/Fruit Component .................................................................... 29
Meat/Meat Alternate Component ............................................................ 29
Bread/Bread Alternate Component ......................................................... 30
Part 4 - The Reimbursable Breakfast Under Offer Versus
Serve ............................................................................................... 31
What a Student Must Be Offered ............................................................. 32
What a Student Must Take ...................................................................... 34
Sample Menus and Student Choices Under OVS .................................. 34
Exercises in Identifying a Reimbursable Breakfast Under OVS .......... 36
Part 5 - Substitutions or Variations in the National School
Lunch and School Breakfast Programs ...................................... 39
Medical or Special Dietary Needs ........................................................ 39
Religious, Ethnic, or Economic Needs ................................................ 39
Foreign Meal Patterns ....................................................................... .40
Milk Supply ........................................................................................... 40
Pricing Lunches and Breakfasts .............................................................. 40
Unit Pricing ........................................................................................... 4 0
A Ia Carte ............................................................................................. 40
Equal Access for All Students
Free, Reduced-price. and Paid .......................................................... .41
Menu Planning ........................................................................................ 41
Student Acceptance ............................................................................ 41
Offering Choices ............................................................... .................. 42
Practical Menu Plannmg Tips ............................................................. 42
Production Plannning .............................................................................. 45
Food Production Records ................................................................... 45
Cycle Menus ....................................................................................... 45
Quantities ...................................................................... ...................... 46
Commonly Asked Lunch and Breakfast Questions ............................... .4 7
PART 6- Appendixes ............................................................... .... 53
A. Glossary ............................................................................................ 53
B. Background ......................................................... ................. ............. 55
History of Meal Requirements in the National School Lunch
Program ..................................................... . ........ ................... 55
History of Offer Versus Serve in the NSLP ..................... .... .......... 57
Senior High Schools ................................. ....... ..... ...... .. .............. 57
Junior High and Middle Schools ................................................ 57
Elementary Schools ........ ........................................................... 58
History of Meal Patterns and OVS in School Breakfast ................ 58
C. Answers to Exercises ...... , ................................................................. 59
Food Items ..................................................................................... 59
Traditional School Lunches ........................................................... 61
Identifying a Reimbursable Lunch Under OVS .............................. 63
Identifying a Reimbursable Breakfast Under OVS ........................ 64
D. Charts ............................................................................................... 66
Portion Control ............................................................................... 66
Schoo! Lunch Patterns ................................................................... 67
School Breakfast Meal Patterns .................................................... 68
E. Bibliography ............. .......................................................................... 69
ii
Introduction
Thrs manual contains useful mformation for both new and more
expenenced food servrce employees who plan and prepare the meals
served m school nutntron programs. It wrll famllianze you wrth lunch and
breakfast meal pattern requrrements and Offer Versus Serve (OVS) OVS rs
a provrsron that allows students to decline either one or two food items they
do not rntend to Pat. The provision is intended to reduce food waste in
school nutrition programs. It is important to note, however, that schools are
requ~red to offer all students all required food rtems. The manual explams
food components, grves examples of menus. and contarns exercrses to test
your knowledge Throughout the manual. references are made to recipes
from the publication Quantity Rec1pes for School Food Serv1ce (Program
Ard Number 1371 ) The recrpe card number rs shown in parentheses
followmg the menu rtem. for example Baking Powder Brscurts (8 -4).
Part 1 of the manual explams the meal pattern requirements rn the Natrona!
School Lunch Program (NSLP) Part 2 drscusses OVS in the NSLP Part 3
explarns meal pattern requrrements m the School Breakfast Program (SSP).
whrle part 4 drscusses OVS rn the SSP Part 5 provrdes more informatron
on the rmplementation of OVS. These f~rst frve parts, including several
exercrses and qurzzes. wrll grve you a working knowledge of meal pattern
requrrements and how OVS operates
Part 6 of the manual includes a glossary of terms. a history of meal
patterns. answers to the exercrses. meal pattern charts, and a bibliography
of reference materials
1
BLANK PAGE
2
Part 1
Meal Pattern Requirements in the National
School Lunch Program
Meals served in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) should be
nutntious and well-balanced. The meal patterns required by the NSLP
regulations are designed so that over a period of time, school lunches will
provide children with approximately one-third of the nutrients they need
according to the Recommended Dietary Allowances. In any one meal
service, the objective is to provide one meal per child.
A school lunch consists of five different food items from four food
component groups. The four components are:
1) meat/meat alternate
2) bread/bread alternate
3) vegetable/fruit, and
4) fluid milk
Schools must provide two servings of different vegetables/fruits and one
food item from each of the other three component groups. The vegetable/
frUit component must be met by providing at least two different kinds of
vegetables or two different kinds of fruits or one kind of vegetable and one
kind of fruit. More detailed information on the four components is provided
on the following pages. The recommended serving portion of each
component can be found in the School Lunch Patterns chart in appendix D
(page 67).
3
Meat/Meat
Alternate
Component
4
Foods that may be served to satisfy the meat/meat alternate requirement
include lean meat, poultry, fish, cheese, eggs, cooked dry beans or peas,
peanut butter or other nut or seed butters, or nuts or seeds.
Peanuts, soy nuts, tree nuts, or seeds may only count as one-half of the
meat/meat alternate requirement. They must be combined in the same
meal with another meat/meat alternate such as lean meat, poultry, fish,
cheese, large egg, cooked dry beans or peas, or peanut butter or other nut
or seed buttt3rs to fulfill the requirement.
NOTE: Some nuts cannot be counted as a meat alternate in Child Nutrition
Programs. The nuts that cannot be counted are acorns, chestnuts,
and coconuts.
The meat/meat alternate must be served in the main dish or in the main
dish and one other menu item. This means that two menu items are the
maximum number that may be used to satisfy the meat/meat alternate
requirement.
Examples of serving meat/meat alternates m the main dish or in the main
dish and one other menu item to fulfill the meat/meat alternate requirement
are shown below. Quantities given in the examples are for age 9 and over.
Refer to the School Lunch Patterns chart in appendix D for amounts for
other age groups.
Examples: 1 oz of chopped nuts served in a chicken dish with 1 oz of
chicken.
1 oz of cheese in a gnlled cheese sandwich, plus 1 oz of
sunflower seeds.
1 oz of cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich and 1 oz of
chicken m a chicken vegetable soup.
Small amounts (less than 1/4 oz) of meat/meat alternate used -1s
garnishes, seasoning, or in breading should not be counted toward meeting
the meat/meat alternate requirement of the meal. Examples are grated
5
6
parmesan cheese used as a garnish over spaghetti or egg used in
breading. Although use of such garnishes is encouraged to make the lunch
more appealing, the amounts are not sufficient to make a real nutritional
contribution to the lunch.
Cooked dry beans or peas may be used as a meat alternate or as a
vegetable but cannot meet the requirement for both components in the
same meal.
Example: Baked Beans (1-6) served as the main dish may be used as
either the meat alternate or the vegetable component.
Alternate Foods
There are three alternate foods that are authorized to meet part of the
meaumeat alternate requtrement. These include cheese alternates,
vegetable protem products (VPP), and enriched macaroni with fortified
prote1n.
Cheese alternates are cheese substitutes that are usually made from
hydrogenated vegetable oil and a form of milk protein. Cheese alternates
must be combined with at least an equal amount by weight of natural or
processed cheese. The combined cheese and cheese alternate products
may be used to fulfill the meat/meat alternate requirement but only when
used in cooked items such as macaroni and cheese or pizza. The cheese
alternate may meet no more than 50 percent of the meat/meat alternate
requirement.
Only cheese alternates that appear on the U.S. Depanment of Agriculture
listing of acceptable cheese alternate products and have the following
statement on the label may be used: "This product meets USDA-FNS
specifications for cheese alternate products."
NOTE: Cheese alternate products may not be used on cold salads or
salad bars.
VPP's are processed from soy or other vegetable protein sources and are
fortified with vitamins and minerals. VPP may be used in the dry, partially
hydrated, or fully hydrated form when in combination with meat, poultry, or
seafood. However, a fully hydrated VPP may not exceed a ratio of 30-
parts-to-70-parts uncooked meat, poultry, or seafood. For example, no
more than 3 pounds of VPP may be combined with 7 pounds of uncooked
ground beef. Only VPP's thft have the label statement, "This product
meets USDA-FNS requirements for use in meeting a portion of the meaV
meat alternate requirement of the Child Nutrition Programs," may be used
as an alternate food.
Enriched macaroni with fortified protein is a macaroni product to which
protein has been added. It is not the same as regular enriched macaroni.
Enriched macaroni with fortified protein must be combined with meat,
poultry, fish, or cheese Dry enriched macaroni with fortified protein may be
used to meet no more than 50 percent of the meaVmeat alternate
requirement. You may use only the products that appear on the USDA
listing of acceptable enriched macaroni with fortified protein, and that have
the following statement on the label: "One ounce dry weight of this product
meets one-half of the meat or meat alternate requirements of lunch or
supper of the USDA Ch1ld Nutnt1or. Programs when served 1n combmation
with one or more ounces of cooked meat. poultry, fish. or cheese."
Meat/Meat Alternate Combinations
Using a combination of meat/meat alternates to comply with the
requirement is allowed under program regulations. However, it is not
recommended because it is more difficult to determine a complete meal
with Offer Versus Serve (OVS) which gives students the option to choose
3, 4, or 5 of the foods offered. For those School Food Authorities (SFA) that
prefer to use a combination of meuV111eat alternates in the main dish and in
one other menu item, the lists below show examples. If you choose to use
combinations, merchandise them together as a single item because both
items must be taken if it is to count as a reimbursable component. For
example, if a student takes the soup, he or she must take the sandw1ch too.
According to the School Lunch Patterns chart i11 appendix D (page 67), the
minimum required serving size of meaVmeat alternate is 1-1/2 oz for
children ages 3-8.
Examples of combinations that meet the 1-1/2 oz requirement:
1 oz cooked lean meat + 1 /2 oz cheese
1 oz cooked fish + 1/4 large egg
1 oz cooked lean meat + 1 /8 cup cooked dry beans
1/4 cup cottage cheese + 1 /4 large egg
1 oz cooked poultry + 1 tbsp peanut butter
1/4 cup cooked dry peas + 1/2 oz cheese
2 tbsp peanut butter + 1/2 oz cheese
7
8
The m1nimum requ1red serving size for children age 9 and older is 2 oz of
meat/meat alternate.
Examples of combinations that meet the 2 oz requ1rement:
1 oz cooked lean meat + 1 oz cheese
1 oz cooked fish + 1 /2 large egg
1 oz cooked lean meat + 1/4 cup cooked dry beans
1/4 cup cottage cheese+ 1/2 large egg
1 1 12 oz cooked poultry + 1 tbsp peanut butter
1-1 /2 oz cooked lean meat + 1/2 oz cheese
1 /4 cup cooked dry peas + 1 oz cheese
2 tbsp peanut butter + 1 oz cheese
Example: Macaroni and cheese (1 oz cheese) served with 112 of a peanut
butter sandwic.;h (2 tbsp peanut butter) for the main dish and one
other menu item.
Check w1th your State agency for addit1onal1nformat1on.
Vegetable/Fruit
Component
Two or more servings of different vegetables and/or fruits must be served
to meet the vegetable/fruit requirement. Menu items such as fruit cocktail
and mixed vegetables are considered as only one serving. However, large
combination vegetable/fruit salads, served as an entree which contain at
least 3/4 cup or more of vegetables/fruits in combination with a meat/meat
alternate, such as a chef's salad or a fruit plate with cottage cheese. are
considered as two or more servings of vegetable/fruit and will meet the full
requirement.
The minimum required serving size of the vegetable/fruit component is 1/2
cup (children ages 3-8) or 3/4 cup (children age 9 a1 ' older) and it must
consist of two or more servings of different 1tems.
9
10
Examples of combinations that meet the 1/2 cup vegetable/fruit
requirement for children ages 3-8:
3/8 cup vegetable + 1/8 cup fruit
1/4 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup vegetable
1/4 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup fruit
1/4 cup fruit + 1/4 cup fruit
1/4 cup juice (full-strength) + 1/4 cup vegetable
11'.:. -..!P vegetable + 1/8 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup fruit
Examples of combinations that meet the 3/4 cup vegetable/fruit
requirement for children age 9 and older:
3/8 cup vegetable + 3/8 cup fruit
1/4 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup fruit
3/8 cup vegetable + 1/4 cup vegetable + 1/8 cup fruit
3/8 cup Juice (full-strength) + 3/8 cup vegetable
1/4 cup juice (full-strength)+ 1/2 cup vegetable
Full-strength vegetable/fruit JUice may not be used to meet more than one·
half of the vegetable/fruit reqUirement. Any product-either liquid or
frozen-labeled "juice, " "full-strength juice," "single-strength juice," or
"reconstituted juice" is considered full-strength juice.
"Juice drinks" served either in liquid or frozen form may contain only a small
amount of full-strength juice. The product label may or may not indicate the
percentage of full-strength juice in the product. This information is needed
to determine the contribution of the product to the meal. To be used tn
meeting a pa11 of the vegetable/fruit requirement, the product must contain
a minimum of 50 percent full-strength juice. Only the full-strength juice
portion may be counted to meet the vegetable/fruit requirement.
NOTE: 3 oz of full-strength juice will provide 3/8 cup of vegetable/fruit
(one-half of the requirement for students age 9 and older). 2 oz of
full-strength juice w111 provide 1/4 cup of the vegetable/fruit (one­third
of the requirement for students age 9 and older or one-half of
t 1e requirement for students ages 3-8).
Small amounts (less than 1/8 cup) of vegetable~/fruits used for flavoring or
an optional ingredient, such as a garnish, may not be counted toward the
vegetable/fruit requirement.
As noted before, cooked dry beans or peas may be used as a meat
alternate or as a vegetable but not as both in the same meal.
Potato chips, corn chips, taco chips, and other similar chips that are
considered snack foods may not be counted as a vegetable to meet the
vegetable/fruit requirement.
NOTE: Rice is not a vegetable. However, Spanish Rice (B-17) counts
toward the vegetable requirement because of the vegetables
included in the recipe.
Check with your State agency for additional information.
11
12
Bread/Bread
Alternate
Component
The daily minimum lunch requirement of bread/bread alternate for children
age 3 and older is one servmg, however a minimum of eight servings must
be provided over a 5-day week.
A serving is:
1 slice of whole-grain or enriched bread
1 whole-grain or enriched biscuit, roll. muffin, etc.
1/2 cup of cooked whole-grain or enriched cereal grains such as
rice. corn grits, or bulgur
1/2 cup of macaroni, noodle, or other whole-grain or enriched pasta
products
OR
a combination of any of the above
NOTE: A serving of coffee cake, doughnuts, fortified grain fruit products,
or sweetrolls made w1th whole-grain or enriched meal or flour can
only be used to meet the bread/bread alternate at breakfast or as
a snacl<.
Schools serving lunch 6 or 7 days per week should increase this specified
quantity for the 5-day period by approximately 20 percent (one-fifth) for
each additional day. Correspondingly, for each day less than a 5-day week,
the school may decrease the quantity by approximately 20 percent (one­fifth).
The following criteria are used as a basis for crediting items to meet the
bread/bread alternate requirement:
1. The item must be whole-grain or enriched or made from whole-grain or
enriched meal or flour.
2. If it is enriched, the item must meet the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration's (FDA) Standards of Identity for enriched bread,
macaroni and noodle products. rice, cornmeal, or corn grits.
3. The item must contain whole-grain and/or enriched flour and/or meal as
the primary ingredient by weight as specified on the label or according to
the recipe, or must be enriched in preparation or processing and labeled
"enriched." It a cereal is fortified, the label must so indicate.
4. The item must be provided in quantities specified in the regulations and
in minimum serving sizes as specified in the School Lunch Patterns
chart in appendix D (page 67).
5. The item must serve the customary function of bread in a meal. For a
lunch this means the bread item must be served as an accompaniment
to, or a recognizable integral part of, the main dish (not merely as an
ingredient).
The service of rice, pasta, or other cereal grains does not prohibit the
service of an additional bread/bread altmnate item in keeping with good
menu planning practices, e.g., spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread.
Additionally, rice, pasta, or other cereal grains may be served in
combination with bread or other bread alternates to meet the minimum
requirement, e.g., rice and bread.
Enriched macaroni products with fortified protein may be used to meet a
part of the meat/meat alternate requirement or to meet the bread/bread
alternate requirement, but not both in the same meal.
13
14
Snack products, such as hard thin pretzels, chips, and similar items made
from grain and sweet products {such as cakes and cookies) may not be
counted as bread/bread alternates.
NOTE: Potatoes are a vegetable and not a bread/bread alternate. Dessert
pie crust may not be counted as a bread/bread alternate.
Check with your State agency for additional information.
Milk
Component
In the school lunch program, schools must otter students:
Fluid whole milk, and
Fluid unflavored lowfat milk
Lowfat milk is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as milk
that contains 1/2, 1, 1-1/2, or 2 percent fat.
In addition to offering the above required milk choices, schools have the
option of mal<ing any other type of milk available. Schools may offer fluid
unflavored skim milk, cultured buttermilk, or flavored fluid milk as an option.
All fluid milk must meet State and local standards for fluid milk under the
Child Nutrition Program regulations for the applicable age or grade. All
pasteurized milk shall contain vitamins A and D at levels spe~ified by the
FDA and consistent with State and local standards.
The required minimum serving size for children ages 3 to 4 is 3/4 cup (6 fl
oz) and for children over age 4 is 1/2 pint (8 fl oz).
Check with your State agency for additional information.
15
16
Sample Menus
Identifying
Food
Components
and F ~ od Items
The chart below shows sample menus. food ttems, and the food
component requirements
Sample Menu
Pizza (0-31)
Green beans
Fresh fruit
Milk
Sample Menu
Deli turkey sandwtch
Lettuce tomato
Spicy baked apple
Milk
Food Item
Cheese/ground beef
Ptzza crust
T ornata sauce
Green beans
Orange/apple
Milk
Food Item
Turkey
French roll
Lettuce/tomato
Apple
Milk
Food Component
Meat/meat alternate
Bread/bread alternate
Vegetable/
I
I
I
/fruit
FlUid milk
Food Component
Meavmeat alternate
Bread'bread alternate
Vegetable/
I
/fruit
Fluid milk
•
•
•
Sample Menu
Tacos
(D-13, 13A)
Lettuce/tomato
Mexicali corn (1-12)
Fruit cup
Milk
Sample Menu
Lasagna (D-25)
Garlic bread
Tossed salad
Banana
Milk
Food Item
Bean/meat and cheese filling
Taco shells
Lettuce/tomato
Corn
Pineapple/peach/pear
Milk
Food Item
Cheese/meat sauce
Tom a to sauce
Pasta
Bread
Lettuce/tomatoes/carrots
Banana
Milk
Food Component
Meat/meat alternate
Bread/bread alternate
Vegetable/
I
I
I
/fruit
Fluid milk
Food Component
Meat/meat alternate
Vegetable/fruit
" Bread/bread alternate
Bread/bread alternate
Vegetable/
I
/fruit
Fluid milk
" Two portions of bread/bread alternate count towards the eight servings
required for the week. However, they only count as one item for the day.
See page 5 fer the Bread/bread alternate requirement.
17
18
Food Item Exercise
Classify these foods according to the food component groups by placing
the number of the food item in the appropriate category. Some of the food
items can be counted toward the requirements of the school lunch meal
pattern and others are "extras." Some food items may fall into more than
one category.
1 . Enriched spaghetti 16. Tuna fish
2. French fries 17. Rice pudding
3. Canned chicken soup 18. Cranberry sauce
4. Brownie 19. Cottage cheese
5. Enriched taco shells 20. Bacon
6. Walnuts 21 . Apple-honey cobbler
7. Chicken nuggets 22. Strawberry gelatin
8. Lemonade 23. Raisins
9. Baked beans 24. Peanuts
10. Cheddar cheese 25. A sprig of parsley
11 . Hamburger patty 26. Whole-grain rice
12. Saltine crackers 27. Chocolate milk, 8 oz
13. Skim milk, 8 oz 28. Sugar cookie
14. Carrot sticks 29. Apple juice
15. Cupcakes 30. Potato chips
Food Component Groups
Meat/ Vegetable/ Bread/
meat alternate fruit bread alternate Milk
Extras/
other foods
See appendix C (page 59) for tha answers.
•
•
•
Traditional School Lunch Exercise
Are These Meals Retmbursable?
(Assume all portions are one servrng.)
1. Taco salad (E-10)
Rice pudding
Milk
2. Oven-fried chicken (0·29)
Mashed potatoes
Ice cream
Milk
3. Pizza (D-30, 31 , 31A)
Tossed salad
Banana
Milk
4. Spaghetti with meat sauce (0-35)
Green beans
Garlic bread
Milk
5. Chili dog on a bun
Potato chips
Gelatin cubes
Fresh orange wedges
6. Toasted cheese
sandwich (F-7)
Broccoli
Apple wedge
Milk
19
7. Deli ham and cheese
(or turkey) sandwich
Pear half
Milk
8. Beef burrito (0-12)
Mexicali corn (1-12)
Milk
9. Chef salad {pre-made)
Hot roll
Milk
20
10. Tuna-noodle casserole
(0-37)
Peas
Crushed pineapple
11 . Chicken salad sandwich
Carrot and celery sticks
Oven-roasted potatoes
Milk
12. Chicken nuggets
Mashed potatoes
Milk
13. Chili Con Carne with beans
(0-20)
Cornbread (B-9)
Celery sticks
Milk
14. Fish portion
Scalloped potatoes
(1-16, 16A)
Coleslaw {E-6)
Hot roll
Milk
15. Macarom and cheese (D-26)
Peas
Small red apple
Milk
16. Sloppy Joe on Roll (F-5)
Oven french fries
Pickle
Cherry cobbler (C-6)
Milk
17. Salisbury steak (D-33)
Peas and carrots
Whole-wheat roll
Milk
18. Corn dog
Macaroni salad (E-7)
Carrot and celery sticks
Milk
19. Homemade chicken soup
Brownie
Milk
20. Chicken and vegetable pot pie
Raisins
Milk
21 Fish sticks
R1ce
Mixed vegetables
Milk
22. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Brownie
Milk
23. Cottage cheese with fruit plate
Whole-wheat roll
Milk
24. Hamburger on a bun
French fries
Orange gelatin
Milk
25. Baked potato ( 1-4) w1th chili
Broccoli
Canned peaches
Milk
Sugar cookies
See appendix C (page 61) for the answers.
21
22
What a Student
Must Be
Offered
What a Student
Must Take
Part 2
The Reimbursable Lunch Under Offer
Versus Serve (OVS)
The first requirement for a reimbursable lunch under OVS is that all f1ve
food items must be offered (made available) to all students.
The second requirement is that the serving size of each of the five food
items must equal the minimum quantities specified in appendix D (page 67),
School Lunch Patterns for Various Age/Grade Groups. (Schools that
cannot vary portion sizes by age or grade must serve the minimum
quantities for age 9 and older.) Two separate vegetable/fruit food items
must be offered. The combined serving sizA of the two vegetable/fruit items
must total the required minimum quantity by age/grade group fur the
vegetable/fruit component.
The third requirement is that the lunch must be priced as a unit and
students may take 3, 4, or all 5 items for the same price.
Senior High School Students
For a lunch to be reimbursable, a semor high school student must take the
full portions of no fewer than three of the five food items offered. Students
are not required to take specific food items as long as they choose at least
three of the five items offered. When a student has turned down a full
portion of one or two items, the student may be offered a smaller portion of
those 1tems. The offering of a smaller portion is not mandatory and is a local
decision. (For guidance on portion sizes, check with the School Food
Authority (SFA) or State agency.) However, the smaller portion(s) cannot
count toward meeting the requirements for a reimbursable meal.
Students Below Senior High Level
Below senior high level OVS is optional. The SFA may decide to allow OVS
and how many items students must take; however, which items the
students take is their choice. When the SFA elects the four food item
minimum, a three item lunch is incomplete. For a lunch to be reimbursable,
~tudents below the semor h1gh level must take 'Jll portions of at least three
or four (at the SF A's option) of the five food items offered. As with high
school students, when a student has turned down a full portion of any item,
the school may offer the student a smaller portion of that item. The offering
of a smaller port1on is not mandatory and is a local decision. However, the
smaller portion cannot count toward meeting the requirements for a
reimbursable meal.
•
•
•
Identifying
Food Items
In order to be able to rdentrfy whether a lunch is rermbursable under OVS. rt
rs necessary to be able to identrfy the five food items as they appear rn a
lunch.
Sample Menu 5 Food Items 4 Components
1. Oven-baked chicken 1. Chrcken 1. Meat/meat alternate
2 Green beans 2. Beans 2. Vegetable/fruit
3 Canned peaches 3. Peaches (2 servings)
4 Hot roll 4 Bread 3. Bread/bread alternate
5 Milk 5. FlUid mrlk 4 . Flurd mrlk
23
24
Sample Menus
and Student
Choices
The following are examples of typical planned menus showing how OVS
functions when implemented correctly. Each of these selections represents
a reimbursable lunch, provided that the student is charged a unit price for
the lunch.
Sample Menu (offered):
Hamburger patty on a bun
Oven-roasted potatoes
Fresh fruit
Fluid milk
2 oz meat + 2 bread items'*
1/2 cup vegetable
1/4 cup fruit
1/2 pint
"Two portions of bread count towards the eight servings required for the
week. They count as one item for the day. See page 12 for the bread/bread
alternate requirements.
Student's Choice (selected):
Hamburger patty (2 oz) on a bun (meat+ bread) and FlUid milk
(milk)= 3 food items
Hamburger patty (2 oz) on a bun (meat+ bread) and Oven-roasted
potatoes (vegetable) = 3 food Items
Hamburger patty (2 oz) on a bun (meat + bread) and Fresh fruit
(fruit) = 3 food items
Fluid milk (milk), Oven-roasted potatoes (vegetable), and Fresh fruit
(fruit) = 3 food items
Hamburger patty (2 oz) on a bun (meat+ bread), Oven-roasted
potatoes (vegetable), and Fluid milk (milk)= 4 food items
Sample Menu (oh red):
Pizza with cheese top!JIIlg (0·30)
Apple juice
Salad
Fluid milk
Student's Choice (selected):
2 oz cheese and pizza crust
made with enriched flour
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup
1/2 cup
1/2 pint
Cheese pizza (bread + meat alternate + vegetable) and Fluid milk (milk)
= 4 food items
Cheese pizza (bread+ meat al:ernate +vegetable) and Apple juice
(fruit) = 3 food items
Apple juice (fruit), Salad (vegetable), and Fluid milk (milk)= 3 food items
Cheese pizza (bread + meat alternate +vegetable), Apple juice (fruit),
and Salad (vegetable)= 4 food items
25
26
Sample Menu (offered):
Fish sticks
Rice
Mixed vegetables
Orange
Fluid milk
Student's Choice (selected):
2 oz meat
1 /2 cup bread alternate
3/8 cup vegetables
3/8 cup orange slices
1/2 pint
Fish sticks (2 oz meat), Rice (bread alternate), and Fluid milk (milk) = 3
food items
Fish sticks (2 oz meat), Mixed vegetables (vegetable), and Fluid milk (milk)
= 3 food items
Fish sticks (2 oz meat), Rice (bread alternate), and Orange (fruit) = 3 food
items
Fish st1cks (2 oz meat), Rice (bread alternate}, and Mixed vegetables
(vegetable)= 3 food items
Mixed vegetables (vegetable), Rice (bread alternate), and Fluid milk
(milk)= 3 food items
Mixed vegetables (vegetable), Orange (fruit), and Fluid milk (milk) = 3 food
items
Fish sticks (2 oz meat), Rice (bread alternate), M1xed vegetabiP.s
(vegetable), and Fluid milk (milk) = 4 food items
Exercises in Identifying a Reimbursable Lunch Under OVS
Lunch Menu:
Hamburger patty (2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
(1/4 cup total)
Small apple (1/2 cup)
Milk (1 /2 pint)
Hamburger patty (2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
(1 /4 cup total)
Small apple ( 1 /2 cup)
Milk (1/2 pint)
Hamburger patty (2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
(1 /4 cup total)
Small apple ( 1 /2 cup)
Milk (1/2 pint)
Student Takes:
Hamburger patty
Bun
Apple
Hamburger patty
Milk
Milk
Hamburger patty
Lettuce leaf
Apple
See appendix C (page 63) for the answers.
Reimbursable Meal?
27
•
•
I
•
28
Milk
Component
Vegetable/Fruit
Component
Meat/Meat
Alternate
Component
Part 3
Meal Pattern Requirements in the School
Breakfast Program
rn order to improve the nutritional value of the breakfasts provided to
children in the School Breakfast Program (SSP), a new breakfast meal
pattern regulation was published on May 1, 1989. It requires that an
additional food item be added to school breakfasts. A complete school
breakfast now consists of:
one serving of:
Fluid milk, and
one serving of:
Vegetable/fruit or full-strength juice, and
two servings of either:
Bread/bread alternate,
or MeaVmeat alternate,
or one serving of Bread/bread alternate and one of MeaVmeat
alternate.
To meet the requirements of the breakfast meal pattern, 1/2 pint of fluid
milk must be offered to all students age 6 or older. The fluid milk may be
served as a beverage, on cereal, or both. Choices of whole milk, lowfat
milk, skim milk, or buttermilk should be offered whenever possible. The milk
should meet State and local standards for pasteurized fluid milk and should
contain vitamins A and D at levels specified by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and consistent with State and local standards.
Students age 6 or older must be offered a 1/2 cup serving of a vegetable/
fruit, or full-strength vegetable/fruit juice.
If more than one vegetable/fruit item is bemg offered, the total quant1ty
must be 1/2 cup for children age 6 and older. For example, the menu may
contam two 1/4 cup servings of two different vegetables/fruits.
Foods that meet the meaVmeat alternate requ1rement in the SBP are:
1 oz serving of meat, poultry, or fish
1 oz of cheese
1/2 large egg
2 tbsp of peanut butter or other nut and seed butters
4 tbsp of cooked dry beans or peas
1 oz of nuts and/or seeds
or
an equivalent quantity of any combination of any of these foods
29
30
Bread/Bread
Alternate
Component
Use a variety of meat/meat alternates- eggs, ground beef, pork, cheese.
dried peas and beans, fish, poultry, or peanut butter and other nut and
seed butters and peanuts, soy nuts, tree nuts, or seeds.
A double serving of a meat/meat alternate will count as two food items
toward the breakfast requirement, e.g., one large egg omelet (a large egg
equals two food items), or cheese omelet (1 /2 large egg and 1 oz cheese
equal two food items).
A serving of bread/bread alternate is defined as one slice of enriched or
whole-grain bread or an equ1valent serving of biscuit, muffin, cornbread,
etc., made of whole-grain or enriched flour. A servmg of cooked whole­grain
cereal or enriched or fortified cereal such as rice, corn grits, or bulgur
also meets the requirement for a bread/bread alternate. While a serving of
coffee cake, doughnuts, or sweetrolls made with whole-gram or enriched
meal or flour qualifies as a bread/bread alternate, these items should be
offered only once or twice a month because of their high sugar content.
A full serving of bread/bread alternate may be one food item or may be split
among two food items of that same component as long as the combined
total quantity is equal to a full serving.
Example: One tull serving for a student age 6 or older: 1/2 biscuit and 1/2
slice of toast or 1/2 muffin and 1/2 serving of cereal
Two servings of either a bread/bread alternate or meat/meat alternate or
one bread and one meat must be offered. A double serving of the same
bread/bread alternate will count as 'Jod 1tems toward the breakfast
requirements, e.g., two pancakes, v whole waffle.
Part 4
The Reimbursable Breakfast Under Offer
Versus Serve (OVS)
Prior to 1989, all students participating in the School Breakfast Program
(SBP) were required to take all three food items from the three-component
breakfast. However, in May 1989 when the breakfast pattern was changed
to require that four food items be offered, local School Food Authorities
(SFA) were allowed the option to extend OVS to the SBP. Under this
provision, the local SFA may allow students to decline one item that they
do not intend to consJme. The decision as to which food item to decline
rests solely with the student.
To count as a component, the student must take a full serving of that
component. The full serving may be one food item or may be split among
two or more food items of the same component (i.e., bread/bread alternate
or meaVmeat alternate component), as long as the combined total quantity
taken of the component is equal to a full serving of that component.
Example: One full serving for a student 6 years or older:
1/2 slice toast and 1 /2 oz enriched cereal
or
1 /2 oz lean meat and 1/2 oz cheese
However, if the student only selected a half serving of bread/bread
alternate and a half serving of meat/meat alternate such as a half slice of
cheese toast (1/2 oz cheese, 1/2 slice bread), no credit would be given for
either the meat alternate or the bread.
A double serving of the bread/bread alternate or meaVmeat alternate will
count as two food items toward the breakfast requirements, e.g., one whole
muffin (large). or egg and cheese omelet (1 /2 large egg and 1 oz of
cheese). However, as in the National School Lunch Program, a second
servmg of vegetable/fruit or JUice or a second servmg of m1lk will not count
towards the breakfast requirements.
31
32
What a Student
Must Be
Offered
The first requirement for a reimbursable breakfast under Offer Versus
Serve (OVS) is that all four food items must be offered (made available) to
all students. The four items that must be offered consist of:
One serving of fluid milk
One serving of vegetable/fruit, or full-strength fruit
juice or vegetable juice, and either
Two servings of bread/bread alternate
OR
Two servings of meat/meat alternate
OR
One serving of meat/meat alternate and one serving of
bread/bread alternate
The second requirement is that the serving size of those four required food
items must equal the minimum quantities specified in appendix D (page
68), School Breakfast Meal Pattern Requirements. (The bread/bread alter­nate
and meat/meat alternate components consist of a total of two or more
servings, as shown above. The total serving size of these components
must equal the required minimum quantity by age/grade group for each of
the two food items.)
Any of the following combinations will fulfill the breakfast meal
requirements:
Combination 1 Combination 2 Combination 3
1. Fluid milk 1. Fluid milk 1. Fluid milk
2. Vegetable/fruit 2. Vegetable/fruit 2. Vegetable/fruit
or fruit juice or or fruit juice or or fruit juice or
vegetable juice vegetable juice vegetable juice
3. Meat/meat 3. Bread/bread 3. Meat/meat
alternate alternate alternate
4. Meat/meat 4. Bread/bread 4 Bread/bread
alternate alternate alternate
33
34
What a Student
Must Take
Sample Menus
and Student
Choices Under
ovs
For a breakfast to be reimbursable under OVS, a student must take full
portions of at least three of the four food items offered. {For guidance on
portion sizes, see appendix 0 (page 66) of this manual.) When a student
has turned down a full port1on of an item, the student may be offered a
smaller portion of the item. The offering of a smaller portion is not manda·
tory and is a local decision. However, the smaller portion cannot count
toward meeting the requirements for a reimbursable meal. Breakfast must
be priced rts a unit and the same price charged whether 3 or 4 items are
taken.
The following are examples of typical planned menus showing how OVS
functions when implemented correctly Each of these selections represents
a reimbursable breakfast, provided that the student is charged a unit price
for the breakfast.
Sample menu (offered):
Orange wedges
Cheese toast
Fluid milk
1/2 cup
1 slice bread + 1 oz cheese
1/2 pint
Student's choice (selected):
Orange wedges (fruit) and Cheese toast (bread and meat alternate)= 3
food items
Fluid milk (milk) and Cheese toast (bread and meat alternate)= 3 food
items
Sample menu (offered):
Sliced peaches
Whole bagel
Fluid milk
Student's choice (selected):
1/2 cup
2 bread items
1/2 pint
Sliced peaches (fruit) and Whole bagel (2 breads)= 3 food items
Sliced peaches (fruit), 1/2 Bagel (1 bread), aild Fluid milk 2 pint) = 3
food items
Whole bagel (2 breads) and Fluid milk (milk)= 3 food items
35
36
Exercises in Identifying a Reimbursable Breakfast Under OVS
Menu:
Fruit cup {1/2 cup)
Hard-cooked egg
{1 large)
Whole-wheat toast
{1 slice}
Fluid milk
(1 /2 pint)
Orange slices
{1 /4 cup)
Apple wedges
(1 /4 cup}
Bagel (1 )
Fluid milk (1 /2 pint)
Grape juice
(1 /2 cup)
Cheese toast
( 1 oz cheese)
(1 slice toast)
Fluid milk (1/2 pint)
Student Takes:
Fruit cup
Hard-cooked egg
Orange slices
Bagel
Cheese toast
Fluid milk
Reimbursable
Breakfast?
Sliced peaches
(1 /2 cup)
Ready-to-eat cereal
(3/4 cup)
Raisin toast
(1 slice)
Crisp bacon (1 slice)
Fluid milk ( 1/2 pint}
Orange and
grapefruit sections
(1 /2 cup)
Pancakes (2)
Fluid m1lk
(1 /2 pint)
Sliced peaches
Raisin toast
Crisp bacon
1 Pancake
2 Fluid milks
See appendix c (page 64) for the answers.
37
BLANK PAGE
Part 5
Substitutions or Variations in the National
School Lunch and School Breakfast
Programs
Medical or Special Dietary Needs
The programs' regulations allow substitutions on a case by case basis for
the basic meal requirements if a child is unable to consume the required
food because of medical or other special dietary needs. (See FNS
Instruction 783.2, Rev.1, 6/6/88.)
Example: A child with lactose intolerance may receive a substitute in place
of the milk requirement.
All exceptions must be supported by a statement from a recognized
medical authority that includes recommended substitute foods. The
statement should be maintained on file in the school.
For handicapped students, where the handicap is certified by a physician or
designated school official, substitutions must be made when their handicap
restricts their diet. These substitutions must be supported by a statement
signed by a physician and maintained on file in the school.
Reimbursement for meals served with an authorized substitute food may be
claimed at the same reimbursement rate as meals that meet the regular
meal pattern. However, there must not be an additional charge to the child
for the substituted food.
Religious, Ethnic, or Economic Needs
The Food and Nutrition Serv1ce (FNS}, the Federal agency that regulates
these programs, may approve variations in the food components of the
meals on an experimental or on a continuing basis in any school where
there is evidence that such variations are nutritionally sound and are
necessary to meet religious, ethnic, or economic needs. However, these
exceptions must be granted by FNS, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Washington, DC.
Example: There are approved variations for Jewish and Seventh-day
Adventist schools. (See FNS Instructions 783-13, Rev. 1, 5/22/
89, and 783-14, 12/30/83.}
39
40
Pricing
Lunches and
Breakfasts
Foreign Meal Patterns
Schools in American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may serve
a starchy vegetable such as yams, plantains, or sweet potatoes to meet the
bread/bread alternate requirement. For the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, FNS has established a meal pattern that is consistent with
local food consumption patterns and which. given available food supplies
and food service equipment and facilities, provides opt1mum nutrition
consistent with sound dietary habits for participating children.
For further information, check with your State agency.
Milk Supply
If emergency conditions temporanly prevent a school that normally has a
supply of fluid milk from obta1nmg delivery of the milk, the State agency
may approve the service of meals dunng the emergency period either with
an available alternate form of m1lk or without milk.
For further information, check with your State agency.
Unit Pricing
The programs' regulations require that both school lunches and breakfasts
be priced as a unit. In addition, regulations state that the Offer Versus
Serve (OVS) provision is not to affect the selling price for the lunch or
breakfast established by the School Food Authority. Regardless of which
items a student chooses, he/she must pay the established paid or reduced­price
meal charge, as appropnate. Students eligible for free meals pay
nothing.
A Ia Carte
If a school provides "a Ia carte" service, any combmation of foods that
would comprise the minimum three (or four) required food items of the
planned school meal may be sold at the unit price for school breakfast or
lunch. The meal may be claimed for reimbursement as long as all five food
items are made available to each student for lunch and all four for
breakfast. Also, in this case, "a Ia carte" items would have to be made
available free to children eligible for free meals. If students choose fewer
than the minimum requind food items, "a Ia carte" prices should be
Menu Planning
charged. Also, if they choose additional foods that are not planned and
merchandised as part of the school meal, they should pay the "a Ia carte"
price for those other items. "A Ia carte" prices should be set to cover the
total cost of each menu item.
Equal Access for All Students-Free, Reduced-price, and Paid
When a school offers a selection of more than one type of meal or when it
offers a variety of foods and fluid milk for choice within the required meal
pattern, the school must offer all children the same selection regardless of
whether the children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals or pay the
full price. If certain items are not made available to all children, including
those receiving free or reduced-price meals, those items may not be
counted toward reimbursable meals. The school may establish different unit
prices for each type of lunch served provided that the benefits made
available to children eligible for free or reduced-price meals are not
affected. For example, if you have a "super" lunch with a milk shake or
other premium item, the full meal must be available to the free and reduced­price
participants at no additional charge.
Student Acceptance
Planning menus in schools requires special care. Not only must meals be
planned to meet meal requirements. but school food service managers
must strive to provide acceptable meals that students will want to eat. The
manager's goal should be to plan a meal in wh1ch each menu item is
acceptable to students so that students w111 want to consume the full meal.
Only then will students receive the full nutritional value of the meal offered
to them.
To ach1eve this goal, managers must know the preferences of their student
customers. Two ways to learn students' choices are to have tasting parties
for students and for students to help plan menus. Another way is to review
past food production records and food waste each time menus are planned,
to evaluate student acceptance of each menu item. If, over time, you
observe that an item is unpopular, try revising the recipe or using a different
brand of a processed product before substituting more popular foods.
41
42
Offering Choices
Extra consideration should be given to offering choices of different foods in
each food component group. Offering choices gives students more of an
opportunity to select foods they will eat, and recognizes the fact that not all
students have the same tastes. It also increases the chances that students
will select a full meal. For instance, if several fruits and vegetables were
offered, chances are students will take the two they will eat. One of the
goals of the National School Lunch Program and School 8reakfast Program
is to encourage the consumption of a wide variety of nutritious foods in well­balanced,
healthful meals. W1th careful planning, offering choices can result
in increased customer satisfaction and less food waste.
Practical Menu Planning Tips
The suggestions in this section are offered as tips to make your lunches
and breakfasts more attractive to students. The success of your school
lunch and breakfast programs depends on how appealing students find the
meals. In areas where OVS is implemented, attractiveness of the
components is particularly important in order to ensure that students will
take meals that meet minimum requirements for reimbursement.
Although regulations allow the meat/meat alternate to be served in the main
dish or in the main dish and in one other menu item, it is easier to
determine that a complete component has been taken if the main dish
contains the full serving of a meat/meat alternate. If a menu is occasionally
planned in which the meat/meat alternate is split between menu items, such
as soup and sandwich combination, merchandise and serve the two items
together.
Combination main d1shes can also be used m the breakfast program:
• Try combination dishes such as gnts-cheese casserole,
breakfast burritos, and sandwiches.
• Nuts and seeds can also be blended into pancake and waffle
batters.
•
•
•
• M1x nuts and seeds with dried fruits to serve "as is" or as a
topping for hot cereal.
In schools that do not offer cho1ces of meat/meat alternates each day. no
one form of meat should be served more than three times a week. "Form of
meat" refers to ground. sliced, p1eces, etc. For example, this
recommendation means that four items made w1th ground beef, such as
tacos, spaghetti with meat sauce, hamburgers, and meat loaf should not be
served in a single week. This is also true for meat alternate foods: cheese,
cooked dry beans or peas. eggs, peanut butter and other nut and seed
butters and peanuts, soy nuts, tree nuts. or seeds. Thus. for example, four
cheese items such as gnlled cheese sandwich. macaroni and cheese,
cheese pizza, and cheese lasagna should not all be served in a single
week Schools that do offer choices of meat meat alternates each day may
serve any one meat alternate or form of meat as frequently as good menu
plannmg practices allow Plan only full servings of bread/bread alternate If
there are two menu 1tems contalnmg bread. be sure each of these 1tems
contams a full serving of bread.
43
44
Example. Serve chicken with a full servmg of nee and a dinner roll;
then both the rice and the roll can be counted as a bread/bread
alternate.
Different kinds of breads can be used in the breakfast program as well:
e Use a variety of hot breads such as cornbread, and different kinds
of muffins and biscuits.
e Try breakfast rolls made with bulgur, rolled wheat, or oats
• Breakfast sandwiches. pancakes. waffles, or french toast add a
variety of menu options.
• Serve hot cereals or use prepackaged. preportioned dry cereals.
including those made from enriched or whole-grain wheat, corn.
rice, and oats.
Production
Planning
For lunch. plan three or more cho1ces of vegetables/frUits in equal, sta:1dard
serving sizes (1 /4 cup servings for ages 5 to 8 and 3/8 cup servmgs for age
9 and older) from which students are likely to select two. Remember that a
servmg of mixed vegetables/fruits (e.g .. peaches and pears or peas and
carrots) counts only as one food item. Also, a second serving of the same
vegetable(s)/fruit(s) cannot be counted because of the requirement that the
two vegetable/fruit servings must be from different sources.
See appendix D (page 66) for the chart showmg recommended scoop
SIZeS.
Studies indicate students consume more fruits. raw vegetables. and
potatoes than other cooked vegetables (example: students take more
orange wedges than cooked spinach). Plan larger portions of these foods
and smaller portions of cooked vegetables.
e Use fresh, canned, frozen, and dried fruits interchangeably.
See the Menu Planmng Guide for School Food Service. Program Aid
Number 1260, for general principles of menu planmng.
Food Production Records
If properly implemented, OVS should reduce food waste, since students
would not be forced to accept food they do not wish to eat. The reduction of
food waste may not be achieved, however, unless managers take care to
avoid overproduction. To ensure proper planmng for OVS, managers will
need to keep accurate daily records of food production for each menu item.
The food production record should show the quantities of foods prepared
and left over each t1me the menu 1s served. The record should also include
a space for other pertinent 1nformat1on about the day's production, such as
overproduction due to a class field tnp when the manager was not notified
and comments on student acceptance of each menu 1tem. These records
then become a valuable planning tool, since they can be used along with
other pertinent information to estimate the amounts of each menu 1tem to
prepare the next time it is served.
Cycle Menus
Because cycle menus repeat themselves, they too can be very helpful in
making production estimates more accurate. (For further information on
cycle menus, refer to the Menu Planning Gwde for School Food Service,
Program Aid Number 1260.)
45
46
Quantities
The FNS publication entitled Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition
Programs (Program Aid Number 1331) is a valuable aid in determining
proper quantities of food to purchase to ensure compliance with portion
sizes required under the National Schcol Lunch and School Breakfast
Programs. This guide, when used with food production records, provides
the information needed to ensure that the proper amounts of food are
prepared. Schools participating in the child nutrition programs may obtain
copies of the Menu Planning and Food Buying Guides from State agencies
free of charge.
Commonly 1. Q. What is the minimum number of food items students must select
Asked Lunch in order for a school lunch to be considered reimbursable?
and Breakfast A. Senior high school students must choose at least three of the five Questions required food items offered. If the School Food Authority (SFA)
decides to implement Offer Versus Serve (OVS), students below
the senior high school level must choose at least three (or,
depending on local policy, four) of the five required food items
offered. Students may also take "other" foods that do not meet the
requirements of the meal pattern, but these may not be counted
toward meal pattern requirements. In grade levels or schools that
have not been approved to implement OVS, all five food items
must be selected in order for meal pattern requirements to be
met.
2. Q. What is the minimum number of food 1tems students must select
in order for a school breakfast to be reimbursable?
A. If the SFA implements OVS, studer.ts must choose at least three
of the four food items offered. As with school lunch, students may
also take "other" foods that do not meet the requirements of the
meal pattern, but these may not be counted toward meal pattern
requirements. In grade levels or schools that have not been
approved to implement OVS, all four food items must be taken in
order for meal pattern requirements to be met.
3. Q. May the State agency mandate or prohibit OVS?
A. No. At the senior h1gh school level, both the legislation and
regulations clearly require SFA's to implement OVS in the
National School Lunch Program (NSLP). However, in the NSLP
below ...... nior high school level and in the School Breakfast
Program regardless of level, the authority to implement OVS 1s
delegated solely to the SFA.
47
4. a. May the SFA choose not to Implement OVS and mandate the
service of a traditional meal to students?
A. Lunch - The SFA must implement OVS for senior high school
students. The SFA has the opt1on of implementing or not
implementing OVS in elementary, middle, and JUnior high schools.
Breakfast - The SFA has the option of implementing or not
implementing OVS in any of the schools under its jurisdiction.
5. a. May the school require students to take one or more specific food
item(s) under OVS?
A. No, except in the case of combination dishes containing three or
more food 1tems or of those preplate delivery systems where the
food is prepared and packaged off-s1te as a unit before delivery to
the serving site. Otherwise, the choice of which food items to
decline rests solely with the student.
6. a. Must a school with a preplate food delivery system implement
OVS?
A. No. The Congressional intent is to allow students to refuse food
items they do not intend to consume, thereby reducing food waste
and food costs resulting from the wasted food. Generally, a
preplate delivery system does not allow students the option of
declining or taking a smaller portion of any one or two of the
required food items. To require schools with a preplate delivery
system to convert to a system that packages food items
separately just for the purpose of Implementing OVS would be
unreasonable and would defeat the objective to reduce costs.
7. a. How could a school with a preplate food delivery system
implem'3nt OVS?
A. Schools using a preplate delivery system may want to investigate
the cost of modifying their system to something that is more
48
conducive to 1mplementmg OVS. Two alternatives are· (1) to
individually portion and package each menu item or (2) to convert
to a modified bulk delivery system where some food can be
portioned at the point of service. In examining alternatives,
consideration should be given to the cost of packaging, storage,
transportation, and labor, along with the cost savings expected
from implementing OVS.
8. a. How can students experience unfamiliar food items under OVS?
A. Schools that have implemented OVS may offer their students
either a sample taste or a small port1on of new food items. This
must be in addition to the three (or four) required food items
needed for a reimbursable meal. (See page 22 for full explanation
of smaller port1ons.)
9. a. At levels below senior high school, may SF A's decide to
implement OVS in some schools within their jurisdiction and not in
others? How about in some grades and not in others? How about
on some days and not others?
A. Yes. However, !he SFA should consider the practicality of such
decisions.
10. a. Should the SFA make an effort to encourage students to choose
all of the required food items?
A. Yes. SFA's should continue to use effective food service
merchandising techniques, such as offering additional choices to
encourage students to accept and learn to like a variety of foods
served.
11. a. May a student select a second serving of any one food item to
count toward the three (or four) required food items, e.g., taking a
secane! bread or milk?
A. Lunch-No. All three required food items selected must be
different to be counted as a reimbursable lunch. If a student
desires a second serving of any one food item or items that are
beyond the requirement of any one component, it must not be
counted as part of the meal pattern. Such extra food items are
considered as "other foods" that are separate from the
49
50
reimbursable meal and may be available at extra charge as "a Ia
carte'' items. (Many SFA's give away extras with the reimbursable
meals.)
Breakfast-A student may select two servings of either a bread/
bread alternate or meat/meat alternate. In contrast to the NSLP a
double serving of the same food in the bread/bread alternate or
meat/meat alternate group will count as two food items toward the
breakfast requirements. However, a second serving of vegetable/
fruit or juice or a second serving of milk will not count toward the
breakfast requ1rements.
12. a. If a school participates in OVS, and also provides "a Ia carte"
servic' ,, how can a cashier tell if a tray w1th three food items such
as a hamburger patty, a bun, and milk should be sold at "a Ia
carte" prices or at the school lunch unit price?
A. Students must be aware that a planned meal is offered that
consists of five required items. Any combination of food available
as part of the planned meal which would comprise the minimum
three (or four) required food items may be sold at the school lunch
unit price and claimed for reimbursement. This same meal must
be made available at free or reduced-price to students eligible for
free or reduced-price meals. If a student chooses fewer than three
(or four) food items, reimbursement cannot be claimed and the "a
Ia carte" price should be charged. If a student chooses additional
foods that are not planned and merchandised as part of the school
lunch meal pattern, the student should pay the "a Ia carte" price of
those other items. "A Ia carte" prices should be established
to cover the total cost of each menu item.
13. a. Can the charge for the lunch or breakfast be reduced if students
take fewer than the five required items in lunch and the four
required items in breakfast?
A. No. The National School Lunch Act requires paying students to
pay the full meal price and students eligible for the reduced-price
to pay the current reduced-price charge regardless of whether
they take the minimum number (three or four) food items or all five
food items offered. The intent of this requirement is to maintain
incentives and encouragement for students to take all food items
offered.
14. Q. Can nuts and seeds fulfill the meat/meat alternate requirement for
school breakfast?
A. Nuts and seeds can be credited for up to one serving of the meat/
meat alternate for the SBP. No more than 1 oz of nuts and/or
seeds may be served in any one meal. Caution: Children under 5
are at the highest risk of choking. It is recommended that nuts
and/or seeds be served ground or finely chopped in a preparAd
food.
15. Q. Will the FNS-approved formulated grain-fruit products still meet
the bread/bread alternate and fruit or juice requirements for the
new breakfast meal requirements?
A. The formulated grain-fruit products meet the fruit or juice
requirements and only one of the bread/bread alternate
requirements. A second serving of bread/bread alternate or a
serving of meat/meat alternate and fluid milk is also required to be
offered for a complete breakfast. Manufacturers were required to
update their labels to reflect this contribution no later than March
30, 1990. Revised product labels state, "This product conforms to
USDA Child Nutrition Program specifications. For breakfast, it
meets the requirements for fruit/vegetable juice and one bread/
bread alternate."
51
BLANK PAGE
Part 6
Appendix A
Glossary
Child Nutrition Label (CN Label) -A label that tells how the labeled
product can be "credited" or "counted" towards meeting the meal pattern
requirements of the Child Nutrition Programs. These labels are a part of a
voluntary technical ass1stance program administered by the Foor.l and
Nutrition Service in conjunction with the Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS) and Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and National Marine Fisheries Service of the U.S.
Department of Commerce for the Child Nutrition Programs. Utlder this
program, a manufacturer's recipe or product formulation is reviewed to
determine the contribution a serving of a commercially prepared product
makes toward meal pattern requirements.
Credit - (Also see Ch1ld Nutnt1on Label.) To count or contribute toward
meeting the requirements for particular components of the meal pattern
under the Child Nutrition Programs. Full credit depends on both the amount
and formulation of the food 1tem.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - An independent agency of the
Federal government that determines Standards of Identity and acceptable
fortification levels for various food items that may be served in the school
lunch program.
Food Component - One of the four food groups that compose the
reimbursable school lunch or school breakfast, i.e., meat/meat alternate,
bread/bread alternate, vegetable/fruit, and milk.
Food Item - The specific food used to fulfill the meal component
requirement.
(a) In the lunch program th1s may be any one of the five required foods
that compose the reimbursable school lunch, i.e., one serving of meat/meat
alternate, one serv~ng of bread/bread alternate, two servings of different
vegetables or fruits or one serving of a fruit and one of a vegetable, and one
serv~ng of fluid milk.
(b) In the breakfast program the food items are any one of the four
required foods that compose the reimbursable school breakfast, i.e., one
serving of fluid milk, one serving of fruit/vegetable and either two servings of
bread/bread alternate, two servings of meat/meat alternate, or one serving
of bread/bread alternate and one serving of meat/meat alternate.
53
54
Menu Item - The foods named on the school menu to be served on a given
day. A menu item consists of any planned main dish, vegetable/fruit, bread,
fluid milk, ar1d "other foods" that do not contribute to meal pattern
requirements but are served to help round out the meal.
Meal Pattern - Foods required for the reimbursable lunch or breakfast as
listed in the meal pattern charts (See the Meal Pattern charts in appendix 0
(pages 67 and 68) of this manual).
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) - A program authorized by the
National School Lunch Act ( 1946) under which participating schools operate
a nonprofit lunch service following the required Federal meal pattern
guidelines and in accordance with Federal regulations (7 CFR Part 21 0).
Cash and donated food assistance are made available to schools
participating in this program.
Offer Versus Serve (OVS) - Under the "Offer Versus Serve" provision,
students may decline up to two of the five required food items offered in the
reimbursable lunch, and one of the four required food items offered in the
reimbursable breakfast.
State Agency (SA) - The State educational or other agency designated by
the Governor or other appropriate executive or legislative State authority
and approved by USDA to administer the Child Nutrition Programs in
schools.
School Breakfast Program (SBP) - A program authorized by the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 which provides cash assistance to schools serving
breakfasts to children. Participating schools must operate a nonprofit
breakfast program, serve breakfasts meeting specific meal patterns, and
otherwise follow Federal regulations (7 CFR Part 220).
School Food Authority (SFA)- The local governing body which is
responsible for the administration of one or more schools and which has
legal authority to operate a breakfast and/or lunch program.
"Traditional" lunch -A school lunch in which full portions of all five
required food items are served to students on trays or the equivalent.
Students are not permitted to decline any of the required food items in the
reimbursable meal.
History of Meal
Requirements
in the National
School lunch
Program
Appendix B
Background
Dunng the Depress1on of the early 1930's, ;n1llions of schoolchildren were
unable to pay for a lunch at school, or, had little at home to bring for lunch.
Because so many families had such limited resources. the danger of
malnutntion among children became a national concern. At the same time.
farmers had surplus agricultural commodities they were unable to sell. As a
solution to these problems, in 1935 Congress provided that surplus
agncultural commodities be donated for the school lunch program.
Then, during World War II, nearly one-third of the young men turned down
for military service were reJected due to nutritional deficiencies. This led to
the passage of the Nat1onal School Lunch Act in 1946, permanently
establishing school lunch as an integral part of the school system. The goal
of the National School Lunch Program 1s to safeguard the health and well­bemg
of our Nat1on's children while at the same t1me encouragmg the
domestic consumption of nutnt1ous agncultural commodities.
Originally, schools were g1ven the opt1on of providing one of three different
types of lunches. The first, the Type A lunch, was designed to provide one­third
to one-half of the minimum daily nutritional requirements of a school­age
child. A Type A lunch cons1sted of: 1) 1/2 pint of whole milk; 2) 2
ounces of meat, poultry, fish, or cheese: or 1/2 cup of cooked dry peas,
beans, or soybeans; or 4 tablespoons of peanut butter; or one egg; 3) 6
ounces of raw, cooked, or canned vegetables and/or fruit; 4) one portion of
bread, muffins, or other hot bread made of whole-grain cereal or enriched
flour; and 5) 2 teaspoons of butter or fortified margarine. Type A lunches
received the maximum rate of reimbursement.
The second option, Type B, was nutritionally less adequate and was
intended to allow schools with lim1ted food serv1ce facilities to participate in
the program Type B lunches rece1ved a smaller reimbursement than Type
A lunches. Type C lunch was the third opt1on. cons1st1ng of 1/2 pmt of whole
milk; 1t received the smallest reimbursement
Over the years. 1mportant dec1sions and nutritional research have brought
changes to the National School Lunch .\ct. In 1958, amendments required
that a Type A lunch be pnced as a un1t m order to encourage maximum
participation 1n that lunch. At the same time, Type B lunches were
elimmated, primanly because so few schools used this option and a Type A
lunch provided materially greater nutntion. Also, at this time the definition of
the vegetable component was clarif1ed. While the original regulations
allowed the fruit or vegetable reqwrement to be met with one item, most
States were servmg two, and the regulat1ons were changed to require two
55
56
d1fferent items. Full-strength jwce was allowed to be counted as meeting
1 4 cup of the vegetable and fru1t requirement
In 1959. schools were allowed to serve elementary schoolchildren smaller
portions of meal components based on the lesser needs of younger
children. And in 1968, substitutions were allowed for individual students
because of medical or other special dietary needs supported by a statement
from a medical authority.
A significant change was made tn the school lunch program in 1970, when
uniform national guidelines were required for free and reduced-price
lunches. Eligibility determinations for the program were to be made on the
bas1s of an affidavit by the student's family.
In 1973. 1n response to med1cal reports and increasmg public concern over
the effect of consumption of fats on health, schools were allowed to serve
lowfat or skim milk in place of whole m1lk. In th1s same year. several
changes were made in the defm1t1on of the meal components to allow
alternate foods based on advances tn food technology as well as the
changing eating habits of children. These changes ;:tlso allowed local food
service programs to offer meals a1med at local needs. Type C lunches were
eliminated.
It was not until 1976 that the requirement to serve butter or fortified
margarine was dropped, on the basis that the nutritional goals of the school
lunch program would continue to be met without specific inclusion of butter
or margarine. Thus, the Type A lunch pattern was dropped and the meal
pattern became the four components we use today: meat/meat alternate;
milk; two servings of two different vegetables/fruits; and bread. Because
two fruit or vegetable items are required, the four food components
represent five food items.
In 1978. the regulat1ons were also rewntten to specify minimum quantit1es
of foods appropriate for f1ve age groups; to allow bread alternates to meet
the bread requirement; to specify allowable vanations in the meat alternate;
and to require that lowfat or sk1m milk be available to students. In 1980, the
number of servings of bread/bread alternates to be served by a school for a
school week were specified. New guidance encouraged schools to serve
meals wtth moderate amounts of sugar, fat, and salt.
In 1987, the regulations were rewritten after Congress passed legislation
requiring that whole milk be offered. Under these regulations. schools are
History of Offer
Versus Serve in
the NSLP
requrred to offer students fluid whole milk rn addrtron to fluid unflavored
lowfat milk. skim milk. or buttermilk.
Senior High Schools
In an attempt to reduce food waste. amendments to the National School
Lunch Act introduced the Offer Versus Serve (OVS) provrsion to senror high
schools partrcrpat1ng rn the Natrona! School Lunch Program Public Law 94-
105. enacted October 7, 1975. mandated that students "in senror hrgh
schools that partrc1pate in the school lunch program under thrs Act ... shall
not be requ1red to accept offered foods they do not rntend to consume and
any such failure to accept offered foods shall not affect the full charge to the
student for a lunch meeting the requirements of th1s subsectron or the
amount of payments made under this Act to any such school for such
lunch."
Schools are still required to offer senror hrgh students the complete frve­ltem
school lunch. however. these students must be permrtted the opt1on of
declining one or two of the rtems The dec1sron to decline one or two food
rtems and whrch food rtems to decline rests solely wrth the student
The meal is strll a rermbursable lunch as long as students are offered five
items and accept at least three.
Junior High and Middle Schools
Participatrng schools found that the OVS provrsron reduced food waste and
program costs whrle still marntaining the consumpt1on of a wrde variety of
nutrit1ous foods Encouraged by the success of the OVS provrs1on 1n senror
high schools. Congress authonzed OVS for middle schools or JUnior hrgh
schools 1n Public Law 95-166. enacted November 1 0 1977.
In contrast to the provis1on for high schools, the decrsron on whether or not
to 1mplement the OVS provisron in mrddle schools or JUnror ilrgh schools IS
left to the School Food Authonty (SFA) The SFA may also decrde whether
to allow middle or junior hrgh students to decline up to two food rtems (as in
senror hrgh school) or only one item. Agarn. the full frve food rtems must be
offered to each student The decrsron as to whrch food rtem or rtems to
decline rests solely wrth the student
57
58
History of Meal
Patterns and
OVS in School
Breakfast
Elementary Schools
OVS was expanded to elementary schools and preschools by Public Law
97-35. enacted August 13, 1981
As in junior high and middle schools. Implementing the OVS provis1on in
elementary schools or preschools 1s optional and the SFA may choose to
allow students to decline either up to two items or only one item. Students
must be offered all five items and be allowed the decision of which 1tem or
items they will decline.
The School Breakfast Program {SSP) began under the Child Nutr1t1on Act of
1966. It was or~gmally a p1lot proJect intended for poor areas and areas
where children had to travel a great d1stance to school. A breakfast was
requ1red to contain: 1) 1/2 pmt whole m1lk, 2) 1/2 cup frUit or full-strength
JUice: and 3)a bread/bread alternate Schools were encouraged to serve a
meaumeat alternate as often as practicable to 1mprove the nutnt1on of
participating children.
In 1971, Congress expanded the category of schools given priority to
operate the breakfast program to include those in which there was a spec1al
need to improve the nutrition and dietary rract1ces of children of working
mothers and children from low-mcome famil1es. Then, legislation passed in
1975 made the SSP available to all areas where it was needed to provide
adequate nutrition for children in attendance.
Evaluating the nutrition prov1ded by the SSP showed that the breakfast
served was superior to home breakfasts With respect to the nutr~ents found
in m1lk (protein, calc1um, phosphorous. and magnesium). However, school
breakfasts prov1ded s1gnif1cant1y less 1ron and vitamin A than home
breakfasts
Public Law 99-591 directed the Department to revise the nutr1t1onal
requ1rements for breakfast and extended the OVS opt1on to school
breakfasts. The Department issued a regulation effect1ve May 1, 1989, that
perm1tted OVS in the breakfast program and requ~red that four components
be offered. Breakfast must now cons1st of· 1) flUid m1lk, 2) vegetable/frUit or
full -strength juice; and 3) two serv1ngs of bread/bread alternate, or meat/
meat alternate, or a combination of one bread/bread alternate and one
meat/meat alternate.
Appendix C
Answers to Exercises
Answers to Exercises on Food Items (page 18)
MeaVMeat Alt.
6-7-9-10
11 -16-19
24
Fruit/Veg.
2-9-14
21 -23-29
Bread/Bread Alt.
1-5-12
26
Milk
13-27
Other
3-4-8
15-17-18
20-22-25
28-30
1. Enriched spaghett! ~oodles are a bread alternate.
2. French fries (potatoes) are a vegetable
3. Most canned soups do not contain enough meaVmeat alternate so
they are an "other" food.
4. A brownie is a dessert item which falls in the "other'' category.
5. Taco shell pieces made with enriched or whole-grain meal or flour are
a bread alternate.
6. Walnuts are meat alternates under the nuts and seeds instructions,
but they may meet no more than 50 percent of the meat/meat alternate
requi rement.
7. Chicken nuggets are meat. However, some Child Nutrition labeled
chicken nuggets may count towards the bread alternate also.
8. Lemonade is not considered full-strength JUice, therefore it falls in the
"other" category.
9. Baked beans may be considered either a vegetable/fruit or meaVmeat
alternate but not both 1n the same meal.
10. Cheddar cheese is a meat alternate.
11 . Hamburger patty 1s a meat.
12. Saltine crackers made with emiched or whole-grain meal or flour are a
bread alternate.
13. Eight ounces of skim milk is one of the options that meet the flUid milk
requirement.
59
60
14. Carrot sticks are a vegetable
15. Cupcalc s are a dessert that falls in the "other" foods category.
16. Tuna fish is a meat.
17. Rice pudding is a dessert and falls in the "other" foods category. Rice
pudding does not serve the customary role of a bread in a meal, and
therefore does not count as a bread.
18. A serving of 114 cup of cranberry sauce will meet the fruit reqUirement.
19. Cottage cheese 1s a meat alternate.
20. Bacon 1s not cons1dered a meavmeat alternate. therefore 1t 1s an
"other" food.
21 . The apples 1n Apple-honey cobbler may court towards the frUit
reqUirement.
22. Strawberry gelatin is an "other" food.
23. Raisins are a fruit.
24. Peanuts are a meat alternate. (See answer numbu 6.)
25. Parsley is a garn1sh and therefore an · otl.er" food.
26. Whole-grain rice 1s a bread alternate.
27. Eight ounces of chocolate milk is an option for the fluid milk
reqUirement. However. the school must prov1de the required types of
m1!k 1n addition to flavored m1lk.
28. Sugar cookies are a dessert 1tem and therefore an ·other" food.
29. Full-strength apple juice may meet up to one-half of the total
vegetable/fruit requirement.
30. Potato chips are an "other" food. They do not meet the vegetable/fruit
requirement.
Answers to Exercises on Traditional School Lunches
(Page 19)
1. Yes, the taco shell is the bread alternate and the salad has two
vegetable components along with the meat/meat alternate.
2. No, because there is not a brAad/bread alternate or a second
vegetable/fruit.
3. Yes, the p1zza contains the bread alternate and meat component.
4. Yes, this is a complete school lunch.
5. No, because the fluid m1lk and a second vegetable/fruit are m1ssmg
from the menu. Potato ch1ps and gelatm cubes are "other" foods.
6. Yes. th1s 1s a complete school lunch.
7. No, because a second vegetable/fruit is missing from the menu.
8. No, because a second vegetable/fruit is missing from the menu.
9. Yes, the meat/meat alternate and two vegetables are in the salad.
10. No, because fluid milk is missing.
11 Yes, this is a complete lunch.
12. No, a second vegetable/fruit port1on 1s m1ssing and only one of the two
milks can be counted.
13. Yes, if using the USDA recipe for Chili Con Carne With Beans (D-20),
the chili will conta1n the meat and one vegetable item.
14. Yes, this is a complete school lunch.
15. Yes, the macaroni is the bread alternate and the cheese is the meat
alternate.
16. Yes, the french fries and the cherries in the cobbler are the vegetable/
fruit component.
61
62
17. No. the peas and carrots count as one serving of vegetable/fruit
because they are served together. A second vegetable/fruit and milk
must be served.
18. No, the carrot and celery sticks are served together as one serving ot
vegetable/fruit. A second vegetable/fruit must be served.
19. No, soup alone will probably not meet the 2 oz meat requirement and
the vegetable/fruit portions are missing. (However, vegetables could be
added to the soup and counted towards the vegetable/fruit component.)
20. Yes. the pot pie contains the bread alternate, vegetable, and chicken.
The raisins count as the fruit portion
21 . No, the mixed vegetables only make one serving of the vegetable/fruit
component.
22. No. the vegetables1fruits are missmg.
23. Yes, the fruit plate contains a vanety of fruit and the cottage cheese 1s
the meat alternate.
24. No, a second vegetable/fruit is missing. orange gelatin is an "other"
food.
25. No, the bread/bread alternate is missing. The sugar cookie is an "other"
food.
Answers to E'<ercises in Identifying a Reimbursable
Lunch Under OVS (page 27)
Lunch Menu:
Hamburger patty
(2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
( 1 /4 cup total)
Small apple
(1 /2 cup)
Milk (1 /2 pint)
Hamburger patty
(2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
(1 /4 cup total)
Small apple
(1 /2 cup}
Milk ( 1/2 pmt)
Hamburger patty
(2 oz)
Bun (whole)
Lettuce leaf and
tomato slice
( 1 /4-cup total)
Small apple ( 1 /2 cup)
Milk (1 /2 pint)
Student Takes:
Hamburger
patty
Bun
Apple
Hamburger
patty
Milk
Milk
~ Hamburger II patty II Lettuce leaf b Apple
Reimbursable Meal?
Yes, three full portions were
chosen of the 5 items offered.
The apple counts as one of the
vegetable/fruit items. Even
though the hamburger bun
equals 2 servings of the bread
compr)nent, it counts as only
one food item. However, it
equals 2 servings of the
bread/bread alternatr, and
helps meet the requirement
that schools offer the1r
students 8 servings of bread
per week.
No, this lunch only contains
two food items. A second
portion of any food item
(such as the milk) does not
count towards a
reimbursable lunch.
No, the lettuce leaf and
tomato slice constitute one
vegetable item. The lettuce
leaf is not, by itself, a full
food item. The student must
add the tomato slice to fulfill
one vegetable item or select
another full food item.
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64
Answers to Exercises in Identifying a Reimbursable
Breakfast Under OVS (page 36)
Menu:
Fruit cup (112 cup)
Hard-cooked egg
(1 large)
Whole-wheat toast
(1 slice)
Fluid milk
(112 pint)
Orange slices
{1 /4 cup)
Apple wedges
(1/4 cup)
Bagel (1)
Fluid milk
(1 /2 pint)
Grape juice
(1 /2cup)
Cheese toast
( 1 oz cheese)
( 1-slice toast)
Fluid milk ( 1/2 pint)
Student Takes: r Fruit cup l
Hard-cooked
I -e=g~g===.J
-
Orange
slices
Bagel
Cheese
toast
Fluid milk
Reimbursable Breakfast?
Yes, the egg counts as
two food items and
the fruit cup counts
as one food item.
Remember, in the SBP.
1/2 of a large egg
will fulfill the
meat requirement.
No. the bagel counts
as two bread
alternates. However, 1n
addition to the orange
slices, the student
would also need to take
the apple wedges to
fulfill the vegetable/
fruit requirement.
Yes, the cheese toast
counts as two food
items (bread and meat
alternate). With the
addition of milk, three
food items have been
taken.
Sliced peaches
(1 /2 cup)
Ready-to-eat cereal
{3/4 cup)
Raisin toast
(1 slice)
Crisp bacon {1 slice)
Fluid Milk {1 /2 pint)
Orange and
grapefruit
sections
{1 /2 cup)
Pancakes {2)
Fluid milk (1 /2 p1nt)
Sliced
peaches
Ratsin toast
Crisp bacon
1 Pancake
2 Flutd mtlks
No, only two creditable
food items have been
taken. The bacon ts
considered an "other"
food that does not
count toward meeting
the breakfast
requirements.
No, although a double
portion of bread/bread
alternate or meat/meat
alternate counts as two
food items, a second
milk or vegetable/fruit
does not count toward
a reimbursable
breakfast.
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66
Appendix D
Charts
Portion Control Scoop (or Disher) Number
The number of the scoop or d1sher indicates the number of level scoopfuls it
takes to make 1 quart. The following table gives an approximate measure
for each scoop:
Scoop or disher
number
Approximate
measure
6 ...................................... .. 213 cup
8 ....................................... 112 cup
10 ...................................... 3/8 cup
12 .................................... 1/3 cup
16 .................................... 1/4 cup
20 . ................................. 3-1 3 Tbsp
24 ..................................... 2-213 Tbsp
30 .................................. 2 Tbsp
40 . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. . 1 213 Tbsp
50 ..................................... 3-3/4 tsp
60 ...................................... 3-1/4 tsp
Ladles
The following sizes of ladles will help in obtaining equal-size servings of
soups, sauces. creamed foods, and other similar foods. Perforated ladles
are available for accurate portioning of foods that need draining.
Ladle size Approximate
Measure
1 oz ................................. 1/8cup
2 oz ................................ 1/4 cup
4 oz ................................ 1/2 cup
6 oz ................................. 3/4 cup
8 oz ................................... 1 cup
Serving Spoons
A serving spoon (solid or slotted) may be used instead of a scoop. Since
these spoons are not identified by number, it is necessary to measure or
weigh the quantity of food from the spoons used. This will help ensure that
the proper portion size is served.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National School Lunch Program
School Lunch Patterns
For Various Age/Grade Groups
USDA recommends, but does not require, that you adjust portions by age/
grade group to better meet the food and nutritional needs of children according
to their ages. If you adjust portions, Groups l-lV are minimum requirements for
the age/grade groups specified. If you do not adjust portions, the Group IV
portions are the portions to serve all children.
Minimum Quantities Recommended
Quantities'
Preschool Grades . Grades Grades
K-3 4-12' 7-12
COMPONENTS
Meat
SPECIFIC or Meat
REQUIREMENTS Alternate
• Must be served in the main dish or the main
dish and only one other menu item.
• Vegetable protein products, cheese alter-nate
products, and ennched macaroni with
fortified protein may be used to meet pad of
the meat/meat alternate requirement Fact
sheets on each ot these alternate foods give
detailed instructions for use.
A servir.j ot one ol the following
or a combination to give an
equivalent quanlity:
Lean meal, poultry, or lish (ed-ible
portion as served)
ages 1-2
(Group I)
10Z
Cheese
Large egg(s)
Cooked dry beans or peas
Peanut butter or other nut or
seed butters
Peanuts, soy nuts, tree nuts, or
seeds, as listed in program guid-ance,
meet no more than 50% ol
the requirement and must be
combined in the meal with at
least 50% ol other meat or meat
alternate. (I 02 ol nut/seeds-l
02 of cooked lean meat, poultry,
or tish )
10Z
1/2
1/4 cup
2Tbsp
1/2oz=50%
Vegetables
and/or
Fruits
• No more than one-hall of the lotal require-ment
may be met with full-strength fruit or
vegetable juice.
• Cooked dry beans or peas may be used as
a meal alternate or as a vegetable but not as
both m the same meal.
Two or more servings ol vege-tables
or fruits or both to total
Servings of bread
or Bread
Alternate
• At least t/2 serving ol bread or an equiva-lent
quantity of bread alternate lor Group I.
and 1 serving for Groups II- V. must be served
daily
• Enriched macaroni with fortified protein
may be used as a moat alternate or as a
bread alternate but not as both in the same
meal
NOTE: Food Buying Guide lor Child Nutn-tion
Programs, PA-1331 (1984) provides the
information for the minimum weight ol a
serving.
A serving is:
• 1 slice ol whole-giain or en-riched
bread
• A whole-gram or ennched bis-cuit,
roll, muttin, etc.
• 1/2 cup ol cooked whole-grain
or enriched rice, macaroni,
noodles, whole-grain orennched
pasta products, or other cereal
grains such as bulgur or corn
gnts
• A combination ol any ol thu
above
1-1/2 02
1-1/2 oz
3/4
3/8 cup
ages 5-8
(Group III)
age 9 & over
(Group IV)
1-1/2 oz
1-1/2 oz
3/4
3/8 cup
3Tbsp
3/4 oz=50%
1/2 cup
5 per
week
1/2 cup
3Tbsp
3/4 oz=50%
2oz
2oz
1
1/2 cup
4Tbsp
1 oz=50%
age 12 & over
(Group V)
3oz
3oz
1-1/2
3/4 cup
6Tbsp
1-1/2 oz=50%
1/2 cup
8 per
week
Milk
The following torms ol milk must be ottered
• Whole milk
- Untlavored lowtat milk
NOTE: This requirement does not prohibit
ottering other milk, such as flavored milk or
skim milk, along with the above.
A serving ol fluid milk
8 per
week
3/4 cup
8 per
week
3/4 cup
10 per
week
3/4 cup
(6 fI oz)
3/4 cup
(6 fI oz)
1/2 pint
(8 fI oz)
1/2 pint
(8 fI oz)
1/2 pint
(8 fI oz)
'Group IV is highlighted because it is the one meal pattern which will
satisfy all requirements it no portion size adjustments are made.
'Group V specifies recommended, not required, quantities for students
12 years and older. These students may request smaller portions, but
nol smaller than those specilied in Group IV
67
U.S. Department of Agriculture, School Breakfast Program
School Breakfast
Meal Pattern Requirements
Mmemum Required Quantities
Food Components/Items Ages1-2 Ages 3, 4, 5 Age 6 & Up
Fluid Milk
As a beverage, on cereal, or both 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1/2 pint
Fruit/Vegetable/Juice'
Fruit and/or vegetable 1/4 cup 1/2 cup 1/2 cup
or full-strength fruit
juice or vegetable juice
SPit'< t One ~'''"'''G f rur1' E_ c~ct of p,., FrJI,rJW'''lJ Compor~••rlh rJr Two s,,,~,,nq·, F-ron1 One ComporH'rl!
Bread/Bread Alternates2
One of the following or an equivalent combination:
• Whole-gram or enriched bread 112 slice
• Whole-grain or enriched biscuit, roll, muffin, etc. 1/2 serving
• Whole-grain, enriched, or fortified cereal 1/4 cup
or
1/3 ounce
Meat/Meat Alternates
One of the following or an equivalent combination:
• Lean meat, poultry, or fish 1/2 ounce
·Cheese 1/2 ounce
· Large egg 112
• Peanut butter or other nut or seed butters 1 Tbsp
• Cooked dry beans and peas 2Tbsp
• Nuts and/or seeds 1/2 ounce
(As listed in program guidance)3
• Recommended darfy· a c1trus or a juice or fruit or vegetable that IS a good source of v1tamrn C
2See Food Buying Guide, PA-1331, for serving sizes
, No more than 1 ounce of nuts and/or seeds may be served 1n any one meal
68
1/2 slice 1 slice
1/2 serving 1 serving
1/3 cup 3/4 cup
or or
1/2 ounce 1 ounce
1/2 ounce 1 ounce
1/2 ounce 1 ounce
1/2 1/2
1 Tbsp 2Tbsp
2Tbsp 4 Tbsp
1/2 ounre 1 ounce
Appendix E
Bibliography
Child Nutntion DIVISion Program Regulations. 7 CFR 210 and 220.
FNS Instruction 783-2 Rev. 1, Meal Substttutions for Medical or Special
D1etary Reasons, 616188.
FNS Instruction 783-7, Milk Requirement-Child Nutrition Programs.
12/6/82.
FNS Instruction 783-11 . Jwce and Jwce Drinks-Child Nutrition Programs.
12/6 82
FNS Instruction 783-12. Bread Requirement-Child Nutrition Programs.
8 3 83
FNS Instruction 783 13. Vanat1on m Meal Reqwrements for RellgJOus
Reasons: Jew1sh Schools and Institutions. 12/30 83.
FNS Instruction 783-14, Vanation m Mea! Requirements for Religious
Reasons: Seventh-day Advent1st Schools and Institutions. 12 30183.
Food Buymg Gu1de for Child Nutnt10n Programs. USDA/FNS. Program Aid
Number 1331 , 1984.
Menu Plannmg Gwde for School Food Service. USDAIFNS. Program A1d
Number 1260. 1983
Offer Versus Serve. School Food Authority Gwdance USDAIFNS. NTSD,
August 1982
Offer Versus Serve, State Agency Guidance, USDAIFNS. NTSD. Technical
Assistance Branch. August 1982.
School Breakfast Program Guidance. USDAIFNS, NTSD. Techmcal
Ass1stance Branch, Apnl 1989.
Quantity Recipes for School Food Serv1ce, USDA. FNS. Program Aid
Number 1371
69
The Nat1onal School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs are equal
opportunity programs If you believe you or anyone has been d1scnminated
agamst because of race, color. nat1onal ongin, sex. age, or handicap, write
1mmed1ately to the Secretary of Agnculture. Washington, DC 20250
70