An Introduction to School Nutrition MSD Washington Township April 18, 2012

Transcription

1 An Introduction to School Nutrition MSD Washington Township April 18, 2012

2 SNA/ Rick Brady School Nutrition Professionals: The Miracle Workers Running School Cafeterias We move hundreds of students through the lunch line with only a few seconds to ensure each tray contains the required components of a reimbursable meal, assist students with food allergies, ring up each meal and provide change.

3 Meanwhile, school nutrition professionals must be trained in food safety and sanitation follow federal, state and local regulations ensure school meals are safe and healthy We must guarantee our programs meet all the requirements of the Federal Eligibility Manual for School Meals effectively implement complex regulations such as the Final Rule: School Food Safety Program Based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles and at all times ensure the lunches we serve provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium, among other standards. All of this must be achieved within the framework of a budget that leaves little more than $1 to purchase food for each meal. * USDA ( School Year)

4 It s not just lunch anymore. Along with meeting all the federal regulations and guidelines, we serve over 3400 breakfasts and over 6700 lunches each day. We provide afterschool snacks at all schools except the high school. Fresh Fruit and Vegetable snacks at Nora. And participate in the Summer Meal Program for which we serve any child under the age of 18 at no cost at over 10 participating locations.

5 If you think it is difficult making a family of 5 all happy at meal time, you can only guess the challenges that go along with making over 6700 children happy each and every day for lunch. Sometimes we are told our lines are not moving fast enough. This isn t because we are moving slower. Our participation keeps growing and we are serving more students in the same amount of time, using the same amount of cooking equipment and the same amount of storage space for our food. WE MAKE IT HAPPEN!

6 Participation Increase 90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00% E - BFast E - Lunch M- Bfast M- Lunch HS - Bfast HS Lunch

7 In the face of these challenges School nutrition professionals use their creativity to make the cafeteria a fun and welcoming place all year long and perform their jobs each day because they care about the children they serve.

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9 Our Mission Provide nutritious, high quality, cost effective meals that provide students with healthy choices for developing positive life-style decision making.

10 Are School Meals Nutritious? School meals are healthier than ever! Fresh fruits and vegetables Whole grains Reduced or zero TransFats Salads and salad bars Lowfat dairy items Baked items rather than fried Healthy cooking/prep techniques School meals are healthy meals that are required to meet science-based, federal nutrition standards limiting fat and portion size and requiring that schools offer the right balance of fruits, vegetables, milk, grains and proteins with every meal.

11 Children need protein and limited amounts of fat to support growth and development. Our meal program provides nutrient-dense foods such as low-fat dairy products, lean meats and whole grains served in age-appropriate portions. There is no super-sizing in school cafeterias because federal regulations require us to serve age-appropriate portions. We are constantly working to further improve the nutrition, taste and variety of meals.

12 School meals are balanced and healthy The National School Lunch Program requires school lunches to meet federal dietary guidelines which dictate: No more than 30 % of calories can come from fat and less than 10 % from saturated fat. Lunches must provide 1/3 of the RDA of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories. School meals must be served in age appropriate portions.

13 Nutrient Analysis (completed 11/11/11 at Eastwood) Menu Avg Target Shortfall Calories Iron Vitamin A Vitamin C

14 Correcting our shortfalls Calories did not need to be addressed because the 188 calories we were short falls in the target range for the new guidelines. Vitamin A fell short 17 IU s. One half cup serving of carrots has 12,357 IU s; raw spinach has 1,407 and broccoli has 930. Our shortfall of Vitamin C was only 4.98 mg. One half cup serving of kiwi has 83 mg of Vitamin C and broccoli has 39 mg of Vitamin C. Iron fell short by.64 mg. One half cup serving of red beans has 1.6 mg and a plain dinner roll has 1.4 mg.

15 Fat and Saturated Fat Below Target Menu Avg % of Calories Target 5 0 Total Fat (g) Sat. Fat (g)

16 How will the requirements change? Food Group Current Requirements New Requirements Fruit and Vegetables Vegetables ½-3/4 c fruit and vegetables combined per day No specifications as to type of vegetable subgroup ¾-1 cup vegetables plus ½ - 1 c fruit per day Have to take at least 1 Weekly requirement for : Dark green; red/orange; legumes; starchy; Meat/Meat Alternate oz eq. (daily minimum) Daily minimum and weekly ranges (1 oz minimum daily and up to oz weekly for HS) Grains 8 servings per week (minimum 1 per day) Daily minimum and weekly ranges (K-8 needs 1 oz daily and 2 oz for grades 9-12) Whole Grains Encouraged At least half by July 2012 and all by July 2014 Milk 1 cup Variety of fat contents allowed; flavored not restricted 1 cup Must be fat-free (flavored/unflavored) or 1% low fat (unflavored)

17 Sodium Reduce, no set targets Nutrient Standards Targets begin SY 2014 and gradually decrease through Calories Traditional Menu Planning Lunch: 633 (grades K-3) 785 (grades 4-12) 825 (optional grades 7-12) Breakfast: 554 (grades K-12) Saturated Fat <10% of total calories Trans Fat: No Limit Only food based menu planning is allowed as there will be no more nutrient based. Lunch: (grades K-5) (grades 6-8) (grades 9-12) Breakfast: (grades K-5) (grades 6-8) (grades 9-12) same Zero

18 The new proposed sodium restrictions for school meals are stricter than hospitals for patients on low sodium diets. Physicians feel people will start running to the hospital cafeterias for food with flavor.

19 HOT TOPICS What about the obesity crisis among America s children? How are we working to make healthy meals kid-friendly? What about processed foods served in our cafeterias? Why are schools serving flavored milk? Is soda for sale with school lunch? Are school meals safe? Why aren t schools serving more organic foods? Why are we allowing the use of high fructose corn syrup in some of the products we serve?

20 What about the childhood obesity crisis? There is no evidence that either the school breakfast or lunch program is contributing to rising rates of childhood obesity. Studies have shown: The NSLP improves the health outcomes of children who reside in low-income households, reducing the prevalence of food insecurity by 3.8%, poor general health by 29%, and the rate of obesity by at least 17 percent. A 2007 study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found that children tend to gain more weight during the summer time than when they are in school. The study stated that it appears that schools are healthier than most children s non-school environments. Addressing childhood obesity is a community-wide effort.

21 Children who eat school lunch are more likely to consume milk, fruit & veggies and less likely to consume desserts and snack items than children who do not. They also consume less soda and /or fruit drinks. Students only eat 17% of their meals each year in schoolswith the remainder eaten at home or in restaurants. Addressing the childhood obesity crisis will take a community-wide effort-with a significant focus on increasing children s physical activity, reducing screen time, as well as promoting healthy diets at home and throughout the school day. Addressing childhood obesity is a community-wide effort.

22 As Child Nutrition Professionals, we know that school meals are not the cause of childhood obesity. However, we believe we can certainly help in preventing and reversing this epidemic.

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25 Physicians claim they are seeing the largest increase in obesity in children between the ages of 2-5 years old. This is before they even get to school. Dr. Paula Gustafson, her partners, and staff encourage parents and caregivers to start combating childhood obesity during infancy. Major Health Partners and Major Pediatrics encourage parents and caregivers to take these small steps so they can win big in the future with healthier, happier children.

26 Major Easy 3 Drink milk with meals Breast milk or formula under 1 year of age Offer only water for refreshment No sugar-sweetened beverages, including sodas and juice Eat meals and snacks at the table Avoid eating anywhere else, especially not in front of the television or while playing video games/computer

27 Things to think about Be a Role Model -Kids are not going to eat healthier than their parents. Be positive kids want to hear what they can eat not what they can t. Liquid calories are a huge problem today. Family dinners = better diets Eat breakfast they will do better in school. Stop using food to control behavior -Parents use food to control behavior and it is not broccoli. Social factors: sedentary lifestyle get moving cultural- desire for convenience, fewer family meals, snacking behavior and fast food parenting skills overscheduled families, peer and time pressures, lack of structure and limits, more disposable income New thinking change kid s lifestyles (not diets) The Key is Balance

28 What are we doing to make healthy meals kid-friendly? Children can be notoriously picky eaters, but we are always working to find new healthy recipes that children are willing to eat. We hope to conduct more student taste tests to involve students in the menu planning. Schools and the foodservice industry are making student favorites healthier. We also work to incorporate culturally appropriate foods into our menus to meet the tastes of our diverse student population, as well as provide alternative foods for students with dietary restrictions and allergies.

29 What about processed foods served in our cafeterias? Pre-prepared food products are increasingly being made with healthier ingredients, less fat, sodium and sugar. Pizzas are often prepared with whole grain crusts, low-sodium sauce and reduced fat cheese. Chicken nuggets regularly use whole grain breading and are baked rather than fried. French Fries are often prepared without trans fat and baked instead of fried. Sweet potato fries are used more often.

30 Why are schools serving flavored milk? School meals offer flavored milk as an option because experts agree that to ensure intake of calcium, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients important for growth and development, it is better for children and adolescents to drink flavored milk than to avoid milk altogether. In fact, leading health and nutrition organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, the National Medical Association, and School Nutrition Association, have all expressed their support for low-fat and fat-free milk in schools, including flavored milk.

31 This school year the majority of flavored milk choices are less than 150 calories just 31 calories more than white milk. Fatfree and low-fat chocolate milks are projected to contain 38% less sugar than just 5 years ago. Milk processors continue to work hard to provide nutritious new products with the same great taste kids love. 90% of teenage girls don t get enough calcium so why would we want to take away the milk at schools that they will drink? Schools that took chocolate milk away experienced a 35-62% decline in milk consumption. Even if a lunch included orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D, a school would still need to add ½ cup diced cantaloupe, 3.5 ounces of apple with skin and ½ cup of cooked baked beans to a child s meal just to make up the nutrients lost in one glass of milk. This would add 171 more calories to a child s diet than drinking chocolate milk.

32 An 8 oz serving of milk, flavored or not, gives kids as much. Vitamin A as two hard boiled eggs Calcium as 10 cups of raw spinach Phosphorus as 1 cup of kidney beans Vitamin D as ¾ ounce of cooked salmon Riboflavin as 1/3 cup of whole almonds Potassium as one small banana

33 Is soda for sale with school lunch? Federal law prohibits the sale of soda in the cafeteria during the school lunch period and recent voluntary guidelines from the American Beverage Association have restricted the sale of full calorie sodas in schools. This however does not stop schools from selling them elsewhere in the school building. But the new Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act requires the federal government to create nutrition standards for competitive foods, including beverages sold in school vending machines and snack bars. Once these regulations are developed, all foods and drinks sold in school will be healthy choices. Currently we send mixed messages in our schools. The cafeteria has strict regulations and guidelines for the foods we can serve yet other school organizations sell all sorts of high calorie snack foods and beverages in our concession stands, vending machines and parties.

34 Are school meals safe? School nutrition professionals have rigorous training in food safety and have implemented a HACCP Plan. School kitchens are subject to two health inspections annually conducted by the local health department. According to the CDC, school kitchens maintain exceptional food safety records. We record at least two internal temperatures from each batch of food being cooked. We maintain records of cooking, cooling, and reheating temperatures in the food preparation process-the basis for periodic reviews of the overall food safety program. Schools account for only 4 % of foodborne-disease outbreaks. (Food prepared at home 20 %, Restaurant fare 50 %)

35 Why aren t schools serving more organic foods? There is no conclusive scientific evidence that organic food is superior with regard to food safety or nutrition. Conventional and organic foods contain the same vitamins and nutrients. Even the USDA, which certifies organic food, does not claim that these products are safer or more nutritious than conventionally grown foods. By law with few exceptions, food served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs must be grown in the USA, subject to USDA inspections and standards. Saying that ½ of everyone s plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables will lead to future problems because we can t grow that much here, we will have to import.

36 Organic food is much more expensive than conventionally farmed foods creating a significant barrier for financially strained school meal programs. Schools are focused on increasing availability and variety of fruits and vegetables served, whether conventionally farmed or organically farmed.

37 Fresh Fruit Facts School Year we served 56,640 Bananas 66,317 Apples 50,961 Oranges 5,744 pounds Grapes 194 Flats of Strawberries Plenty of Pineapple, Kiwi, Pears, Cantaloupe and Blueberries, Peaches, Honeydew, Watermelon and Mango.

38 Why do we allow the use of high fructose corn syrup in some of the products we serve? The American Medical Association recently concluded that high fructose corn syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners. The American Dietetic Association says that high fructose corn syrup is nutritionally equivalent to sucrose. Both sweeteners contain the same number of calories (4 per gram) and consist of about equal parts of fructose and glucose. Once absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable.

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53 SNA/ Rick Brady How Parents Can Get Involved

54 How Parents Can Get Involved Parents and school nutrition professionals share the same goals: Well-balanced nutritious meals for their kids Creating healthy eating habits for life Parents are role models and influence what kids eat Encourage healthy eating and lifestyles at home for you and your kids (actions speak louder than words )

55 How Parents Can Get Involved Review the cafeteria menu with your kids to help them plan for a balanced meal Join your kids for school lunch or school breakfast Review the school s Wellness Policy Communicate any concerns or special diets your kids may have Make some changes in your schools with the way we do fundraising and classroom parties. Tell us what you think and visit our website for current information regarding school lunch.

56 SNA/ Rick Brady Questions? Questions?

57 Thank you!