Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. From Recommendations to Requirements: Change is Coming Marisol Benesch USDA/Food and Nutrition Service Child Nutrition Division July 11, 2010

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. IOM Report School Meals: Building Blocks for Healthy Children Healthy-Children.aspx

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. IOM Recommendations for School Meals: New nutrient targets and meal requirements Implementation and monitoring of the new requirements Evaluation and research activities

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Establishing one food-based menu planning approach Establishing the same age/grade groups in the NSLP and SBP: –K-5 –6-8 –9-12

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Separating fruit/vegetable into 2 components Increasing the amounts of: –Fruits –Vegetables Dark green (broccoli, collard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach…) Orange (carrots, sweet potatoes, acorn squash…) Legumes (black, kidney, and garbanzo beans; lentils…) Starchy (corn, green peas, white potatoes…) Other (iceberg lettuce, onions, green beans…)

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Requiring whole grains: – At least ½ of grains offered must be whole grain rich –Temporary criterion for whole grain rich foods provided in the IOM report Box 7-1, p. 124

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Allowing only: –fat-free (unflavored or flavored) fluid milk –low-fat (unflavored) fluid milk

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Reducing the sodium content of school meals substantially by the year 2020: ≤ 640 mg(grades K-5) ≤ 710 mg(grades 6-8) ≤ 740 mg(grades 9-12) Setting intermediate sodium limits to reach targets

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Establishing minimum and maximum calorie (kcal) levels: GRADESLUNCH (kcal) BREAKFAST (kcal) K

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Limiting saturated fat –Less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat –Same as current regulatory standard

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Restricting trans fat: –Nutrition label or manufacturer’s specifications of food products or ingredients must specify zero grams of trans fat per serving –Practical method to keep the amount of trans fat in the meals as low as possible

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Monitoring the levels of: –Saturated fat –Calories –Sodium Removing the nutrient analysis requirement –Other quantitative methods –Nutrient analysis software would facilitate meeting the above specifications

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Requiring a reimbursable meal to include: – A fruit at breakfast –Either a fruit or a vegetable at lunch

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Recommended Meal Changes Developing: –Extensive technical assistance –Mentoring –Continuing education –New procedures for monitoring the quality of school meals

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Next Steps Issue proposed rule addressing the IOM recommendations. –Rule to be cleared by USDA and OMB Receive public comments. Summarize public comments. – (online instructions)

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Next Steps (contd.) Develop interim final/final rule. Issue revised technical assistance materials. Work with State Agencies to provide training.

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Actions You Can Take Now Increase the minimum amounts required for fruits and vegetables and offer the vegetable subgroups. Offer more whole grain food items so that students will begin developing a taste for whole grain rich foods. Limit milk choices to both low-fat and fat-free milk. Restrict sodium by developing a maximum sodium standard. Restrict trans fat by requiring zero grams of trans fat per serving based on the nutrition label.

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Use Caution… States and locals are not permitted to decrease the amount of meat/meat alternate. IOM’s recommendation to offer only low-fat or fat free milk would only meet current requirements if both fat contents are offered. IOM’s recommended minimum calorie levels are lower than the current minimum standards. (Some maximum levels are lower than the existing minimum calorie standards.) IOM’s recommended total fat range of 25-35% exceeds the current regulatory maximum of 30%.

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Encourage acceptance of new foods Offer a variety of flavors, textures, and food choices Combine foods that go well together Keep in mind eye appeal Offer taste tasting of new items for the students Repeat exposure to new food items Promote key food groups/nutrition education Solicit ideas from student advisory councils, parents, and staff

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. Join the Healthier US School Challenge Model program to help schools move in the direction of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines HUSSC schools meet high standards for : –food quality, participation in meal programs, physical activity, and nutrition education HUSSC schools receive recognition

Copyright © School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved. More information: Your State Agency