1. Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition Services
Production Records
Maine Department of Education
Child Nutrition Services
Encourage your staff not to think of production records as something “I must do” but rather an important tool in your daily process of providing meals.

2. Production Records- Overview
A federal requirement for all schools participating in the NSLP
Provides documentation that meals planned were actually served
Ensures meal pattern requirements are met for each age/grade group
Serves as a communication tool and “daily script” for all staff
Menu is planned; production records show food was actually served (appropriate substitutions were made). We can expect that a shipment may not come in on time and will have to plan accordingly.

3. Advantages of Production Records
An excellent planning & forecasting tool that will help the food service manager to have a successful food service operation
Provides a written history that can be used to evaluate customer preference & improve menu planning
Minimizes overproduction and food waste ($)
Improves participation! 
Provides a daily written history of the food planned, prepared & served
Encourage your staff not to think of production records as something “I must do” but rather an important tool in your daily process of providing meals. We understand all of the challenges with the new meal pattern but accurate and complete production records are essential and can help you MEET the new meal pattern.

4. The same information as the older production record, only change is “projected number of servings”. You will notice if meal components are missing!

5. For those who need extra room for recording vegetable subgroups and temperature lines

6. The Who’s and When’s Who’s responsible for completing PR’s?
Menu Planner
Production Staff
Meal Servers
When should PR’s be completed?
Prior to day of meal service
Day of meal service
Right after meal service
Ideally completed at end of the day by just filling in the final amounts of food prepared, leftover, and served. Remember to add substitutions and additional food items used if applicable.

7. Tips and Location
Some info can be completed prior to day of meal service
Benefit of centralized menus and cycle menus
Have production records in a location where staff can easily refer to and complete as necessary
Production records must be kept for 3 years plus current

8. What is Required and How
Production Record Components

9. New Production Records
Before the meal:
Site information- school name, date, OVS
Planned menu
Food item used
Recipe or product (name or #)
Portion size (number, weight or measure)
Projected number of servings (optional)
Students, adults, a la carte
Amount of food used (pounds or quantity)
May have to adjust after meal

10. New Production Records cont.
After the meal:
Actual number of servings
Students, adults, a la carte
Leftovers
Substitutions
Comments & Notes (if applicable)
Meal Information- student and adult meals

11. NutriKids Production Records
Same information
Gives meal component quantities for M/A, G/B, F/V
Does not give vegetable subgroup quantities
Planned reimbursable
Actual Total
Leftovers

12. Before the Meal 1. Site information
Make sure you have the right production record for each age/grade grouping.

13. Before the Meal
2. Planned Menu

14. Food Item Used Enter all meal choices for the day
Including alternates
Example: Students can choose Shepards pie or PB + J
Foods with more than one component
Enter in only one column
PB + J (grain and meat alternate)
Shepards pie (starchy veg, meat)
During reviews we will ask for the recipe
If a standardized recipe is available, don’t need to specify all food components on production record – can just reference recipe number and number of servings prepared, served, etc. The Standardized recipe should have all the information on it to document compliance.

15. Recipe or Product (Name or #)
Be as specific as possible
Examples:
Chicken breast (Tyson, Goldkist, etc.)
Milk (Oakhurst, Garelick)
USDA foods
Recipe #
NutriKids- Update recipes when products change
Keep your labels!
Nutrition facts labels
Child Nutrition labels
If you are using NutriKids make sure you are updating recipes if you switch to a different product. This will affect accurate crediting and calorie and saturated fat information.

16. Portion Size Number, weight or measure Avoid “serving”
Fruits and vegetables: cup, 1 each (whole fruit)
Meat/meat alternate: ounces, cup (beans- if crediting toward MA)
Grains/Whole Grains: ounces, cups (rice/pasta)
Enter in CREDIBLE amount
Example: Fish burger- 3 oz credits as 1.5 oz M/MA (CN label)
Enter 3 oz (1.5 oz M/MA)
NutriKids- shows credible amount for M/A and G/B
The meal contribution is automatically generated for USDA recipes. For your own recipes the contribution information must be manually entered into the recipe section under “misc”

17. Scoop number is “scoops per quart” or in 32 ounces
Scoop number is “scoops per quart” or in 32 ounces. For example, a ½ cup scoop which is 4 ounces goes into 32 eight times so it is a #8 scoop

18. Before the Meal
3. Projected # servings

19. Projected Number of Servings
Change from previous production record
Optional but recommended
Planning tool based on history
Compare between projected and actual servings
Adjust number of servings in future meals
ALC= A La Carte
A la carte section in NutriKids
A good planning tool. You project 40 slices of pizza (based on history), but 50 students take it because it’s a new pizza the kids want to try. Again it explains any differences in what was projected vs. actually served

20. Before/After the Meal
4. Amount of food used

21. Amount of Food Used Entered in measureable terms
Pounds or quantity
Based on Food Buying Guide or recipe
5 lbs. fresh carrots= ~50- ¼ cup servings (weight to volume)
Salad recipe for 100 servings (can write “recipe x 2” for 200 servings)
Avoid “cases” or “bags”
No standard measure for how many lbs are in a bag of sweet potato fries (differs by distributor)

22. After the Meal
5. Actual # servings

23. Actual Number of Servings
The easiest way:
Amount of food used minus leftovers/portion size= #servings
Example: Prepared 5 lbs cooked spinach- 1 lb leftover= 4 lbs used
4 lb x 16 oz= 64 oz/4 oz= 16 servings
Salad bar- the number of students and adults who took salad bar for the day
Either as a side or salad bar meal
Have an electronic POS system?
Generate report for a la carte items and reimbursable meals sold (average itemization report)
Contact software company or neighboring district
If you check OVS and we see 50,50,50…written down the page we will question that. Need an accurate way of tracking number of meal served.

24. After the Meal
6. Leftovers

25. Leftovers Salad bar leftovers – estimate Examples:
Record cups/gallons (casserole, soups)
Record actual number (sandwiches, pizza)
Helps prevent overproduction in future meals
Back up for parent complaints
Why wasn’t enough pizza prepared for my child?
Salad bar leftovers- for example recipe calls for 50 servings and looks like only half of students took it. Record 0.5 recipe. Use salad bar production record for additional foods added.

26. After the Meal
7. Substitutions

27. Substitutions Know your vegetable sub groups Always have a back up!
Ensures appropriate substitutions were made
Example: romaine lettuce does not come in, used broccoli instead (dark green category)
Always have a back up!

28. Or go to MyPlate.gov for veg subgroup categories

29. 8. Comments & Notes

30. Comments and Notes Way to communicate any changes in meal counts
Higher or lower than normal
Factors affecting meal counts such as class trips, weather, illness, etc.
Recording this information is only helpful if you refer back to already completed production records
Helpful for admin reviews
Communication, communication, communication!
Good place to enter if kids liked or didn’t like something!

31. Last Step
9. Meal Information

34. How DOE Uses This Information
The State Agency looks at production records during administrative reviews, including validation reviews
In the past incomplete production records a common finding
Ensure the meal pattern and nutrient standards are being met
Ensure enough food was prepared for the number of servings reported
Provide suggestions for improving operation

35. Standardized Recipes Production Records
Provide an accurate Nutrient Analysis
Accurate production records= accurate nutrient analysis. Results are only as accurate as the information entered into the system.

36. Helpful Tools for Production Records

37. Developing a Salad Bar Recipe
Determine number of servings:
Both students and adults
50 or 100 servings- typical
Determine serving size:
½ cup, 1 cup, etc.
Determine amount of each food item to include (based on a typical day):
Amount of each ingredient placed on salad bar
Example: 5 lbs romaine lettuce
Amount of each ingredient left over at the end of lunch
2 lbs romaine lettuce leftover
Amount of prepared minus left over = amount of each food item
3 lbs romaine lettuce- enter in recipe
A separate recipe is needed for any variations!
Schools can develop a base recipe, and any additional vegetable offered should be entered on the production record

38. Now that we have our salad bar recipe made, the production record can be used to record additional vegetables and fruits offered each day as well as condiments. For small schools may not need a recipe and record items on a separate production record. Another example of tracking how much food was prepared and used on a particular day.

39. Food Buying Guide & Calculator
Food Buying Guide & Calculator *includes revised guidance on fruits/vegetables

40. Grain Memo Exhibit A: Grains/Breads Chart (16 grams/serving)
How to credit unfamiliar grains, or unsure if a product counts as a grain.

41. USDA Recipes for Schools
USDA will update next year to include the new 16 grams per serving requirement for grains

42. Standardized Recipes
Tested recipes that provide consistent quality and number of servings
Provide important information on crediting
Example: USDA Recipe for pizza
1 slice cheese pizza= 2 ounce grain equivalents, 2 ounce M/MA and 1/4 cup vegetable
Recipes must show number of servings, portion size and how it credits toward meal components
Adopting USDA recipes or standardize own

43. Meal contribution information ½ cup rice = 1 grain oz equivalent
Directions and ingredients for kitchen staff to follow if someone is out sick or on vacation
Meal contribution information
½ cup rice = 1 grain oz equivalent

44. Just like an architect needs a blueprint for success, school nutrition professionals need recipes for success! What ingredients we need, directions, pan sizes, etc.

45. In Summary Production records: Determine future production needs
Evaluate best practices
Control menu cost
Guide procurement
Assure compliance
Assess overall success

46. The Results: A standing ovation from happy customers!

47. Helpful Resources Food Buying Guide USDA Standardized Recipes
Food Buying Guide Calculator
USDA Standardized Recipes
Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbooks
Maine Child Nutrition
“New Meal Pattern 2013/Performance Based Reimbursement”
Production records- all age/grade groups (basic and temperature lines)

48. Stephanie Stambach MS, RD, LD stephanie.stambach@maine.gov
QUESTIONS?
Stephanie Stambach MS, RD, LD
Child Nutrition Services
Maine Department of Education
111 Sewall St., 23 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333
(207)