1. New Mexico School Nutrition Association Annual Conference
Offer vs Serve
New Mexico School Nutrition Association Annual Conference
Albuquerque – June 4, 2019
Kendal Chavez, Farm to School Specialist/Nutritionist

2. 101: What is OVS? OVS is a strategy that:
Allows students to decline some food components or food items, and select foods they intend to eat
Reduces food waste and its impact on school food cost
Is mandatory in the NSLP for high schools only
Is optional in SBP (all grades) and NSLP-Seamless Summer Option

3. Key OVS Concepts Food components (groups)
Food item is a specific food offered within each food component
Schools may offer one food item within a component
Grains: Choose one - bagel, cold cereal, or muffin
Schools may offer multiple food items within a component
Fruits: Choose up to three –
½ cup peaches, fresh orange, apple, ½ cup apple juice
Food components (groups)
NSLP: Milk, Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, and Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA)
SBP: Milk, Fruits, Grains
Schools must offer the amounts specified in the meal patterns daily/weekly

4. Menu Planning for OVS Breakfast Lunch School
Must offer 3 food components daily
Milk, fruits, grains
Offer at least 4 food items
Students
Must select at least 3 food items, including: ½ cup fruits (vegetable as substitute)
School
Must offer 5 food components daily
Milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, M/MA
Students
Must select at least 3 food components, including: ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable

5. Common Mistakes

6. Offer vs Serve: Guidance for the NSLP and the SBP
Choice is not OVS
“Offering choices within components does not constitute OVS. If students are required to select every component, the SFA is not using OVS. Students must be allowed to decline components (except ½ cup serving of fruit and/or vegetable).”
Offer vs Serve: Guidance for the NSLP and the SBP

7. Pre-Serving is not OVS
“If OVS is in place students must be able to decline items they do not want and select the minimum required amounts for at least three food components, including a fruit or vegetable. One option is for students to pre-order the entrée and choose the side dishes at the point of service.”
Policy Memo SP (v.9)

8. Salad Bar Post-POS is not OVS
“…Un-monitored salad bars after the POS are considered extra food that cannot contribute toward the reimbursable meal, but counts toward the dietary specifications. For the vegetable subgroups to count, the school has to establish a monitoring mechanism [approved by the State agency].”
Policy Memo SP

9. Discussion: What are real-life examples of OVS?

10. New Mexico Spotlight

11. Albuquerque Public Schools

12. Mountainair Public Schools

13. Santa Fe Public Schools

14. Digging In: OVS at Lunch

15. OVS at Lunch School Must offer 5 food components daily Students
Milk
Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
M/MA
Students
Must select at least 3 food components, including ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable

16. Remember…Menu planners must offer minimum portion sizes
Vegetables
Fruit

17. Reimbursable Lunch Worksheet
Discussion questions:
What is the role of the menu planner in setting expectations for OVS at this school site?
What are other vegetables that can be substituted in this meal?
Which, if any, of the 3 students selected the appropriate quantities for a reimbursable meal?

18. Communicating OVS to Students and Staff

19. Signage

20. Signage

21. Kendal Chavez Kendal.Chavez@state.nm.us (505) 827-1807
Thank you!
Kendal Chavez
(505)