Become a School Food Expert
It's important to learn how the school meal programs work in order to be an effective advocate. The National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program are run by the federal government and come with a set of regulations that participating school districts must follow. The more familiar you are with the regulations and the day-to-day operations of your district's kitchens, the better equipped you will be to effectively communicate with your Food Services Director and other administrators about the changes you seek.
What is the National School Lunch Program?
What is the School Breakfast Program?
What is a reimbursable meal?
What are free and reduced-price meals?
What does "participation rate" mean?
What are the nutrition requirements for school meals?
What are USDA Dollars and USDA foods?
What is a self-operating food service versus a contract food service?
What is Offer versus Serve?
What are competitive foods?
What are "foods of minimal nutritional value"?
What is Farm-to-School?
What is Chefs Move to School?
Wellness Policies
What is a wellness policy?
How can the strength of a wellness policy be evaluated?
Government and Organizations
Which government agencies oversee the School Breakfast Program/National School Lunch Program?
What is the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act?
What is the School Nutrition Association?
Connecticut Initiatives
What is Connecticut Healthy Food Certification?
Which beverages can be sold in Connecticut schools?
What is the National School Lunch Program?
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is is a federally-assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It is intended to provide nutritionally-balanced, low-cost, or free lunches to low-income students. Participating schools receive funding in the form of cash reimbursements for meals and commodity or USDA dollars to support the program. Schools must follow nutritional guidelines for food as specified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provide free and reduced-price lunches to eligible students. Back to top.
What is the School Breakfast Program?
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is the USDA's federally-assisted breakfast program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It is intended to provide nutritionally-balanced, low-cost, or free breakfast to low income students. Back to top.
What is a reimbursable meal?
A reimbursable meal is eligible for a cash reimbursement by the USDA if it meets the nutrition requirements of the School Breakfast or National School Lunch Programs. Most of the support the USDA provides to schools in the NSLP comes in the form of reimbursements. Reimbursement rates vary depending on whether the meal is paid in full, offered at a reduced price, or free. Back to top.
What are free and reduced-price meals?
Free and reduced-price meals are provided to low-income students through the SBP/NSLP. To qualify, a student's family must be below a certain income level and complete paperwork that is processed by the Food Services Department. Some districts offer Universal Free Lunch and Breakfast, meaning that all students, regardless of family income level, are provided the meals for free. Back to top.
What does "participation rate" mean?
Participation rate is the number of students buying reimbursable meals in the SBP/NSLP compared to either enrollment or attendance figures. This number is important because it represents how much money the Food Services Department will receive in reimbursements. Contact your Food Services Director to find out how your district calculates the rate. Back to top.
What are the nutrition requirements for school meals?
In 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which represents the most significant change to the school meal patterns in almost two decades.
Lunch
Schools must use one food-based meal pattern with three age/grade groups (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). The meal pattern requires schools to offer the following five components for each lunch:
- one serving of meat/meat alternate
- one serving of fruit
- one serving of vegetable
- one serving of grains
- one serving of milk
For schools to receive federal reimbursement for lunches, students must take at least three of the five components including at least ½ cup of fruits or vegetables and the full serving of at least two other components.
Breakfast
The USDA is phasing in the new meal pattern requirements for breakfast over several years, beginning July 1, 2013. The meal pattern for the 2012-13 school year has not changed. For school year 2013-14, schools must use one food-based meal pattern with the same three age/grade groups as lunch (K-5, 6-8, and 9-12). The meal pattern requires schools to offer the following three components for each breakfast:
- one serving of fruit (vegetables may be substituted for fruits but the first two cups per week must be from the dark green, red/orange, beans and peas (legumes), or other vegetables subgroups)
- one serving of grains (meat/meat alternates may be substituted for grains after the minimum daily grains requirement is met)
- one serving of milk
Overview of Key Changes
The new rules introduced many other changes:
- Lunches must meet minimum and maximum calorie levels for each age/grade group. For breakfast, the calorie ranges take effect with school year 2013-14.
- Lunches and breakfast must begin to gradually reduce sodium levels so meals meet specific targets over the next ten years.
- All foods and ingredients used in school meals must contain zero grams of trans fat per serving beginning school year 2012-13 for lunches and 2013-14 for breakfasts.
- Lunches must include weekly vegetable servings from five vegetable subgroups, based on the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The five vegetable subgroups include dark green, red/orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other.
- At lunch, juice cannot count for more than half of the weekly fruits component or vegetables component. Effective with school year 2013-14, juice cannot count for more than half of the weekly fruits component at breakfast.
- For lunch, at least half of the grains offered during the week must be “whole-grain rich,” i.e., contain at least 50 percent whole grains and any other grains are enriched. For school year 2014-15, all grains must be whole-grain rich. For breakfast, at least half of the grains offered during the week must be whole-grain rich for school year 2013-14, and all grains must be whole-grain rich for school year 2014-15.
- At lunch, grain-based desserts are limited to no more than 2 ounce equivalents weekly.
- The portion size of the meat/meat alternate component has been reduced.
- Soy yogurt and tofu may now be used as meat alternates.
- Flavored milk must be fat-free.
- Water must be free and readily accessible.
Back to top.
What are USDA foods and USDA dollars?
Additional support from the USDA comes in the form of "USDA Dollars" (or "commodity dollars"), which can only be used to purchase "USDA foods" (or "commodity" or "entitlement" foods), such as meat, cheese, and produce. Schools are limited by which choices are available in their state at a given time and by demand. School districts order their USDA foods six months in advance of the start of the school year, but if there isn't enough interest in a defined geographic area for a specific product to fill a truck, the order can be canceled at any time.
Some USDA foods, such as meat and cheese, usually do not arrive at the school in whole form (e.g., as raw chicken or blocks of cheese). Rather, most districts opt to send their purchases to food processing companies which turn the chicken into nuggets, patties, or other items, and incorporate the cheese into other products such as pizza toppings.
There are two disadvantages to having the food processed:
- schools lose control of what exactly goes into the meal
- the processed food costs more.
But there are advantages as well:
- the processors ensure USDA nutrition requirements are met, including the sodium, fat, portion size, and the combination of components within the entree
- they give incentives to school districts for buying their products;
- they offer safety and convenience, as many school kitchens are ill-equipped to handle raw meat and other commodities safely and/or efficiently. Back to top.
What is a self-operating food service versus a contract food service?
A self-operating food service is run directly by the school district. The district controls the day-to-day operations (menu planning, meal preparation, food ordering, etc.) and the staff hiring and setting of long-term vision and goals of the Food Services Department. It is meant to be non-profit; all revenue must be reinvested into the meal program to pay for salaries, training, insurance, kitchen equipment, serving ware, and food. School districts are prohibited from carrying a balance greater than three months of operating expenses.
A contract food service is run by a national or local corporation such as Aramark, Chartwells, and Sodexo. The corporation, not the school district, is the employer of the Food Services Director and his/her staff. Contract food service corporations are for-profit businesses and, although they are governed by the same regulations as all schools in the SBP/NSLP, they are profit-driven entities. They have the advantage of buying in large volumes, thereby cutting costs. However, the district cedes a level of control over their meal program by contracting out their service. Back to top.
What is Offer versus Serve?
For a school lunch to be reimbursable, it must contain three of the five required USDA meal-pattern components. Schools have the option either to offer all components (but must ensure students take at least three) or serve all components to each student. If a district adopts the Offer versus Serve (OVS) system it means they use only the "offer" option. Offer versus Serve is mandatory only for lunch in senior high schools. In all other grade levels, OVS is optional for breakfast and lunch. Most schools implement OVS to reduce plate waste and costs.
The system, however, has several disadvantages: 1) some students may not be aware that they have the option to choose all the components; and 2) by being served all the components, students can see what a balanced meal should look like, and may get more nutrients if they consume all five components. Back to top.
What are competitive foods?
Competitive foods are foods and beverages sold in schools separately from the meals provided through the SBP/NSLP. They include foods sold à la carte in the cafeteria (items that students can buy individually versus part of a meal), in vending machines, school stores, and snack bars. They do not have to meet federal nutrition guidelines. They may be meal items such as sandwiches, side dishes like french fries, snacks like ice cream or cookies, and beverages like sodas or sports drinks. Back to top.
What are "foods of minimal nutritional value"?
The USDA regulations define four specific categories of "foods of minimal nutritional value" (FMNV) that are prohibited for sale during meal periods: 1) soda waters, 2) chewing gum, 3) certain candies, and 4) water ices such as popsicles. Manufacturers can petition the USDA to have their foods made exempt from this definition if they meet specific nutrition criteria, and thus be allowed for sale during meal periods. Back to top.
What is Farm-to-School?
The Farm-to-School Program is a federal program designed to encourage the use of locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables in cafeteria meals and for snacks. Participating districts support local farms and offer fresher produce in the school meals. The program is usually run by a state's Department of Agriculture. Back to top.
What is Chefs Move to School?
Chefs Move to School is an initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move campaign. Chefs around the country volunteer to adopt a school and work with teachers, parents, school nutritionists, and administrators to educate students about food and nutrition. Back to top.
What is a wellness policy?
A wellness policy is a district's comprehensive set of guidelines covering nutrition and physical activity in schools. The 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act required that each district participating in the USDA Child Nutrition Programs develop a wellness policy. The policy had to:
- Include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness
- Include nutrition guidelines for all foods available on the school campus during the school day, with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity
- Include a plan for measuring implementation of the policy, including the designation of one or more persons within the local education agency or at each school, as appropriate, charged with ensuring that the school is meeting the policy guidelines
- Involve parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, the school board, school administrators, and the public in development of the local wellness policy
School wellness policies can often be found on district websites. If there isn't an obvious spot for the policy, it is sometimes included in the section devoted to the Board of Education. You can also request that the school district's main office send you a copy. Back to top.
How can the strength of a wellness policy be evaluated?
One way to evaluate a wellness policy is by using the Wellness School Assessment Tool, or WellSAT. By completing the WellSAT, parents will be able to assess the quality of their school district's wellness policy. Back to top.
Which government agencies oversee the School Breakfast Program/National School Lunch Program?
At the federal level, the USDA oversees the SBP/NSLP. The USDA determines the nutrition standards, dietary requirements, and meal components of school meals, and procures the USDA foods. At the state level, most Departments of Education have a nutrition department that oversees the programs. However, in some states, such as Texas, the programs are run through the Department of Agriculture. Back to top.
What is the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act?
In November 2010, Congress passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which will result in new regulations for school food nutrition standards. Rudd 'Roots Parents and the Rudd Center commend the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the significant improvements it made in the regulations for the National School Lunch Program this year. Food service directors around the country have been working diligently to implement positive changes, including serving more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while reducing sodium, saturated fat, and excess calories. Back to top.
What is the School Nutrition Association?
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national organization of school Food Services Directors and personnel with chapters in every state. The association supports their members with education, training, and certification. They also have "Industry Patrons," which include Barilla Foodservice, Campbell Soup Company, ConAgra Foodservice, Domino's Pizza, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, MilkPEP, and Tyson. Back to top.
What is Connecticut Healthy Food Certification?
Connecticut Healthy Food Certification is a voluntary program whereby a school system receives an extra $0.10 per reimbursable lunch if the competitive foods it sells meet specific state nutrition standards. The standards apply to all foods offered for sale to students at all times, in all schools, and from all sources, including a la carte lines, school stores, vending machines, cafeterias, and fundraising activities that take place on school premises.
The program is administered through the Department of Education, and creates an opportunity to make the food environment in schools healthier, and to provide the Food Services Department with revenue to invest in better quality food and staff training. Every spring, each school district must re-enroll or may enroll for the first time. Parents can advocate for their district to enroll. Back to top.
Which beverages can be sold in Connecticut schools?
By law, beverages sold to students in Connecticut public schools must be in one of the following five categories:
- Milk (flavored or plain) with no more than 4g of sugar per ounce and no artificial sweeteners
- Nondairy milks such as soy or rice milk, which can be flavored but may contain no artificial sweeteners, no more than 4g of sugar per ounce, no more than 35% of calories from fat per portion, and no more than 10% of calories from saturated fat per portion
- One hundred percent fruit or vegetable juice, or a combination of those juices, containing no added sugars, sweeteners, or artificial sweeteners
- Beverages that contain only water and fruit or vegetable juice, and have no added sugars, sweeteners, or artificial sweeteners
- Water, which may be flavored but contains no added sugars, sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, or caffeine
Other than water, all beverages must be no more than 12 ounces. Beverages that do not meet the requirements of state statute can only be sold to students on school premises if 1) the Board of Education or school governing authority has voted to allow exemptions; and 2) the beverage is sold at the location of an event that occurs after the school day or on the weekend, provided the sale is not from a vending machine or school store. Back to top.
Resources
Cooper, Ann. (2006). Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children. New York: Harper Collins.
Kubik, M.Y., Lytle, L.A., Hannan, P.J., Perry, C.L., Story, M. (2003). The association of the school food environment with dietary behaviors of young adolescents. American Journal of Public Health, 9(7): 1168 - 73.
Levine, Susan. (2008). School Lunch Politics: The Surprising History of America's Favorite Welfare Program. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
O'Toole, T.P., Anderson, S., Miller, C., Gurthrie, J. (2007). Nutrition services and foods and beverages available at school: Results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006. Journal of School Health, 77 (8): 500 - 21.
Poppendieck, Janet. (2010). Free for All: Fixing School Food in America. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Story, M., Nanney, M.S., Schwartz, M.B. (2009). Schools and obesity prevention: Creating school environments and policies to promote healthy eating and physical activity. Milbank Quarterly, 87(1): 71 - 100.
Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity. (2009). School Food: Opportunities for Improvement. New Haven: Yale Rudd Center.