Menu Criteria, Planning & Marketing for HUSSC
Carol H. Gilbert, M.Ed, SNS
Requirements
• Dark green vegetables• Orange vegetables• Legumes• Fruits• Whole grains
Veggie Variety
• Include – Dark-green vegetables– Orange vegetables– Dry beans and peas
• Starchy and Other veggies– Occasionally
Veggie Criteria
• Different veggie every day– Minimum ¼ cup
• Dark green or orange – 3 or more days per week– Of the 3, at least 2 must be different
• Cooked dry beans or peas – 1 time per week– Includes canned dry beans or peas– Either a meat alternate or a veggie, not both
• Romaine lettuce
• Head lettuce• Brussels Sprouts• Broccoli• Turnip Greens• Spinach• Green Peas• Watercress
• Asparagus• Green Peppers• Mesculin (baby greens)• Green Beans• Dark Green Leafy Lettuce
• Bok choy
• Collard greens
Dark Green or Other Green Veggies?Pick the acceptable Dark Green Veggies
Orange Veggies
• Pumpkin• Sweet potato• Acorn squash• Butternut squash• Carrots• Hubbard squash
Dry Beans & Peas
– Black beans– Black-eyed peas– Garbanzo (chickpeas)
– Great Northern– Kidney– Lentils– Navy (pea) beans
– Lima beans, mature– Pink beans– Pinto beans– Red beans– Soybeans, mature– Split peas
What about Starchy and Other Veggies
• Include as part of the total different servings per week:– Corn – Potatoes (mashed, fries, potato rounds, baked)– Green peas (fresh or frozen)– Soybeans– Edamame, green– Lima Beans, green (fresh or frozen)– Green & Red Peppers– Beets
Fruits
• Eat a variety of fruit
• Different fruit every day
• Select fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit– Dried fruit may not be pre-sweetened
• Minimize fruit juice– 100% juice can be counted only 1 time per week
Whole-Grains • Make half your grains, whole
– Bronze and Silver 1Serving of whole-grain food 3 times per week– Portion size must meet criteria in Food Buying Guide, pages 3.15 -16
• Meet the Group A or Group B criteria below: – Group A: Food products with whole grain(s) as the primary ingredient
by weight
– Group B: Food products with whole grain(s) as the primary grain ingredient by weight
– The majority of whole grains must be Group A • at least 2 out of 3 whole grains for bronze and silver, and at least 3 out of 5
whole grains for gold must be Group A)
• Documentation from manufacturer
What is a Whole-grain?
• Whole-wheat flour (Red or white)• Bulgur- whole, cracked or whole-grain• Graham flour• Whole oats, oatmeal or oats• Rice- brown, wild• Barley- whole, whole-grain, dehulled• Whole rye flour
Correct Grain IdentificationLabel 1: Whole wheat flour, enriched flour, water, nonfat dry milk, wheat gluten, yeast, oil, xxx, xxx, xxx……
Label 2: Water, enriched flour, whole wheat flour, oatmeal, flaxseed, nonfat dry milk, corn syrup, wheat gluten, yeast, xxx, xxx, xxx…..
Menu Planning & Marketing• Review the menu– Ask, “Where can I incorporate US Healthier foods?”
• Research the items you are serving– Whole grains, get the facts from manufacturer
• Whole grains & dry beans, peas – Plan– Taste-test
Incorporating Whole Grains
• Use whole wheat pastas• Purchase pizza with whole wheat crust• Use ½ whole wheat + ½ white in sandwiches• Purchase whole grain breaded products• Brown rice to replace white• Whole grain breakfast cereals• Whole grain corn chips
Menu Planning & Marketing
– Main Dishes• Add to Taco Meat• Hot Dog & Baked Bean • Chili ~ Have a cook-off• Hummus • Enchiladas• Quesadillas
– Vegetables & Sides• 3-Bean Salad• Hummus• Lentils & Whole grain
rice• Red Beans & Rice• Baked Beans• Santa Fe Salad• Lentil Salad
• It only takes a ¼ cup, one time weekly!!
Menu Planning & Marketing
• Soups– Split Pea & Ham– Vegetable– Minestrone– Black Bean– 12 Bean Soup
Healthy Menu Planning
• Organize a food committee– Students– Parents– Faculty– Chefs to School Program
• Taste-test items before serving to everyone– Remember to try at least 3 times
Healthy Menu Planning
• Merchandise – We eat with our eye’s first
• Change takes time– Be consistent– Be patient– Be inventive
• YOU are the expert in serving healthy food!