Transcript HealthierUS School Challenge Tips for Success 3-22


Application can be submitted after all 4
weeks of HUSSC menus have been
served.

Applications can be accessed at
teamnutrition.usda.gov/healthierUS/index

I have a school with grades K-12. Which
HUSSC application and criteria do I use?
› If the school only has one principal, it must
apply for all grade levels.
› Use application packet for the award level
you are applying (Gold, etc.) and include
additional pages for physical education and
nutrition education at both elementary and
secondary grade levels.

If a K-12 school has separate principals
for the elementary grades and
secondary grades:
› The school can apply for all grade levels as
on previous slide
OR
› The school can apply for only the
elementary grades or only the secondary
grades.
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Gold Award
of Distinction
Elementary N/A
60%
70%
70%
Middle
N/A
60%
70%
70%
High
N/A
45%
65%
65%

Four consecutive weeks
› Cannot have a week off between these
weeks
› Minimum of 3 days per week
› Must have a total of 16 days over the 4
weeks
› All 4 weeks do not have to be in the same
calendar month
 Ex.: Last 2 wks from Jan. and first 2 wks from
Feb.

Every student should have the
opportunity to select a reimbursable
lunch that meets the HUSSC criteria
› Ex. Cannot use brown rice from the main
line and the baby carrots from the grab and
go if a student is not allowed to choose both
that day
› Ex. Three different fruits/vegetables are used
in meeting the criteria, however, students
are only allowed to select 2 fruits/vegetables
each day as part of the reimbursable meal

If Offer vs. Serve is being used, submit a
brief description of how it is being
implemented.
› Are the students allowed to exceed the
meal pattern with no additional charge (ex.
3 fruits/vegetables)?
› This may be explained on your menu copy
that is submitted.
 Different
vegetable and fruit must be
served daily each week
 Different forms of the same
vegetable/fruit do not count
separately
› Examples:
 baked potato and french fries
 mandarin oranges and orange wedges

If items such as fruit juice bar or sherbet
are used to count as a fruit, it is counted
as the type of fruit used as the base
› Sherbet (AL State Bid): apple juice base
› Juice bar (AL State Bid): pear juice base

Please submit ingredient labels for these
items.
 Avoid
terms on the menu
worksheet or production records
such as fresh vegetables or fresh
fruit, please specify the name of
the vegetable or fruit that was
served
 If
a term is used that does not clarify
which type of vegetable/ fruit is being
counted, please specify what kind is
being used.
› Ex.: If the tomatoes in Mexican
casserole are used, may enter
“Tomatoes (Mex. Casserole)”
› Ex.: Fruit salad – may enter
“Grapes (fruit salad)”
 If
a recipe is used that may lead
the reviewer to question whether it
provides a minimum of ¼ cup of
actual vegetable/fruit per serving,
please submit recipe
› Ex.: Squash Casserole
 Otherwise,
recipes for vegetables/
fruit are not needed in packet
 Can
schools offer a salad bar
every day of the week to meet the
HUSSC criteria for vegetables and
fruit?
› Yes, as long as the planned serving
size is at least ¼ cup for each
selected

Salad Bar (cont’d)
› The planned portion size is determined by
the menu planner based on actual student
consumption
› Production records show sufficient quantities
are planned
› Include salad bar production record in
packet if salad bar is used to meet criteria
› Salad bar production record is located on
our website at www.alsde.edu

If a vegetable medley or mixed fruit dish
is served, can this meet the requirement
for a vegetable or fruit?
› Yes, in dishes where more than one veg./fruit
are used, one of the single items in the dish
can be used to meet the criteria
 Ex: Broccoli in California Medley can be used.
May be indicated as “Broccoli (Calif. Medley)”
on worksheet.
 Would not have to be ≥¼ cup of Broccoli, but
≥ ¼ cup serving of California Medley.

Review Guidance on Dark Green and
Orange Vegetables and Dry Beans for
HUSSC to be sure correct vegetables are
being used to meet criteria
› Link on page 1 of HUSSC application

Of the 3 required, at least 2 must be
different vegetables.

Can baby carrots count as both the
vegetable for that day and also an
orange vegetable for the week?
› Yes, the same menu item can be used to
meet both criteria.

If turnip greens are used, do not enter
only the word “turnips” on the menu
worksheet.

Enter the entire name, “turnip greens” to
distinguish the difference between the
greens and the root vegetable.
 At
least 1 serving / week required
 Dry
refers to the bean being
harvested dry, not to the purchase
form of the bean

Review Guidance on Dark Green and
Orange Vegetables and Dry Beans for
HUSSC to be sure correct vegetables are
being used to meet criteria

Many canned beans & peas are
actually dry beans & peas that have
been cooked and canned and are
therefore acceptable.

Count as dry Beans/Peas:
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
›
Black beans
Black-eyed peas, mature
Great Northern Beans
Kidney Beans
Lima beans, mature
Pinto Beans
Red Beans
Navy Beans
Refried Beans
Garbanzo Beans (chickpeas)
typically used on salad bars

Do Not Count:
›
›
›
›
›
–
Baby limas
Green beans
Wax beans
Early peas
Any frozen
beans or peas

Can baked beans count as both a
vegetable serving and the weekly dry
bean/pea requirement?
› Yes, the same menu item can be used to
meet both criteria.
Gold/Gold of Distinction: At least 2
servings per week
 Silver/Bronze: At least 1 serving per week
 If fresh fruit is also being used as the fruit
for that day of the week, it should be
entered in both the Fruits category and
Fresh Fruit category (on Menu
Worksheet)

 Gold/Gold
of Distinction: Daily
 Bronze/Silver: 3 or more days per
week
 Must serve at least 2 different types
of whole grain products each
week
 Must be at least the portion size of
one grains/breads serving

How can I determine if a whole grain
product credits as a serving of grain/
bread?
› Compare the weight of one serving in
ounces or grams with those on pages 3-15
and 3-16 of the USDA Food Buying Guide.
› Be sure correct (creditable) weight is
entered on menu worksheet.
 If
using dry whole grain rice or
pasta in a recipe:
› the recipe must provide at least
25 grams dry rice or pasta per
serving
OR
› be a USDA recipe
 Example:
› Recipe calls for 6# dry brown rice
› Yield: 100 servings
 1# = 453.597 grams
 6# X 453.597g = 2721.582 grams dry rice
 2721.582 g/100 servings= 27.21 g/svg
› This would be acceptable as a serving
of whole grain.
Whole
grain products from
Group A must be the
majority of whole grain foods
offered each week
› Ex.: 5 day serving week – need at
least 3 Group A
› Ex.: 4 day serving week – need
at least 3 Group A

Group A: Whole grain(s) as the primary
ingredient by weight
 How
do you determine if the whole
grain is the primary ingredient by
weight in a grains/breads
product?
1)
A whole grain is listed first on an
ingredient statement
Ex.: whole wheat flour listed as first
ingredient on ingredient label
OR
2)
If a school-made recipe contains whole
grains, a total of whole grains weigh
more than any other ingredients


Ex.: In a school recipe, the weight of the whole
wheat flour is greater than the weight of any other
single ingredient
Ex.: In a school recipe, the weight of the whole
wheat flour plus the rolled oats is greater than the
weight of any other single ingredient
OR
3)
In purchased products that
contain multiple grains, if the total
weight of all the whole grain
ingredients is greater than the
weight of the first ingredient listed

Group B: Whole grain(s) as the primary
GRAIN ingredient by weight
› Ex.: water is listed as first ingredient followed
by whole wheat flour
› Ex.: In a school recipe for whole wheat
cookies, the weight of the sugar is greatest
followed by the weight of the whole wheat
flour
 Submit
recipe(s) or ingredient
label(s) for all whole grain
menu items used to meet the
HUSSC criteria with your
application packet

Use Attachment B when necessary
› Documentation for Foods Containing
Multiple Whole Grains for the HUSSC
 Ex. A cookie recipe using both whole wheat
flour and rolled oats.
› Access by clicking Whole Grains Resource
on first page of HUSSC application
Do not use commodity chicken nuggets
to count as a whole grain when planning
your menus
 We will not be getting these next year
 Potential for error due to purchased
nuggets not meeting this requirement

Must include in application packet
 Items must agree with menu worksheets
and production records
 If substitutions were made, please
indicate on menu

› Handwritten changes are acceptable

Tip: Some schools have indicated HUSSC
menu items with an asterisk

Depending on your student population’s
acceptance of healthier menu items,
you may consider adding descriptive
terms to your menus
› WW Roll instead of Roll
› Romaine Salad or Spinach Salad instead of
Garden Salad

Submit daily production records for the 4
weeks included in packet
› Must be submitted for all award levels in
Alabama (including Bronze)
Are meals reimbursable?
Are HUSSC menu items listed at both the
top & bottom of production records?
 If salad bar was used to meet criteria,
was salad bar production record
included?



Are all required areas of production
record completed
› (including columns 6-12, which indicate
amount planned and served)?

Do items & serving sizes on production
records agree with menu worksheets
and menu
› Highlight HUSSC items on production records

Do amounts planned/used reflect recipe
amounts

Token Items:
› Production records must demonstrate that at
least 10% of the students planned to eat in
the cafeteria that day are planned to
choose the food item in order for it not to be
considered a token item.

Token items:
› This should be reflected in the amount
planned in columns 6-8 of the production
records.
› Example of token food: 600 total student
meals planned & only 55 planned to choose
the whole wheat cornbread that day.
 Must
be provided to at least
half the grades in the school
(no fewer than 2 grades)
 Must
be part of a structured
and systematic unit of
instruction

Must involve multiple channels of
communication
› Classroom
› Cafeteria
› Home/parents

If state health curriculum is used, include
documentation in application packet or
explanation of what is covered on
worksheet

Must be offered to middle school
students in at least one grade level as
part of required year round instruction

Must be offered to high school students
in 2 courses required for graduation

Must involve multiple channels of
communication

Messages must be reinforced by
prohibiting the use of food as a reward
(school holiday parties are excluded)

Are structured physical education
classes provided for ALL full-day students
throughout the school year?
› Gold of Distinction: ≥ 150 min/wk
 OR ≥ 90 min/wk plus meeting stricter sodium
requirements
› Gold: ≥ 90 min/wk
› Silver & Bronze: ≥ 45 min/wk

Is there at least one additional physical
activity opportunity available daily for all
students (not counting P.E.)?
› Examples:
 Regular scheduled recess
 School walking clubs
 Intramural sports
 Physical activity breaks during the school day
within the classroom
 Time set aside each day for free play
Are structured physical education
classes provided to at least 2 grades
throughout the school year?
 Do all grades have the opportunity to
participate in physical activity
(intramural sports or activity clubs)
throughout the school year?


Does the school actively promote
participation in physical activities (in
and out of school) to all students?

Gold/Gold of Distinction: Criteria apply
throughout school day, throughout the
school campus

Silver/Bronze: Criteria apply during meals
periods within the foodservice area.
Criteria at a Glance
Calories from Total fat: ≤35%/serving
 Trans fat: <.5 grams/serving
 Calories from Saturated fat: <10%/serving
 Sugar: ≤ 35% by weight

Criteria at a Glance

Sodium
› Gold
 ≤480 mg sodium per non-entrée
› Gold of Distinction
 ≤ 200 mg sodium per non-entrée
OR
 Physical Education 150 minutes/week
Criteria at a Glance

Portion size/calories
› Not to exceed NSLP portion size
› ≤ 200 calories per portion
Criteria at a Glance

Beverages
› Milk
 1% fat or less
 Maximum serving size: 8 fluid ounces
› Fruit & Vegetable Juices
 100%
 No added sweeteners
 Maximum serving size:
 Elementary: 6 fluid ounces
 Secondary: 8 fluid ounces
Criteria at a Glance

Beverages
› Fruit & Vegetable Juices
 Frozen juice beverages are not allowed for
HUSSC schools.
 If the product is eaten with a spoon, it can
be entered as a food item.
 Be sure that the weight of the product is used
when entering into the calculator and not a fluid
ounce measurement.
Criteria at a Glance

Beverages
› Water
 Non-flavored
 No sweeteners
 Non-carbonated
 Non-caffeinated
 Seconds
or extra sales of
entrees offered as part of the
day’s reimbursable lunches
are exempt from the
competitive foods criteria
 All
competitive foods must be
entered into the Competitive Foods
Calculator
 Print and submit results for each
item
 Submit copy of nutrition facts for
each item
› Must be nutrition facts label and not
other manufacturer documentation
 Serving
size must be entered in
grams in the Competitive Foods
Calculator
› Some ice cream products have
serving size listed in fluid ounces on
label
› Contact manufacturer for weight
in grams per serving if needed

Do beverages have to be entered into
the Competitive Foods Calculator?
› No

Do beverages have to meet the sugar
criteria?
› No

Do foods served at birthday parties or
other classroom events have to meet this
criteria?
› Not for HUSSC purposes
› However, schools may have policies on this
as part of the wellness policy.

Do items sold ala carte in cafeteria, in
school stores, and in vending meet
Alabama’s Healthy Snack Standards?
Must be enrolled as a Team Nutrition
School
 What if I have enrolled, but it is not yet
posted on the Team Nutrition website?

› Submit statement explaining situation with
packet.

Fundraising
› Schools may answer No to the question “Are
primarily non-food items sold through school
fundraising activities?
› Schools MUST answer Yes to the question “Do
food items that are sold during the school
day meet the guidelines for competitive
foods?

If SSO is administered by a school with
HUSSC certification, the menu should
continue to meet the HUSSC criteria.

If you are one of the few districts in
Alabama that use Nutrient Standard
Menu Planning
› Submit a copy of the Nutrient Analyses for
the 4 weeks of menus
› Provide a brief explanation of your menu
structure
 Include# of entrees and side dishes offered
 Include whether OVS is implemented and how

Submit marketing plan as required by
the state as part of the Menu Planning
training.

Certification period is 4 years

All menus served should meet the HUSSC
criteria from the approval date
throughout the certification period.
 The
goal is to improve the health of
the nation’s children by promoting
healthier school environments
 If
you don’t meet all of the
requirements the first time (or the
second), every 4 week menu cycle
is another opportunity
Questions??