HealthierUS School Challenge

Tips for Success

Revised 3/22/10

Application Process

Application Process

Application can be submitted after all 4 weeks of HUSSC menus have been served.

Applications can be accessed at teamnutrition.usda.gov/healthierUS/index

Application Process

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.

Application Process

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.

Average Daily Participation Criteria

Average Daily Participation

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%

Menu Criteria

Menu Criteria

Number of Serving Days

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.

Menu Criteria

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

Menu Criteria

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.

Menu WorksheetsVegetables/Fruit

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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.

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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)”

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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

Menu Worksheets

Vegetables / Fruit

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.

Menu WorksheetsDark Green/Orange

Vegetables

Dark Green / Orange Vegetables

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.

Dark Green / Orange 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.

Dark Green / Orange Vegetables

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.

Menu WorksheetsDry Beans & Peas

Dry Beans & Peas

At least 1 serving / week required

Dry refers to the bean being harvested dry, not to the purchase form of the bean

Dry Beans & Peas

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.

Dry Beans & Peas

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

Dry Beans & 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.

Menu WorksheetsFresh Fruit

Fresh Fruit

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)

Menu WorksheetsWhole Grains

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

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.

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

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 Grains

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

Whole Grains

Group A: Whole grain(s) as the primary ingredient by weight

Whole Grains

How do you determine if the whole grain is the primary ingredient by weight in a grains/breads product?

Whole Grains

1) A whole grain is listed first on an ingredient statement

Ex.: whole wheat flour listed as first ingredient on ingredient label

OR

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

Submit recipe(s) or ingredient label(s) for all whole grain menu items used to meet the HUSSC criteria with your application packet

Whole Grains

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

Whole Grains

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

Menu

Menu

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

Menu

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

Production Records

Production Records

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?

Production Records

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

Production Records

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.

Production Records

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.

Nutrition Education

Worksheet

Nutrition EducationElementary Schools

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

Nutrition Education Elementary Schools

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

Nutrition Education Secondary Schools

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

Nutrition Education Secondary Schools

Must involve multiple channels of communication

Messages must be reinforced by prohibiting the use of food as a reward (school holiday parties are excluded)

Physical Education/

Activity Worksheet

Physical Education/Activity

Elementary Schools 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

Physical Education/Activity Elementary Schools

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

Physical Education/Activity

Secondary Schools 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?

Physical Education/Activity

Secondary Schools

Does the school actively promote participation in physical activities (in and out of school) to all students?

Competitive Foods

Competitive Foods

Gold/Gold of Distinction: Criteria apply throughout school day, throughout the school campus

Silver/Bronze: Criteria apply during meals periods within the foodservice area.

Competitive Foods

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

Competitive Foods

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

Competitive Foods

Criteria at a Glance Portion size/calories

› Not to exceed NSLP portion size› ≤ 200 calories per portion

Competitive Foods

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

Competitive Foods

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.

Competitive Foods

Criteria at a Glance Beverages

› Water Non-flavored No sweeteners Non-carbonated Non-caffeinated

Competitive Foods

Seconds or extra sales of entrees offered as part of the day’s reimbursable lunches are exempt from the competitive foods criteria

Competitive Foods

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

Competitive Foods

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

Competitive Foods

Do beverages have to be entered into the Competitive Foods Calculator?› No

Do beverages have to meet the sugar criteria?› No

Competitive Foods

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.

Competitive Foods

Do items sold ala carte in cafeteria, in school stores, and in vending meet Alabama’s Healthy Snack Standards?

Team Nutrition

Team Nutrition

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.

School Policies and Practices

School Policies and Practices

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?

Other

Seamless Summer Option (SSO)

If SSO is administered by a school with HUSSC certification, the menu should continue to meet the HUSSC criteria.

Nutrient Standard Menu Planning

Nutrient Standard Menu Planning

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

Marketing Plan

Marketing Plan

Submit marketing plan as required by the state as part of the Menu Planning training.

Certification

Certification

Certification period is 4 years

All menus served should meet the HUSSC criteria from the approval date throughout the certification period.

Remember…

The goal is to improve the health of the nation’s children by promoting healthier school environments

Remember…

If you don’t meet all of the requirements the first time (or the second), every 4 week menu cycle is another opportunity

Questions??