Senior Nutrition Lunch Program

Recommended Dietary Allowances and Meal Pattern Guidelines

What does RDA mean?

Recommended Dietary Allowance: is how much food/nutrients is needed to maintain a healthy life.

Why are they important?

Ensure that our seniors are well fed and receiving all the vitamins and minerals they need.

Ensure that we don’t create or worsen already existing health problems by giving our seniors too much of a nutrient such as:

Sodium: affects high blood pressure

Carbohydrates: affects diabetes

Fat: affects heart disease

How much do our meals provide?

The government requires that each of our meals provide1/3 of the RDA since we provide 1 meal a day.

Full Day

Loaves & Fishes Lunch

Dinner

Breakfast

Food groups

Starch/grains

Vegetables

Fruits

Milk

Meat & Beans

Fat

What are some examples of starches/grains?1 serving of Bread/Grain = ½ cup pasta or rice, or 1 oz of bread or tortilla

•Bread

•Corn flakes

•Couscous

•Pasta

•Potatoes

•Pretzels

•Rice

•Rice noodles

•Spaghetti

•Tortillas

Starch/Grains Health Benefits

Whole grains are rich in fiber*.

Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

May reduce constipation. 

*50% of starch/grains should be whole grain. For example: brown rice, whole wheat bread

What are some examples of Vegetables?1 serving of Vegetables = ½ cup cooked vegetables, 1 cup raw vegetables

•Artichokes

•Asparagus

•Bean sprouts

•Beets

•Butternut squash

•Corn

•Cucumber

•Cabbage

•Carrots

•Okra

•Tomatoes

•Spinach

• Squash

What are some examples of Fruits?1 serving of Fruits = ½ cup of canned, fresh or frozen, or 1 medium fruit

• Apples

•Apricots

•Bananas

•Blueberries

•Cantaloupe

•Grapefruit

•Kiwi

•Nectarines

•Oranges

•Pineapple

•Peaches

•Watermelon

Fruit & Vegetable Health Benefits

May reduce risk for stroke, coronary heart disease, and other cardiovascular diseases.

May reduce risk for developing type 2 diabetes. (With type 2 diabetes, fruit intake should be balanced through out the day.)

May protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectal cancer

May be useful to reduce caloric intake.

What are some examples of Milk products?1 serving of Milk/Milk Alternative = 8 liquid oz, or 1 oz of cheese

• Milk: 1%, skim, lactose free milk

•Alternative milk products: soy milk, rice milk, almond milk

•Cheese

•Ice cream

•Pudding

•Yogurt

* Choose low fat milk products because whole milk products are high in saturated fats and cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease.

Milk Health Benefits

Diets rich in milk and milk products help build and maintain bone mass throughout the lifecycle.

This may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

What are some examples of Meat & Beans?1 serving of Meat/Meat Alternative = 3 oz

• Beef

•Chicken

•Fish

•Turkey

•Pork

•Tofu

•Nuts ( almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashews)

•Beans (soy beans, lima beans, kidney beans, black

beans) i.e. garden burgers

Meat & Beans Health Benefits

Meat & Beans are a rich source of protein. Proteins function as building blocks for bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. They are also building blocks for enzymes, hormones, and vitamins.

Play a role in the function of the nervous system.

Carry oxygen in the blood.

Help build tissues & bones.

What are some examples of Fats?1 serving of fat = 1 teaspoon

*Solid fats are fats that are solid at room temperature. These fats are more harmful to your health, use in moderation.

•Butter*

•Margarine

•Olive oil/Canola oil

• Salad dressing

•Chicken/beef fat*

•Gravy

•Coconut oil*

•Lard*

•Mayonnaise

Fat Health Benefits

Healthy fats (omega-3 & omega-6):

Reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes.

Reduce symptoms of hypertension, depression, hyperactivity and joint pain.

Does not raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in the blood.

What are the RDA’s for our seniors?

Macronutrients 1 meal (33% of RDA)

Calories 685

Protein 19 grams

Carbohydrate 43 grams

Fat 23 grams

Dietary Fiber 7-8 grams

What are the RDA’s for our seniors?Micronutrients 1 meal

(33% of RDA)

Vitamin A (ug) 300

Vitamin C (mg) 30

Vitamin D (ug) 5

Vitamin E 5

Folate (ug) 133

Vitamin B12 (ug) 0.79

Calcium (mg) 400

Iron (mg) 2.70

Potassium (mg) 1167

Sodium (mg) <800

What you need to know:

Food Group Serving/Meal

Starch/grains 2 servings

Vegetables 2 servings

Fruit 1 serving

Milk/milk alternative 1 serving (8 oz)

Meat & Beans 1 serving (3 oz)

Butter or margarine 1 teaspoon

Dessert 1 serving: ½ cup

What do each of these food groups provide?

Fiber

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Thiamin

Riboflavin

Vitamin B6

Folate

Vitamin B12

Calcium

Iron

Magnesium

Zinc

Potassium

Starch x x x x x x

Vegetables x x x x x x

Fruits x x x x

Milk x x x

Meat/Beans (Beans provide fiber)

x x x x x x x x

How do our meals compare?

Meals

Calories 500

-800

Protein~19%

Carbohydrat

e~50%

Fat30-35%

Sodium<800mg

Fiber7-8 gm

Calcium

400 mg

Vitamin C30 mg

Vitamin A

~33%

BBQ Chicken 830 19% 50% 36% 910 15 420 50 30%

Meat Loaf w/ Gravy 810 19% 49% 31% 1000 11 540 45 17%

Sweet & Sour Pork 840 20% 51% 30% 600 11 420 50 40%

Ginger Turkey 660 29% 46% 26% 680 10 420 25 45%

Baked Fish w/ Tartar 810 21% 48% 32% 780 9 600 120 50%

Weekly Average 790 21% 49% 31% 794 11 480 58 36%

Loaves & Fishes Sample Meal

Beef and Macaroni Casserole (1 meat & 1 grain)

Winter Mix Vegetables (1 vegetable)

Red & White Slaw (1 vegetable)

Whole Wheat Roll (1 grain)

Peaches (1 fruit)

Milk (1 milk)

What if the casserole was not available?

??

Winter Mix Vegetables

Red & White Slaw

Whole Wheat Roll

Peaches

Milk

What’s missing from this festive summertime menu?

BBQ Ribs

BBQ Chicken

Pulled Pork

Potato Salad

Rice Pilaf

Watermelon

Tropical Cheesecake

Milk

What is missing from this Hispanic menu?

Ropa Vieja: shredded meat

Chicken enchiladas w/ rice

Congri: beans & rice dish

Plantains: fried bananas

Milk