whole grains in the school meal programs healthy kids, healthy programs summit four points by...

Whole Grains in the School Meal Programs

Healthy Kids, Healthy Programs SummitFour Points by Sheraton, Norwood, MAMay 21, 2015

Presented by:Linda Fischer, M.Ed., RD, LDN

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

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Objectives/Agenda

Participants will become familiar with: Whole Grain-Rich (WGR) criteria Grain exemption/waiver requirements How to Calculate Ounce Equivalencies Creditable versus Non-Creditable Grains


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Beginning SY 2014-2015, all grains offered must be whole grain-rich in order to credit toward the grains component*

* Unless a Whole Grain Rich Product Exemption or Pasta Waiver is requested through the State Agency

Grains Component (for Lunch and Breakfast)


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An exemption or waiver form must be completed and submitted to the State Agency for approval

Certain criteria must apply to qualify:

Financial hardship

Limited product availability

Unacceptable product quality

Poor student acceptability

*

Requesting an Exemption/Waiver


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Documentation must be provided to substantiate the hardship incurred

Acceptable documentation includes:

Menus

Photos

Meal count records

Daily income statements and/or production records for dates of service

Requesting an Exemption/Waiver


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Whole Grain Rich Product Exemption or Pasta Waiver forms may be found in the Document and Reference Library section of the ESE Security Portal

Where Can I Get an Exemption/Waiver Form?


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1) Foods that contain 100 percent whole grain

2) Foods with a blend of whole-grain meal and/or flour and enriched meal and/or flour of which at least 50 percent is whole grain.

Let’s look at the 50 Percent Guideline a bit closer

What Foods Meet the Whole Grain-Rich Criteria?


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The 50 percent guideline for whole grain-rich requires that the grain content of a product contain: 50-percent or more whole grains by

weightand

the remaining grain, if any, must be enriched

The 50 Percent Guideline


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For example: A school has a recipe for homemade

dinner rolls containing a total of 6 cups of flour

3 cups of whole wheat flour 3 cups of enriched white flour

This would meet the 50 percent whole grain-rich requirement because 50% of the product is made with whole wheat flour and the remaining 50% of the product is made with enriched white flour

The 50 Percent Guideline


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School must evaluate a grain product using the following two-elements set forth in the final rule

Element #1: A serving of the food item must meet

portion size requirements for the grains/breads component as defined in Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) guidance.

Exhibit A (grain chart): School Lunch and Breakfast

Whole Grain-rich Criteria


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Element #2:Food must meet at lease one of the

following:

1. The whole grains per serving (based on minimum serving sizes specified for grains/breads in FNS guidance) must be 8 grams

This may be determined from information provided on the product packaging, if available or from information provided by the manufacturer (i.e. product formulation statement)



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2. The product includes the following FDA-approved whole-grain health claim on the packaging.

“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.”

or

“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease.”



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FDA Approved Whole Grain Health Claim


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3. Whole grain is listed first in the product ingredient declaration

Non-mixed dishes (e.g., breads, cereals): Whole grains must be the primary ingredient by weight (a whole grain is the first ingredient listed in the label declaration)

Mixed dishes (e.g., pizza, corn dogs): Whole grains must be the primary grain ingredient by weight (a whole grain is the first grain ingredient listed in the label declaration)



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Whole Grain listed first in Ingredient Declaration


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Q. What do we do when the whole grain content comes from multiple ingredients and whole grain is not the first ingredient listed on the label declaration?

A. A written product formulation statement must be provided by the company or manufacturer showing the whole grains are the primary ingredient by weight even though a whole grain is not listed as the first ingredient

Whole Grain from Multiple Ingredients


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To Evaluate this Product:A product formulation statement is required to determine:

1) How much enriched wheat flour is in this product?

2) How much whole wheat flour is in this product?


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Calculating OunceEquivalencies


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1. Calculating based on total weight of creditable product by using Exhibit A (Grain Chart) for School Lunch and Breakfast

2. Calculating based on grams of creditable grain ingredient by using Product Formulation Statements provided by manufacturers

NOTE: All grains are measured in ounce equivalents and must be rounded down to the nearest quarter ounce

There are Two Ways to Calculate Oz Equivalencies


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1) Calculating Oz Equivalencies Based on Total Weight of Creditable Product Use Exhibit A (Grain Chart) for School

Lunch and Breakfast

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Steps for Calculating Oz Equivalents

Step 1: Obtain information from the food labelOne frosted pop tart = 50 grams (1.76 oz)

Step 2: Obtain ounce equivalent information from Exhibit A

Group E 1 oz eq = 69 grams or 2.4 oz

Step 3: Take the weight of the item and divide by grams or weight in ounces and round down to

the nearest quarter ounce 50 grams 69 = 0.72 .50 oz eq

1.76 oz 2.4 oz = 0.73 .50 oz eq

1 pop tart toaster pastry (frosted) = 50 grams (1.76

oz)


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Step 1: Obtain size/weight information from the food labelOne bar = ___________________________

Step 2: Obtain ounce equivalent information from Exhibit A – Group _____; 1 oz eq. = _______________________

Step 3: Take the weight of the item and divide by grams or weight in ounces and round down to the nearest quarter ounce

1 cereal bar (plain)

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Step 1: Obtain information from the food labelOne bar = 40 grams (1.42 oz)

Step 2: Obtain ounce equivalent information from Exhibit A – Group D

1 oz eq = 55 grams or 2.0 oz

Step 3: Take the weight of the item and divide by grams or weight in ounces and round down

to the nearest quarter ounce 40 grams 55 = 0.73 .50 oz eq

1.42 oz 2.0 oz = 0.71 .50 oz eq

1 cereal bar (plain) = 40 grams (1.42 oz)


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For Group I items, the volumes or weights listed must be offered to credit as one ounce equivalent

This item alone does not meet the minimum one ounce equivalent for Group I


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2) Calculating Oz Equivalencies Based on Grams of Creditable Grain Ingredient


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Creditable Grain in Products

How do I determine the amount of creditable grain ingredient contained in a product?

1. From information provided on the product packaging, if available.

2. From product formulation statements provided by the manufacturer, if available.


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Creditable Grain in Products Grain items listed in Groups A-G (of Exhibit A)

may be calculated on the basis of 16 grams of creditable grain per serving.

Products can be made with 8 grams of whole-grain and 8 grams of enriched meal and/or enriched flour to be considered WGR.

Products in Group H and I must contain 28 grams of creditable grain per serving or use the weights or volumes listed in Exhibit A.

Let’s look at some examples…


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Q. Can schools use the Whole Grain Stamp (from the Whole Grain Council) to determine if a food product meets the WGR criterion?

A. The Whole Grain Stamp provides useful information to suggest the product contains the proper amount of whole grains, but the content of the whole grain must still be matched against the serving size requirements in the school meal patterns.


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Q. Are schools allowed to use statements from products/packaging or company factsheets to determine meal pattern equivalents?



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A. Product labels and company factsheets are a good way for food manufacturers to communicate with school program operators about how their products may contribute to the meal pattern requirements, however, unless the product contains a CN label, the product must still be evaluated as a WGR product and matched against the serving size requirements in the school meal patterns.



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Child Nutrition (CN) Labels

What are Child Nutrition Labels?Allows manufacturers to state the contribution on their labels. The program provides a warranty against audit claims for purchasers of CN labeled products

How does the Program work?Requires an evaluation of a product's formulation by FNS to determine its contribution toward meal pattern requirements


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Child Nutrition (CN) Labels

Are CN Labels Required?

No!

Manufacturers are NOT required to obtain CN labels for their products

Schools are NOT required to purchase products with a CN label


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How do I identify a CN label?In addition to required labeling features, a CN label will always contain the following: The CN logo (which is a

distinct border) The meal pattern contribution statement

A 6-digit product identification number

USDA/FNS authorization statement

The month and year of approval

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SAMPLE (CN) Label


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Product Formulation Statements (PFS)

Demonstrates how a processed product contributes to meal pattern requirements.

Would request when purchasing a processed product without a CN Label.

Program operators may request a signed Product Formulation Statement on manufacturers’ letterhead that must be maintained on file along with nutrient information. If there is no Nutrition Facts panel on the processed product, nutrient information must be obtained from the manufacturer.


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Product Formulation Statements (PFS)

Program operators are ultimately responsible if a menu does not fulfill meal pattern requirements; therefore they must keep records of supporting documentation.

It is the program operator’s responsibility to request and verify that the supporting documentation is accurate.


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USDA Policy Memo (TA 07-2010 (v.3), November 26, 2014

Tip Sheet for Accepting Processed Product Documentation

Child Nutrition (CN) Labeled Products

Product Formulation Statements (PFS)/Other Documentation

Guidance for Accepting Processed Product Documentation for

Meal Pattern Requirements


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Creditable Versus Non-Creditable Grains


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Creditable Grains in school meal programs are:

whole meal, whole four, enriched meal, and enriched flour.

Non-Creditable Grains are those that are not whole or enriched. These include:

oat fiber, corn fiber, wheat starch, corn starch, bran, germ, and modified food starch (including potato, legume and other vegetable flours).


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If purchased grain products include non-creditable ingredients, they must be present at a level of less than 2% of the product formula (or less than 0.25 oz eq.) for the grain product to be creditable at lunch or breakfast.


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For Additional Information on Grains …

ResourcesUSDA – Child Nutrition (CN) Labeling Program http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-program

USDA – Food Fact Sheets: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/schfacts/

USDA – New Meal Pattern in Schools: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service, July 2013 http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Mealpatternppt.pdf

USDA – Nutrition Standards for School Meals: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

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http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-program

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnlabeling/child-nutrition-cn-labeling-program

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/schfacts/

http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Mealpatternppt.pdf

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/

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