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