Appendix A -Definitions.pdf

Appendix A: Definitions

The following definitions should be considered when reading and responding to the FY 2020 Team Nutrition Training Grant for School Meal Recipe Development.

1. Crediting Statement

A crediting statement declares the quantities of the creditable food item(s) used to meet the meal pattern requirements.

2. Entrée (Main Dish)

An item that is served as the main dish and is either:

• a combination food of meat and/or meat alternates and grains; or

• a combination food of vegetables and/or fruits and meat and/or meat alternates; or

• a meat or meat alternate alone with the exception of yogurt, low-fat or reduced-fat cheese, nuts, seeds, nut or seed butters, and meat snacks (such as dried beef jerky); or

• a grain that is served as the main dish of the School Breakfast Program reimbursable meal.

3. Farm to School Program

Established efforts that connect schools with local or regional producers in order to serve local or regionally produced foods in school cafeterias; improve student nutrition; provide agriculture, health, and nutrition education opportunities; and support local and regional farmers.

4. Farm to School Grant

On an annual basis, USDA competitively awards grant funds to be used for training, supporting operations, planning, purchasing equipment, developing school gardens, developing partnerships, and implementing farm to school programs. Additional information of Farm to School Grants is available at https://www.fns.usda.gov/cfs/farm-school-grant-program.

5. Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (FBG)

The authoritative guide developed by USDA to help child nutrition professionals determine how much food to purchase, in the most cost-effective manner, for crediting meal components in food-based menu planning. This can be especially helpful in preparing a new standardized recipe for meal service. The FBG and related resources are available at https://foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov/.

6. Grain-Based Dessert

Grain-based desserts are those items that have a superscript 3 or 4 in The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs’ Exhibit A: Grain Requirements for Child Nutrition Programs.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/cfs/farm-school-grant-program https://www.fns.usda.gov/cfs/farm-school-grant-program https://foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov%2FContent%2FTablesFBG%2FExhibitA.pdf&data=02%7C01%7C%7C730cd22a27dd4412a66108d7954a726a%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637142019286071528&sdata=p%2FSOeH90u1jdMm51iTtBvGqHmJrM9ClDc22glGX93lo%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov%2FContent%2FTablesFBG%2FExhibitA.pdf&data=02%7C01%7C%7C730cd22a27dd4412a66108d7954a726a%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637142019286071528&sdata=p%2FSOeH90u1jdMm51iTtBvGqHmJrM9ClDc22glGX93lo%3D&reserved=0

7. Local Agricultural Product The definition of “local agricultural products” can depend on geographic, social, governmental, physical, or economic parameters, seasonality, and/or other factors. Local procurement options differ greatly across communities depending on district and school size; proximity to agricultural areas; growing season; and demographics. USDA expects that State agencies will have varying definitions of “local agricultural products” that align with their particular needs and goals. The intent of schools utilizing local agricultural products in their standardized recipes is to serve more locally produced foods in school cafeterias, improve student nutrition, provide nutrition education opportunities, and support local and regional farmers, ranchers, and fishers. Local agricultural products can be meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, dairy foods, or legumes.

8. Marketing Guide

Based on The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs, this component of a final standardized recipe gives the amount of product needed as purchased to yield the edible portion required for the recipe.

9. Meal Service

The time period during a school day when schools offer meals to students through the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. A meal service includes all lunch or breakfast periods during a particular day.

10. Nutrient Analysis

The purpose of a nutrient analysis is to determine compliance with regulatory requirements for calories, saturated fat, and sodium, and to monitor levels of these dietary components in school meals. Performing an accurate nutrient analysis is critical to the evaluation of menus and menu documentation.

11. Recipe Analysis Workbook A tool used to determine the expected meal pattern contribution and crediting statement for a recipe. This tool is available as part of The Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs at https://foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov/.

12. Recipe Category

Identifies the recipe classification as an entrée or side dish.

13. School Community

In addition to students, the school community encompasses the school administrators, teachers, and staff members who work in a school; parents and families of students; and local residents and organizations that are invested in the school’s success.

14. Standardized Recipe

A standardized recipe is one that consistently produces the same results and yields when following the same procedure and using the same type of equipment, quantity, and quality of ingredients. A USDA standardized recipe for school meals is verified, evaluated, and adjusted for yield quantities using a prescribed process (see page 13) and presents information for recipe yields of 50 and 100 servings in accordance with a specific template (see Appendix B).

https://foodbuyingguide.fns.usda.gov/

15. Yield

Yield information is a valuable menu planning and production tool used to:

• estimate the amount of food to purchase;

• determine meal pattern contribution for each food component;

• help control foods costs;

• minimize food waste;

• ensure an adequate quantity of food is produced each meal; and

• purchase the appropriate amount of food for the meal preparation.