Attachment J.12 - Food Nutrional Standards.docx

ATTACHMENT J.12

FOOD NUTRITIONAL STANDARDS

Standard criteria are considered to be widely achievable within food service.

Implementation at the standard level is expected.

Innovative criteria promote exceptional performance in various areas of food service.

Implementation at the innovative level is encouraged.

Section 1: DoD Menu Standards

Standard criteria: Serve whole food components with unprocessed and minimally processed ingredients closest their natural source and using cooking methods that preserve nutrient values.

· Offer a balance of choices emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, fat-free or low-fat milk, and alternative milk products.

· Promoting menu offerings with nutrient dense foods, high in natural fiber, low in added sugar, and healthy fat choices.

· Limit highly processed or ultra-processed foods with low nutritional value including artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners as well as fried foods, foods high in sugar, fat and sodium.

Innovative criteria: Serve nutrient dense, delicious and convenient whole foods that respect the cultural diversity of the military community. Menus that highlight these choices and support a healthy eating pattern, are given priority. Innovative menus support the Dietary Guidelines and include:

· Whole grains whenever possible including baked items such pastries, muffins and other baked goods.

· Fruit and vegetable forward items such as in desserts, salads and sides and other blends including vegetables, beans and other plant-blends such as lentils and mushrooms.

· Reduced availability of:

· sugar-sweetened beverages with innovative replacements such as naturally flavored seltzer, water and teas.

· other highly sweetened foods replaced by whole grains, nuts, fruit, dairy (yogurt) and dark chocolate.

· Serve a variety of lean protein with natural seasoning and include seafood at least twice a week.

· At least 75% of available beverage choices contain ≤40 calories per 8 fluid ounces (excluding 100% juice and unsweetened fat-free or low-fat [1%] milk).

Do not offer: Items not authorized for Essential Station Messing Meal Card Holders (ESM) per DoDM 1338.10, DoD Food Service Program, such as:

· Any dietary supplements such as energy drinks, shots and/or gels.

· Any products that have fortification or enrichment in excess of 100 percent of the daily value.

· Any product that contains more than 100 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving.

This applies to:

· All products with labels that include the terms proprietary ingredient, blends, or energy blends to include pre-work out shakes or beverages marketed to enhance performance, energy, mood, or body (even if it has a Nutrition Facts label).

Also prohibited is:

· Any foods that include partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) per DoDM 1338.10, DoD Food Service Program.

· Alcohol (with the ESM meal offering). If alcohol is offered, then service members must pay for the alcohol separately.

Definitions

Naturally occurring according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) means that nothing artificial or synthetic (including all color additives regardless of source) has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected to be in that food.

· Naturally occurring fiber is intrinsic and intact (has not been removed from food) and are found in vegetables, whole grains such as oats and barley, nuts, fruit and legumes.

Artificial flavor or artificial flavoring means any substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof.

· Artificial sweetener are chemically synthesized substances that are used instead of sucrose (table sugar) to sweeten foods and beverages including aspartame, sucralose and saccharin.

· Artificial fibers are synthetic or isolated and do not have the same benefits of naturally occurring fibers and includes non-digestible carbohydrates that are separated from their original plant form or that do not arise naturally in plants.

Label Claims are defined by the FDA and are located on the US Food and Drug Administration website and describe the difference between a conventional foods label and a dietary supplement label.

Section 2: Standards by Food Categories

Menu Category 1. Fruits and Vegetables

a. Offer a variety of at least 3 fruit options daily, with no added sugars. Fruit offerings must include at least:

- Two fresh fruit choices and;

- One cut up fruit and;

- Bananas daily

- One cut up fruit may be frozen or canned packed in water, 100% fruit juice, or a light syrup.

b. Offer seasonal fruit and vegetables.

c. Offer a variety of at least 3 non-fried vegetable options (lunch and dinner) at meals. Vegetable offerings must include:

· At least 2 non-starchy and

· One deeply colored and

· No more than one may be prepared with chicken/beef broth or pork.

· Vegetables can be fresh, frozen, or canned, and served cooked or raw.

· Vegetables are also encouraged for breakfast options.

d. Prioritization of vegetables:

- Fresh vegetables as the first choice to serve with each meal.

- Frozen vegetables to be served when fresh vegetables are not available.

- Canned vegetables to be served when fresh or frozen vegetables are not available.

e. Offer a salad with at least 50 percent dark leafy greens and a variety of fresh vegetables.

· If offering a salad bar, include at least five or more fresh fruits and vegetables and;

· A minimum of three protein-based items (with one legumes, lentils, or beans) and;

· Nuts and seeds and;

· Include a vinegar-based dressing and oil and vinegar as a choice of salad dressings and include one low fat or light dressing option.

Definition Vegetable:

1) Deeply colored: orange, red, purple, dark green such as kale, spinach, beets, eggplant, broccoli, orange, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and red tomatoes.

2) Non-starchy: vegetables other than peas, corn and potatoes.

3) Dark leafy green: kale, romaine lettuce, spinach and arugula (excludes iceberg).

Salads:

1) Fresh vegetable includes but not limited to cucumbers, green peppers, mushrooms, carrots, onions, radish, tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower and fresh herbs.

2) Protein-based items such as cooked meat, poultry, seafood, hard cooked egg, tofu or tempeh, legumes, cottage and other cheeses, nut butters, and yogurt.

Menu Category 2. Grains

a. Offer half of total grains as “whole grain-rich” products, daily.

b. Offer a “whole grain-rich” product as the first (i.e., default) choice.

Definition

Grains includes bread, cereal, hot cereal, cereal bars, pasta, tortilla, rice, corn, oats, and other starchy vegetables.

“Whole grain rich”

- The word “whole” is listed in one of the first two ingredients.

- At least 4 grams of naturally occurring fiber per 2-slice serving.

- Includes: Whole grain, multi-grain white, brown, or blends of rice, barley, quinoa, millet, amaranth, bulgur, whole grain pasta, hulled wheat such as farro and emmer).

Cereal: 4 grams of fiber per serving, and less than 12 grams of added sugars.

Hot cereal: at least one whole grain hot cereal without added fat or sugars includes oatmeal, whole grain cream of wheat, or a whole grain blend.

Cereal bars: with at least 2.0 grams whole grain rich fiber, 14 or fewer grams of total sugar per serving, no artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners or fibers, and no more than 250 calories per bar.

Pastries such as muffins, quick breads, donuts and sweet rolls

· unsaturated fats (less than 3g saturated fat)

· naturally lower in sugar (less than 15 g and not non-nutritively sweetened)

Menu Category 3. Dairy

a. Offer a variety of low-fat or fat free dairy products (or dairy alternatives) daily, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy beverages including in recipe preparation.

b. Offer at least one Greek-style yogurt or low-fat plain yogurt without artificial sweeteners.

Menu Category 4. Protein Foods

a. Offer a variety of non-fried protein foods, such as seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), nuts, seeds, and soy products, daily.

b. Offer a hot entrée or side dish of legumes or beans every day.

c. Offer seafood (non-fried options) at least two times a week.

Definition

Non-Fried protein foods include baked, grilled, sautéed, or roasted lean animal protein-based options such as seafood, skinless poultry, and flank, round or loin cuts of meat.

· Trim excess fat from non-lean meat and poultry options.

· Lean ground meats (except burger patties) and poultry with fat content not to exceed 10% by weight when raw and without fillers or extenders for all bulk ground meat applications.

· Burger patties:

· With a maximum fat content of 15% by weight, 85% fat content in lean raw state.

· Not to exceed 20% calories from saturated fat in a raw state.

· Not to exceed 55% calories from total fat in a raw state.

· With a minimum of 3.8 grams of protein per ounce and a maximum of 1.6 grams saturated fat and 4 grams of total fat per ounce once cooked (prepared from raw or purchased precooked).

· Meatballs, precooked, and prepared from raw or purchased blended proteins:

· With beef, pork, seafood, turkey, lentils, black beans, quinoa, mushrooms, and other plant-based proteins.

· With a minimum of 4 grams of protein per ounce.

· With a maximum of 2 grams saturated fat and 4 grams of total fat per ounce.

Menu Category 5. Beverages

a. Provide free access to chilled, potable water.

b. Provide low-fat milk and soy beverages fortified with vitamin A and D with no added sugars.

· Chocolate milk (1% or 2%) must be offered.

c. At least 50% of available beverage choices contain <40 calories per 8 fluid ounces (excluding 100% juice and unsweetened fat-free or low-fat [1%] milk).

d. When juice is available, offer 100% juice with no added sugars.

· It is optimal to offer fortified orange juice with calcium and vitamin D.

Menu Category 6. Desserts

When desserts are available,

· Offer at least one dessert option of fresh fruit, preferably fresh cut.

· Do not exceed 300 calories per serving.

· Offer 25% of desserts containing 200 calories or less as served.

· Avoid artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners in desserts.

Menu Category 7. Sodium and Other Considerations

a. All meals offered contain fewer than 1,100 mg of sodium per serving of entrées that include a starch or vegetables.

b. All entrees offered contain fewer than 800 mg of sodium per serving of entrées that do not include a starch or vegetables.

c. All side items contain < 230 mg sodium.

d. Limit deep-fried entrée options to no more than one choice per day.

e. If coffee and tea is offered, provide sugar and sugar alternatives, and a variety of creamers to include half and half, low-fat milk and reduced fat flavored coffee creamers.

Menu Category 8. Packaged Snacks-Food and Nutrient Profile

a. All packaged snacks contain ≤200 mg sodium per package.

b. All packaged snacks have 0 grams of trans fat.

c. At least 75% of packaged snacks meet the following food and nutrient standards.

Food Standards:

· The first ingredient is a fruit, a vegetable, a dairy product, or a protein food; or

· Be a whole grain-rich grain product; or

· Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable.

And Includes the Following Nutrient Standards:

Section 3: Information and Labeling

Provide calorie and nutrition information of standard menu items as required by the FDA in Menu Labeling Final Rule: Food Labeling; Nutrition Labeling of Standard Menu Items in Restaurants and Similar Retail Food Establishments.

Labeled food items as “healthier options” must meet the “Go For Green” standards for the “green” category according to the Human Performance Resources by CHAMP coding calculator. Many recipes are currently available on the “Go For Green” website already color coded and available for use at: https://www.hprc-online.org/nutrition/go-green.

Promotion of nutrition information, displays, decorations, and signage to highlight healthier choices is highly encouraged. Possible methods include use of visual or color-coded signage, and point-of-purchase displays to highlight these foods.

Section 4: Placement and Layout

Strategically place foods and beverages and design the layout of food service venues to foster selection of healthier foods and beverages.

Possible methods include creating flow paths that emphasize healthier choices (i.e., placing healthier choices in prime selling locations). Placing healthier foods and beverages at eye level or just below eye level, next to the cash register, at the front of cold and hot entrées sections, or within reach of a consumer. Providing a food service line that features only healthier options.

Section 5: Preferred Purchasing Options:

a. When purchasing packaged products, give preference to products in recyclable, compostable, or biobased packaging.

b. Use cleaning products and services that are environmentally preferable while following necessary food safety procedures.

c. Based on availability, give preference to foods and beverages as locally sourced, certified organic produced with another certified community-development or environmentally beneficial practice, or any combination thereof. When applicable, label food products at the point of purchase as locally sourced, certified organic, or produced with another certified community-development or environmentally beneficial practice.

d. When seafood options are available, procurement is preferred from fisheries and aquaculture operations that are responsibly managed, sustainable, and healthy. Purchasing U.S. wild-captured and farmed seafood, which adhere to some of the strictest sustainability practices in the world, is one way to meet this preference.

Section 6: Food Service Management and Consumer Engagement

Promote and incentivize the use of reusable beverage containers, while following necessary food safety procedures.

Section 7: Product Innovations and Defaults

Use product innovations and the inclusion of healthier options as default choices at decision points to encourage healthier choices. Possible methods include offering smaller portion size options (e.g., half-sandwiches, half-sized entrées, smaller beverage containers). Making healthier items default options throughout the menu (e.g., serving fruit instead of chips or salad instead of fries). Offering healthier items in an easily accessible “grab-and-go” form. Bundling and attractively naming healthier options (e.g., “Fit and Fresh Special”).

Section 8: Pricing and Promotion

Consider price incentives and marketing strategies to highlight healthier food and beverage items. Possible methods include introducing healthier products by providing samples for consumers. Featuring meals that include only healthier offerings. Promoting healthier items through sales or pricing specials. Offering healthier foods and beverages at a lower price than less healthy items.