FROM SANDRA’S DESK

Season’s Greetings.  It’s that time of year when we are giving gifts.  “Be someone who finds something good in each day; then give it to others.”  (from Kaplan’s Cheers).  It’s a great gift – not costly in dollars and certainly keeps on giving. 

Schools are dealing with the numerous changes from reauthorization and child care centers are dealing with the numerous changes from the latest interim regulation change.  Sometimes it is difficult to deal with these changes – “but we’ve always done it this way…”  While it is tempting, let’s not waste our time griping about something we cannot change but rather see what good we can have come from this and get the changes implemented then get on with the tasks we like better.  For those that aren’t especially fond of pie crust, it’s like eating your pie from the wide end to the tip – get through the least pleasant part first.

We will continue to provide updates on the changes in law, regulation, and policy.

Hope you have a safe and happy holiday season!

 

Verification Deadline is December 15th

Verification for the 2004-05 school year is to be completed based on the number of applications on file as of October 31 and is to be completed by December 15th  at the local level.

Due to changes in the laws that govern the Child Nutrition Programs, administered by Child and Adult Nutrition Services (CANS), NSLP Memo 51.1 was developed and mailed with several other NSLP memos this fall.  Please refer to that memo for information, the verification summary report now called Form 742SD, prototype forms and letters traditionally used for completion of the verification process.  The 742SD form will be due to CANS no later than March 1, 2005.

On September 11, 2003, a final rule entitled “Determining Eligibility for Free and Reduced Price Meals in Schools – Verification Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements” was published.  This rule requires school food authorities (SFAs) to report their verification activity and results to their respective State agencies.  Additionally, beginning in school year 2004-05, State agencies must report the SFA level data to the federal Food Nutrition Services.  Submission of this data on a SFA basis will enable State agencies and FNS to better understand certification errors and to improve oversight and technical assistance activities.  This will help ensure that free and reduced price subsidized meals are provided only to eligible children.

 

Migrant Children Eligibility for Free Meals

Several questions have come in from parents and schools about the new free meal eligibility for migrant children.  We are hearing that sometimes a family has moved for a job in agriculture, which meets a really general definition of “migrant”; but that does not mean that their income is low.  Families that meet the definition of “migrant” should be notified that they are eligible for free meals, as instructed in NSLP numbered memo NSLP 75.1 “Categorical Eligibility - Homeless, Migrant, & Runaway Children” (available on the web at http://www.state.sd.us/deca/CSCF/CANS/Forms/index.htm).  If the family advises the school that they are over income and wish to continue paying for their meals, it is acceptable to do that.  Make a note on the school’s list of migrant families that the family declined free meals, who told you, and the date they called/wrote.  Be sure that the meals are then claimed in the paid category.  Questions about whether or not the children should be on the migrant children list should be directed to the State’s migrant Education Program coordinator, Jerry Meendering, at 773-4437.  We have made US Department of Agriculture aware of this strange outcome and have heard that it also occurs in other states.  For the present, continue to follow the directive as outlined in 75.1.  Any changes in this will be passed on, but it is not expected that changes will come in the near future.

 

CANS Featured Phytochemical of the month:  Lycopene

What is all of the talk about cooked tomatoes, tomato sauce and ketchup?  Well, it turns out that ketchup does indeed have a chemical in it that is thought to help prevent cancer:  lycopene.  Does this mean that we should all rush out and buy a bottle of ketchup?  Well, no, but it means that when we eat cooked tomato products including spaghetti and tomato sauce, salsa, stewed tomatoes in chili and vegetable soups, tomato juice including V-8 we are getting lycopene as well as the Vitamin A and Vitamin C that we normally think of being in tomatoes. 

Cooked tomato products can have up to 6 times more lycopene that our body is able to digest than raw tomatoes.  Why is this?  Cooking changes the physical structure of the tomato and makes it easier for our body to digest the lycopene from the tomato.  

Does this mean that cooked tomatoes are better for you than raw tomatoes?  The answer to this depends upon what you are wanting to get from the tomato.  If you are looking for a source of lycopene in your diet, then cooked tomatoes may be your first choice.  However, raw tomatoes have their own advantages and some vitamin A and C can be lost during the cooking process.  What are other food sources of lycopene?  Watermelon and pink and red grapefruit also contain lycopene.   See the chart below from the American Dietetic Association for the amounts of lycopene in various foods.  For more information about lycopene please visit their website at http://www.eatright.org/Public/.

So open a can of tomato soup, have a slice of watermelon or have a tossed salad with tomatoes and get some lycopene today!

FOOD SOURCES OF LYCOPENE

Food Item

Lycopene in milligrams

Tomato Soup, 1 cup

24.8 mg

Tomato or Spaghetti Sauce, ½ cup

19.4 mg

Canned Tomatoes, ½ cup

11.8 mg

Watermelon, 1 cup

7.8 mg

Ketchup, 2 tablespoons

5.1 mg

Fresh Tomato, 1 medium

3.7 mg

Pink or Red Grapefruit, ½ cup

1.8 mg

Source: USDA/NCC Carotenoid Database for U.S. Foods -- 1998 & Tomato Research Council  (As found on the ADA website at www.eatright.org)

 

Nutrition Tidbits

New Safe Produce Handling Education Tools from The Partnership for Food Safety Education available at http://portal.fightbac.org/toolsyoucanuse/phec/

 

Professional Development

Child and Adult Nutrition Services and Coordinated School Health in partnership with Avera McKennan present:  School Nutrition, School Health

Child and Adult Nutrition Services and  Coordinated School Health have partnered with Avera McKennan Hospital and University Center to present two DDN courses.  Application will be made for continuing education credit and for undergraduate and graduate college credit.  The courses will be free to participants, however any fees for college credit will be the responsibility of the participant.

School Nutrition

This class consists of 8 sessions held from 4:20-6:30 on each of the following dates 1/11, 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 3/1, 3/29, 4/12, 4/26

Topics:    Creating a healthy nutrition environment at school and in the community, finding grant sources of funding for nutrition projects, teaching nutrition in the classroom and lunchroom, the new dietary guidelines, questions and answers about the school lunch program, understanding food allergies, preventing eating disorders, fad diets, and food safety.

School Health

This class consists of 8 sessions held from 4:20-6:30 on each of the following dates:  2/28, 3/7,3/14, 3/21, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25

Topics:  Health Education Standards, Physical Education Standards, Methamphetamines, Developing School Health Policies (vending, etc.), Dealing with Diabetes from the Classroom to the Lunchroom, Indoor Air Quality, Accessing Resources for Children with Special Health Conditions, Mental Health Issues.

Applications were emailed to school administrators and school food service personnel.  Schools were required to choose which class for which they wanted to apply to be a DDN site.  Twenty sites will be selected for each class and schools will be notified if they were chosen as a site for one of the two classes by December 6, 2004.  More information will be available regarding registration and course content after December 6.   

Training Opportunity for Nutrition educators

Health Education Standards and Assessment Training will be held in Pierre, SD on December 15-16, 2004.  This training is open to elementary and secondary teachers, school nurses, counselors and others responsible for teaching health education topics including nutrition education.   Don’t miss this great opportunity for high quality training and nationally development assessment materials!  For more information check out the web site below and click on training opportunities.

http://www.state.sd.us/deca/cscf/schoolhealth/

Continuing Education for Dietary Managers and RDs

A national Teleseminar will be offered by the American Dietetic Association:  “Welcome to Wellness:  Putting New School Nutrition Legislation into Practice”  Thursday, February 17, 2005

This was planned in conjunction with the School Nutrition Association.  The teleseminar is open to school nutrition professionals; food service directors; registered dietitians and dietetic technicians; school administrators; school nurses; parent teacher association leaders and members; wellness directors; food service vendors and suppliers; physical education teachers; and school health leaders.

For more information about this continuing educational opportunity visit:     http://www.eatright.org/Public/ContinuingEducation/100_12017.cfm   or call 800/775-7654 to find out about times, registration and costs.

 

National School Breakfast Week 2005 

Be watching in January for a packet of information and activities to be sent by CANS that can be used for National Nutrition Month which will be celebrated in March 2005. The theme will be:  “School Breakfast – Great Performances”.  For more immediate ideas for breakfast week promotion the School Foodservice & Nutrition, November 2004 magazine issue has recipes as well as lots of ideas and materials that can be purchased through the Emporium of the American School Food Service Association (ASFSA).

 

CN (CHILD NUTRITION) LABELING PROGRAM

When you buy prepared or partially prepared food for use in the school lunch and/or breakfast programs, how can you tell if it meets the meal pattern requirements?  For main dish products containing a meat/meat alternate or for juice drinks and juice drink products containing at least fifty percent full-strength juice by volume, look for a CN label.

What Is a CN Label?

A CN Label is a food product label that contains:

  1. the product identification number assigned by the Food and Nutrition Services of the U.S. Department of Agriculture;
  2. a statement of the product’s contribution toward the meal pattern requirements;
  3. a statement specifying the use of the CN logo and CN statement  was authorized by FNS ; and
  4. The approval date.

    This information must be shown within the CN logo, which is a distinct border (See label at right.)

Why a CN Label?

The CN Labeling Program was established as a help to school food services in planning menus to meet meal pattern requirements without making everything from scratch.  The ingredient list doesn’t tell you how much of each ingredient is in the product. In addition, pizza made by one company may differ greatly from another, even if the ingredient list is similar.  Ordinary nutrition labeling isn’t helpful either, because it bears no relationship to the meal pattern guidelines for school meals.  The CN label bridges this gap.

Are CN Labels Required?

The CN Labeling Program is voluntary. The manufacturer requests permission from FNS to participate in the program.  FNS reviews the manufacturer’s recipe or product formulation to determine the contribution that a single serving makes toward the child nutrition meal pattern requirements.  The CN label statement is also reviewed to be sure it is accurate.  Manufacturers may include other nutrition information on the packaging of a product that has a CN label, but this does not take the place of a CN label. 

Any Special Hints?

Check how much a serving size contributes to the meal pattern requirements.  For example, the CN label above states that one piece of pizza provides the equivalent of 1 oz of meat/meat alternate.  Students would have to be served at least two pieces of the pizza to meet the full requirement for meat/meat alternate.  Or an additional food would have to be served with the pizza to fulfill the 2-oz requirement.

 

CREDITABLE AND NON-CREDITABLE FOODS
(For use with Food Based Meal Patterns)

When planning meals, be sure that the foods used to meet meal pattern requirements are creditable. While the foods below do not count toward meeting the meal pattern requirements, they can be served in addition to the required components of a reimbursable meal.  Any of these foods served should be included in the menu production records. 

COMMERCIALLY PREPARED MAIN DISHES

These foods must have a CN label in order to count toward the meal pattern:

  • Canned or Frozen Cheese Sauce
  • Canned Ravioli
  • Frozen Entrees such as Lasagna, Stuffed Shells, etc.
  • Frozen Pizza
 

CANNED SOUPS

Canned soups count toward the meal pattern requirements only under certain conditions:

  • Vegetable-based soups, such as tomato, vegetarian vegetable, vegetable beef, etc. count toward the Vegetable/Fruit component
  • A one-cup serving of vegetable-based soup is equivalent to ¼ cup of the Vegetable/Fruit component.
  • None of the meat or poultry-based soups (such as chicken noodle, beef barley, etc.) count toward the Meat/Meat Alternate component.
 

CANNED AND FROZEN JUICES

For fruit and vegetable juices to count toward the Vegetable/Fruit component, be sure it is 100 percent juice or it has a CN label telling you how the juice can be credited.  If you buy a fruit “nectar,” “drink,” “cocktail,” or “-ade” you are not buying full strength, 100 percent juice.

OTHER FOODS

These foods do not count toward meal pattern requirements.  They may, however, be offered as part of a meal.
  • Bacon
  • Bacon Bits
  • Butter/Margarine
  • Chili Sauce
  • Coconut
  • Cream
  • Cream Cheese
  • Frozen Yogurt
  • Ice Cream
  • Ice Cream Cones
  • Jams, Jellies
  • Jell-O
  • Ketchup
  • Mayonnaise
  • Pepperoni
  • Popcorn
  • Popsicles
  • Potato Chips
  • Puddings (canned or prepared from mix)
  • Relish
  • Salad Dressings
  • Taco Sauce
  • Tofu

 

 

NOTE:  Commercially prepared plain or flavored yogurt is now creditable as a meat alternate for the Food Based Meal Pattern. 

4 oz. (1/2 cup) = 1 oz. Meat/Meat Alternate
 

REMEMBER THAT…

Potatoes are a vegetable (not a Grains/Bread item)

Rice is a Grains/Bread item (not a vegetable)
PLEASE NOTE: If you are using Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (NSMP), any of the foods listed above can be planned and served as a menu item in a reimbursable meal (i.e., as an entrée or part of an entrée or as a side dish).  When served, these foods must be included in the nutrient analysis of the meal.

 


Kids in the Kitchen

Apricot Cinnamon Couscous

from Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children; Team Nutrition Iowa; recipe by Wheat Foods Council

  • 16 oz. can apricots or other fruit packed in juice
  • 10 oz. package (7/8 cup) couscous
  • 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  1. Drain fruit, reserving juice.
  2. Pour juice into measuring cup and add water to equal 2 cups.
  3. Prepare couscous according to package directions using the fruit juice mixture and butter.
  4. Dice fruit and add to couscous.
  5. Combine sugar and cinnamon and mix with couscous.
  6. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Snack Idea (1-5 year olds):

  • 1/3 cup Apricot Cinnamon Couscous
  • 1/2 cup Pineapple Juice

Kids on the Move

Zig Zag Toss Across
from Physical Activities and Healthy Snacks for Young Children; Team Nutrition Iowa;

  • 1 bean bag

Arrange the children in two lines facing each other.

The first child tosses the bean bag to the child across from them.  That child tosses it to the next child in the opposite line.  The last child runs to the first position in his/her line (if the lines are uneven in number have the child go to the end of the opposite line) and start tossing again.  Repeat.

Hint: Say the name of the child tossing and catching so they are both ready before a toss.  “Chris, you are going to toss to Alex.  Alex, get ready to catch.”

 

CONGRATULATIONS

Check out how the following schools celebrated National School Lunch Week by reading about their activities published in the November 2004 School Foodservice & Nutrition magazine.  They were:  New Effington, Veblen, and Westside Elementary School from the Sisseton School School District; Mellette Elementary from the Watertown School District; and Sturgis Primary School and Bear Butte Elementary School from the Meade School District.  Congratulations and keep up the good work!