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# Standard Menu Planning Requirements For School Lunches-
Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus are two of the menu planning options in the USDA School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children. The other two are Traditional Food-Based Menus and Enhanced Food-Based Menus, which are based on food components and the quantity of items offered.
Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus are computer-based menu planning systems that allow any foods in any quantities to meet nutritional goals. Enhanced Food-Based Menus and Traditional Food-Based Menus offer foods from specific food groups and in specific quantities.
If a school chooses the Nutrient Standard Menus planning system, the school will conduct a nutrient analysis of its menus. With Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus, an outside consultant who planned the school's menus will conduct the nutrient analysis. During a Nebraska Department of Education review, a check will be made to ensure that the analysis is being done accurately.
The Traditional Food-Based Menus have been successful in providing adequate calories and most nutrients. It did not, however, have quantitative limits for total fat and saturated fat, or encourage an increase in complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus allow menu planners the flexibility of breaking away from the traditional meal pattern and using a variety of foods in any quantity to improve the nutritional quality of the meal.
Many of the old rules and regulations do not apply to Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus; however, there are many new ones to learn, such as nutrient standards.
What is a Nutrient Standard?
The required level of calories and nutrients for a specific grade or age group is a nutrient standard.
Menus averaged over a week should meet the nutrient standard of the age or grade group for which they are intended. Meeting these standards is the goal for all of the menu planning systems.
Standards for calories and nutrients:
Calories
>30 percent or less calories from fat
>10 percent or less calories from saturated fat
Nutrients
>Protein
>Calcium
>Iron
>Vitamin A
>Vitamin C
Foods that contain the above nutrients typically contain the other essential nutrients not specified in the nutrient standards. In Nebraska, schools using nutrient standards menus are analyzed for sodium, fiber, and cholesterol. The nutrient standards for lunch are set, at a minimum, for these grade levels: preschool, grades K-6, grades 7-12, plus an optional standard for grades K-3.
The calorie and nutrient needs of children vary by sex, age, size and activity level. The calorie standards for breakfast and lunch are estimates of the minimum energy needed. But some children, especially older males, may require considerably more than the minimum. Children who are large for their age or more active also need more calories. Menu planners should adjust the amounts of foods served to provide for the calorie needs of all children. Menu planners also may develop their own customized groups corresponding to the age groups in their school. Not all schools' grade structures will match the nutrient standard grade or age groups. Menu planners must be able to select or create Nutrient Standards when planning Nutrient Standard Menus, which are based on their schools' grade or age structure. Menus will be analyzed over a school week using a weighted nutrient analysis with an average based on the projected servings of each menu item.
Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus provide schools the option to combine the total nutrients for breakfast and lunch together in proportion to the participation in each meal. Software systems can combine the two meals for analysis. Schools must use only USDA-approved software for their analysis.
Nutrient Standard Menus and Assisted Nutrient Standard Menus deal with menu items instead of food components and food items. A menu item may be any single food or combination of foods. All menu items served in a meal, including condiments, are included in the nutrient analysis and count toward meeting the nutrient standard for the meal. Meals are required to have three menu items for lunch and for breakfast. There are three categories of menu items: entree, fluid milk and side dishes. The determination of whether a food can be counted as one menu item or two depends on how it is served. If it is served as two items, it is counted as two items. The following example will help you understand how items can be counted.
Taken From: Nebraska's Nutrient Standard Menu PlanningRequirements for School Lunches
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# Special Diets For Kids Aged 13-18-
Special Diets
Vegetarians
A vegetarian diet can be very healthy. After all, the typical American diet does contain too much saturated fat (usually animal fat). Vegetarians can get the nutrients they need by making wise food selections.
Some teens have been vegetarians since childhood, while some teens become vegetarians during adolescence. As teens develop social awareness and independence, their growing freedom may be reflected in their diet. It is important that teens who practice vegetarianism get the essential vitamins and nutrients they need to support the rapid growth that occurs during puberty. Remind your teen that just cutting meat out of a diet will not guarantee better nutrition - it has to be planned.
There are several kinds of vegetarianism. Some vegetarians eliminate all foods from animal sources - they are called vegans. Others kinds of vegetarianism might allow eggs and/or dairy products. Vegan vegetarians must take care to avoid caloric deficiencies, especially from protein, since highly nutritious, calorie-rich foods may be eliminated by the vegan diet. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as B12, calcium, and iron deficiencies are also important to avoid. Talk to your teen's doctor about proper nutrition; he or she may recommend a registered dietitian who can design an eating plan that optimizes food intake based on your child's preferences.
Young Athletes
Some teenage athletes expend a great deal of time and energy practicing and competing in their chosen sports. Everything possible should be done to ensure optimal nutrition to support your teen's efforts. This includes the avoidance of risky dietary behaviors associated with his search for the competitive edge. Your teen's physical performance depends on the same balanced diet that will keep his nonathletic classmates healthy. Make sure your budding basketball star, tennis ace, or football pro is getting enough calories to support his level of exertion. You can do this by adding carbohydrates, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, and beans, to your teen's diet. These are excellent sources of energy.
Teaching your teen, especially your athlete, to enjoy water is one of the healthiest gifts you can give him. Teens should be urged to drink plenty of water before exercise and every 10 minutes or so during their activity. For every half hour of strenuous activity, your child should drink an extra 8 to 12 ounces of water - the drink of choice. When drinking sports drinks, avoid those that are high in sugar, which can cause cramping, nausea, and diarrhea. Also, make sure your child balances practice and performance with adequate rest and relaxation. These are as necessary to his well-being as proper nutrition.
Special Concerns
Ad-proofing Your Teen
To a shy teenage boy nervous about dating, or a teenage girl worried about her body, advertising can be especially persuasive. Teach your teen that the ads showing a group of smiling teens sharing a sugary, caffeinated soft drink are only aimed at selling that soda, not maintaining good nutrition. Share with your teenager medical information that shows the lack of long-term results for people who purchase diet aids or who spend fortunes on diet "plans" that don't emphasize proper nutrition for a lifetime. These ad-savvy lessons can serve your teenager well in many areas and can encourage him to be an educated consumer.
Overweight and Underweight Teens
While rapid growth and weight gain are part of puberty and adolescence, many children and teens become overweight because of too many calories and too little exercise. Encourage your child to be physically active, whether it be in an organized sport or individual pursuit. Whatever your child likes, if it gets him moving for about 30 minutes a day, encourage it. If your teen tends to sit around and watch television or play video games, try gently introducing more physical activities into your family life. Take a walk together, go for a bike ride, or offer to take your teen and some friends to the pool. Although many teens are anxious to spend time away from their parents, maybe you can take advantage of the small time you have together to get some exercise.
Be aware of the teen who gains too little weight, especially the teenage girl who begins to lose weight rapidly yet still complains she is fat. Young girls may worry about the body changes that puberty brings, partly in response to the societal emphasis on thinness. Full hips and breasts may make them feel "fat," and they can get caught up in behavior patterns known as eating disorders. Some girls become obsessed with body weight and image. They will eat very small amounts of food - inadequate amounts to support normal growth and health. Some refuse to eat at all. This condition is known as anorexia nervosa. Other teens, again mostly girls, practice binge-and-purge behavior, known as bulimia. Both conditions are potentially life-threatening. If you suspect either condition, consult your child's physician.
Teenage boys are prone to nutritional problems as well. Many adolescent boys yearn to "pump up" to be bigger or heavier. Beware of nutritional supplements that promise more muscles. If a teenage boy is eating properly and consuming the right amount of a variety of foods, nutritional supplements are just a waste of money. If you are concerned about your teenager's eating habits, talk with your child's doctor. Counseling is often an effective way to get these kids back on track.
Taken From: MedlinePlus
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