Nutrition & Menu Planning Flashcards

Under USDA meal pattern requirements, what is the minimum number of food components a reimbursable lunch must include?

Answer: 4 components

A reimbursable NSLP lunch must offer all 5 components but students must select at least 3, including at least ½ cup of fruit or vegetable.

Which grain type must make up at least half of grain offerings under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act?

Answer: Whole grains

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act requires that at least half of grains offered in school meals be whole grain-rich.

A school menu planner wants to increase iron intake among students. Which lunch entrée best addresses this goal?

Answer: Bean and beef taco on whole wheat tortilla

Beans and beef are both high in iron, making a bean and beef taco the best choice to boost dietary iron.

What does the term 'creditable food' mean in the context of school nutrition?

Answer: A food that counts toward meal pattern requirements

A creditable food is one that meets USDA requirements and can be counted toward satisfying a meal pattern component.

Which menu planning approach uses a fixed rotating schedule of menus repeated over a set cycle?

Answer: Cycle menu planning

Cycle menu planning uses a set rotation of menus (e.g., 4-week cycle) that repeat throughout the school year.

Under sodium reduction targets for school meals, which age group has the lowest allowable weekly average sodium limit?

Answer: Grades K-5

Younger children (K-5) have lower calorie and sodium needs, so their limits are set lower than middle and high school students.

What is the primary purpose of the Offer vs. Serve (OvS) provision in school lunch programs?

Answer: To reduce plate waste and give students choice

OvS allows students to decline some offered food items, reducing plate waste while still ensuring a reimbursable meal is selected.