School District Diversion Report 2000: Appendices

Food Service Alternatives in School Districts

The USDA sponsors three basic school nutrition programs: National School Lunch Program (NSLP), National School Breakfast Program (NSBP), and National School Snack Program.

For the NSLP, the USDA recognizes four menu-planning options:

1. Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (NSMP or NuMenus).
2. Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (ANSMP or Assisted NuMenus).
3. Food-Based Menu Planning (FBMP).
4. Meal Pattern (traditional meal pattern: 2 ounces protein, ½ cup milk, ¾ cup fruits and vegetables, one serving of bread).

The breakfast menu-planning options are very similar. It can be said that from these four menu planning alternatives, options number 1 and 2 (NSMP and ANSMP) provide the least amount of food waste, and generally lower food cost. This observation is based on the empirical data from the Santa Clarita Valley School Food Service Agency (SCVSFSA), which has been on the NSMP for the last four years. Before switching to NSMP, the agency was using as a menu planning option the traditional meal pattern.

The advantage of the NSMP plan is a lower food cost and lower food waste. The disadvantage is that NSMP menu planning is more difficult and more labor-intensive than the traditional method.

The USDA allows several meal service options:

1. In a traditional meal service, children are served the minimum portions required of all components of a reimbursable meal. This type of service ensures that each child receives a meal that can be claimed for reimbursement.
2. Family style differs in that all the required components of a reimbursable meal are placed on the table in quantities large enough to serve all children. The children normally serve themselves. An adult supervisor must be present to encourage the children to take the minimum required portions.
3. Offer Versus Serve provides flexibility in the meal program and reduces waste. Depending on the meal option (i.e., NSMP, ANSMP, FBMP, or traditional) used by the sponsor, children may decline a minimum number of meal items or components, and the meal may still be considered complete and may be claimed for reimbursement.

Under NSMP and ANSMP using Offer Versus Serve, at least three menu items must be offered. A student must select at least two menu items and may decline a maximum of two menu items (if more than three are offered). One selection must be an entrée.

Under the food-based and the traditional menu planning options, all five required food items must be offered. At the discretion of the school food service authority (SFA), students may be permitted to decline one or two of the required five food items.

The benefits of the Offer Versus Serve option are the lower food cost (25 percent or more) and much lower food waste as the students have a tendency to select only the items they would eat. It is advisable that the SFA offer more than one entrée choice even in the elementary schools. A wider selection helps the students to choose the foods they like without being forced to pick only one available entrée, which may be one they dislike.

The only negative of the Offer Versus Serve option is that the students may not always make the best choices for their health benefits and may not select enough fruits and vegetables or milk.

Back to Top

Table of Contents | Next Section

Last updated: September 17, 2008