A la Carte Sales: Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice!

A la Carte Sales: Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice!

• A la carte sales are currently regulated to some extent by the Federal FMNV Regulations and in Texas, the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy. Additionally, those campuses which are awarded the USDA Healthier U S School Challenge recognition, must comply with more restrictions.

What are Current Regulations?

• Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value Limited:

• Soda Water• Water Ices• Chewing Gum• Certain Candies

Federal Regulations

• FMNV further restricted• Fat restrictions: no deep fat fried

products, 23 gm fat limit (one exception/wk of up to 28 gms fat)

• French Fry portion and serving restriction

• Reduction of trans fats

Texas Public School Nutrition Policy

• Low fat milk must be offered• Elementary beverage restrictions• Portion restrictions and additional

regulation of chips, packaged snacks, cookies, cereal bars, bakery items, frozen desserts, ice cream, pudding, gelatin, beverages, slushes, etc.

Texas Public School Nutrition Policy

• Healthier U.S. School Challenge (HUSSC) Criteria

• Local Administrative Rule or Policy

Voluntary A la Carte Restrictions

• The Healthier U.S. School Challenge established criteria for award recognition based on science-based guidelines of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid

HUSSC/Dietary Guidelines/Mypyramid

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Nation’s primary source of health information

• NSLA requires school meals be consistent with the Dietary Guidelines

DGAs and Nutrient Intake

• Nutrients should come primarily from foods

• Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups

Summary of DGAs

More Less

• dark green vegetables• orange vegetables• legumes• fruits• whole grains• low-fat milk and milk products

• cholesterol• saturated fats• trans fats• added sugars• refined grains• sodium• total fats

MyPyramid Food Guidance System

• Integrates dietary recommendations into a healthy way to eat

• Shows how nutrient-focused recommendations can be expressed in terms of food choices

Inside the Pyramid

Key Messages of MyPyramid

• Focus on fruits• Make half your grains whole• Vary your veggies• Go lean with protein• Get your calcium-rich foods• Know the limits on fats, salt

and sugars

• Vision of HUSSC• Criteria for “Competitive Foods”

HUSSC

• The overarching goal of the HUSSC is to improve the health of the nation’s children by promoting healthier school environments.

HUSSC Goal

• To help meet the HUSSC goal, FNS identifies schools that have made changes to the school nutrition environment to

• 1. improve the quality of foods served• 2. provide students with nutrition ed• 3.provide students with physical education

and opportunities for physical activity.

• 1. Schools commit to meeting the criteria during the 4 year certification period

• 2. Schools will meet all the School Meals Initiative (SMI) requirements including energy and nutrient standards and age-appropriate portion sizes on an ongoing basis

HUSSC 5 Guiding Principles

• 3. Schools will serve reimbursable meals that reflect good menu planning principles, such as serving a variety of healthier foods that look good, taste good and appeal to the cultural sensitivities of the school and community populations.

• 4. Schools will plan meals that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; that include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs and nuts; and that are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

• 5. Schools will offer foods that ensure that students can select a meal that meets all the HUSSC criteria. Such foods should be routinely selected by students, not just token foods to meet HUSSC criteria.

• a. Total fat: Calories from total fat must be at or below 35% per serving**

• b. Trans fat: Less than .5 grams (trans fat free) per serving

• c. Saturated fat: Calories from saturated fat must be below 10% per serving**

HUSSC Criteria for Competitive Foods

• d. Sugar: Total sugar must be at or below 35% by weight (includes naturally occurring and added sugars).**Excludes fruits, vegetables and milk.

• e. Sodium: Less than or equal to 480 mg sodium per non-entrée and less than or equal to 600 mg per entrée. For the Gold Award of Distinction it is reduced to 200 mg per non-entrée and 480 mg per entrée OR Physical education is increased to 150 mins/week for elementary schools.

f. Portion size/Calories: not to exceed the serving size of the food served in the NSLP; for other items, the package or container is not to exceed 200 calories.

• Milk: only low-fat (1% or less) and fat-free (skim), flavored or unflavored fluid milk, and/or USDA approved alternative dairy beverages; limit serving size to maximum of 8 fluid ounces.

• Water: unflavored, no sweeteners (nutritive or non-nutritive), noncarbonated, caffeine-free.

HUSSC Criteria for Competitive Beverages

• 100% full strength fruit and vegetable juices with no sweeteners (nutritive or non-nutritive); limit serving size to maximum of 6 fluid ounces for elementary and middle schools and 8 fluid ounces for high schools.

HUSSC Criteria for Competitive Beverages

Studies Indicate that A la Carte Sales result in fewer meal sales

• Studies indicate that when A la Carte Sales are removed or restricted, the income derived from increased meals sales offsets the lost a la carte revenue

Is revenue lost when restricting a la carte?

• Require a meal be selected or brought from home if a snack is purchased

• Restrict snack sales to one per elementary student and two per secondary student.

• Restrict snack sales completely to lower primary grade students (K-2)

Local Rules/Policies to Restrict A la Carte

• Schools are the role models for nutrition and nutrition education. Students should be introduced to the very best nutrition possible, including a la carte foods and beverages. Improving the nutrition and restricting the sales of a la carte items (particularly snacks) will affirm this critical role.

Make the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice