Download Determining Whole Grain-Rich Items in School Meals Presentation

Determining Whole GrainRich Items in School Meals
The California Healthy Kids Resource Center
and the California Department of Education,
Nutrition Services Division
Partner: California Department of
Education, Nutrition Services Division
Welcome to the online training Determining Whole Grain-Rich Items in School
Meals. This training was created with funding from the California Department of
Education Nutrition Services Division. It will take approximately 30 minutes to
complete. Let's get started!
1
Training Objectives
After this training you will be able to:
1. Explain why whole grains are critical to
children’s health.
2. Describe the whole grain-rich requirements.
3. Identify whole grain-rich items.
4. Access resources to support the whole
grain-rich requirements.
During this training, you will learn why whole grains are critical to children’s health,
find out about the whole grain-rich requirements, learn how to identify whole grainrich products for school breakfast and lunch, and access resources to support the
whole grain requirements.
2
What are Grains?
• Grains include any
food made from
wheat, rice, barley,
oats, cornmeal,
or other grain.
• Two subgroups:
Refined Grains and
Whole Grains.
What are grains? Grains include wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, and barley. Foods
made with grain include bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits.
Grains are divided into two subgroups, Refined Grains and Whole Grains.
3
Whole Grain or Refined?
Whole grains consist of the entire cereal grain seed or kernel. There are three parts
to the grain kernel:
1.
The Bran is the outer shell that protects the seed; has fiber, B vitamins and
trace minerals.
2.
The Endosperm provides energy and is rich in carbohydrates and contains
some protein.
3.
The Germ supplies nourishment for the seed. It has antioxidants, vitamin E,
and a variety of B vitamins.
Brown rice, whole wheat bread, and rolled oats are examples of whole grain items.
Refined grains are milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. White rice,
white bread, and many processed cereal products are examples of refined grain
products. Refining is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life,
but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, zinc, vitamin K, potassium, and B vitamins
such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid. Many refined grains are enriched.
This means that nutrients lost during processing are replaced. When grains are
enriched they are noted as enriched grains on the ingredients list. Fiber is not added
back to enriched grains.
4
Benefits of Whole Grains
Eating Whole Grains as part
of a healthy diet may:
• Decrease the risk of
heart disease.
• Reduce constipation.
• Help with weight
management.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends making half of the grains eaten
every day whole grains. Many Americans’ diets still fall short of this
recommendation. Studies report children consume the recommended amount of
grains each day, but less than 10 percent of these are whole grains.
What are our children missing? Helping children to start eating whole grains as a
healthy habit provides many vital nutrients and may reduce the risk of some chronic
diseases. For example:
•
Consuming whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of
heart disease.
•
Consuming foods containing fiber, including whole grains, may reduce
constipation.
•
Eating whole grains may help with weight management.
Whole grains provide all of these benefits for adults, too.
5
What are Whole Grains?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brown rice
Bulgur or cracked wheat
Quinoa
Rolled oats
Whole Barley
Whole Corn
Whole Rye
Whole wheat
Wild rice
To aim for more whole grains in our own diets, start by choosing foods that include
one of the following whole grain ingredients, such as:
•
brown rice
•
bulgur or cracked wheat
•
quinoa
•
rolled oats
•
whole barley
•
whole corn
•
whole rye
•
whole wheat
•
wild rice
For more examples you may print the What Foods Are in the Grains Group?
handout by selecting the link.
6
Include More Whole Grains In Your
Diet
• Choose foods that name
whole grain ingredients
first on the ingredient list.
• Use the Nutrition Facts
label to find whole grain
products with a higher %
Daily Value (20% and
over is good) for fiber.
It is important to be aware that manufacturers use misleading terminology to make a
product appear to contribute a significant amount of whole grain. Products labeled
with the words multi-grain, stone-ground, 100 percent wheat, cracked wheat, sevengrain, or bran may not be whole grain products. In addition to misleading
terminology, don’t depend on color to determine if a product is whole grain. Bread
can be brown because of molasses or other added ingredients.
To include more whole grains in your own diet, use the Nutrition Facts label and
look for whole grain items first on the ingredient list. Choose whole grain products
with a higher percent Daily Value for fiber. Many, but not all, whole grain products
are good or excellent sources of fiber. For example, this label illustrates a whole
grain-rich cereal with six grams of fiber, or 22 percent of the daily recommended
amount for dietary fiber, in one cup. Items that have a higher fiber content generally
contain more whole grains. However, the amount of fiber in a product is not used as
one of the criteria for determining whole grain-rich foods in the school meal
programs. For more tips on making personal whole grain food choices, you may
print the Choosing Whole Grain Foods handout by selecting the link.
7
Your Personal Whole Grain
Recommendations
• Breakfast?
• Lunch?
• Snacks?
Whether we like it or not, children are watching what we do and eat all the time. To
start improving eating habits and setting a good example for children, think about
the grains you eat. How many grains are whole grains? When could you include
whole grains? At breakfast? Lunch? Snacks? Or for dinner? Write down two ways
you could include more whole grains each day.
Did you include substituting whole wheat or oat flour for up to half of the flour in
pancake, waffle, muffin, or other flour-based recipes at breakfast? Or eating whole
wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice at lunch? Try
100 percent whole grain-rich snack crackers instead of chips for snacks and your
whole grain intake will climb. The amount of grains recommended each day
depends on your age, gender, and level of physical activity. See the Super Tracker
on the Choose MyPlate Web site on the Resource Page following this training to
determine the number of grains you need each day. For more ideas to make your
grains whole grain, you may print the Make Half Your Grains Whole Grains handout
by selecting the link.
8
Let’s Get Back to School Lunch …
the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act
• Public Law 1-1-1-2-9-6.
• Last update was more
than 15 years ago.
• Research-based
recommendations
include increasing
whole grains.
Okay, we’ve covered the benefits of whole grains and checked our own intake, now
let’s get back to school lunch. In December, 2010, President Obama signed into law
the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act or Public Law 1-1-1-2-9-6. This legislation made
comprehensive changes to the school meal programs.
The last update to school meal standards was over 15 years ago. Since that time,
tremendous advancements in our understanding of human nutrition have occurred.
The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act requires the United States Department of
Agriculture (U.S.D.A.) to update school meal nutrition standards to reflect the most
current dietary research.
The changes to school meals include incorporating more whole grains. This addition
contributes to improving children’s diets and helps to combat the national problems
of childhood obesity and childhood hunger.
9
Changes to Grain Requirements
• In school year 2014
to 2015 all grains
must be whole
grain-rich.
• Whole grain-rich
foods must contain
at least 50 percent
whole grains.
Before the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, there were no requirements for whole
grains. Starting in School Year 2014 to 2015, all grains offered for school breakfast
and lunch programs must be whole grain-rich. Whole grain-rich products must
contain at least 50 percent whole grains and the remaining 50 percent or less of
grains, if any, must be enriched. Manufacturers are reformulating many of their
products to meet the whole grain-rich criteria.
10
Ounce Equivalent Standards
• Ounce equivalent standards
are used to credit grains.
• Ounce weights with updated
Exhibit A grain chart
OR
• Grams of creditable grain
• Standardized recipe
OR
• Product Formulation Statement
• Learn to credit grains with
the free online training
Calculating Grain Contribution in School Meals
Ounce equivalent standards are used to credit grains. Agencies have the ability to
credit ounce equivalencies for grain products based on the ounce weights listed in
the updated U.S.D.A. Exhibit A grain chart, or by the grams of creditable grain in
each product portion documented by a standardized recipe or product formulation
statement.
See the Calculating Grain Contribution in School Meals online training listed on the
Resource Page following this training to learn how to credit grain products using
ounce equivalent standards.
11
Whole Grain-Rich Foods in School
Meal Programs
Whole Grain-Rich Criteria
Grains must meet at least
one of the following three
criteria:
1. Lists whole grain as the first
ingredient.
2. Contains 8 grams whole
grain per oz eq grain.
3. Includes F.D.A.’s approved
whole grain health claim or
other documentation.
The new school meal requirements make children’s health and choices a priority by
including more whole grains. The objective is the same as for personal diets, to
include more products that are whole grain-rich.
How do you recognize a whole grain-rich food for your school meal program
planning?
First, the item must meet the serving size requirements outlined in the U.S.D.A.
Policy Memo S.P. 30-2012 Exhibit A. The updated Exhibit A chart is on the
Resource Page and the Calculating Grain Contribution in School Meals online
training gives specific directions for using it.
To identify a product as whole grain-rich, the item must meet one of the following
three criteria:
1. A whole grain is listed first on the ingredient list.
2. The whole grain content per ounce equivalent must be greater than or equal
to 8 grams.
3. The product may include a Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.) whole
grain health claim on its packaging or other manufacturer documentation.
Let’s take a closer look at each criterion.
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1. Package Ingredient List
The product
ingredient list
includes a whole
grain first.
At this time, the product’s ingredient list is the most certain way to recognize a
whole grain-rich item.
Ingredient labels by law are required to list ingredients in order by weight, with the
heaviest ingredient listed first. When the product ingredient list includes a whole
grain as the first ingredient and it is a non-mixed dish like breads or cereals, then
the product is considered whole grain. If the first ingredient is water, a whole grain
may be listed as the second ingredient and still meet the whole grain-rich criteria.
13
Other Ingredients – Flour Blends
Ingredients:
Flour blend (whole wheat flour, enriched flour),
sugar, cinnamon, etc.
Some products may include flour blends. For example, this ingredients list includes
a flour blend, and in parentheses, it lists whole wheat flour and enriched flour, then
continues with other ingredients such as sugar or cinnamon. In this case, directors
need to know either that the whole grain content is at least 8 grams per ounce
equivalent or have documentation that the weight of the whole grain is greater than
the enriched flour and greater than the first ingredient listed after the flour blend,
such as sugar in this example.
In addition, when the whole grain content comes from multiple ingredients,
documentation must be provided showing that the whole grains are the primary
ingredient by weight even though a whole grain is not listed as the first ingredient.
14
2. Whole Grain Content Per Ounce
Equivalent
Whole grain content
per ounce equivalent
must be more than or
equal to 8 grams.
A second way to identify a whole grain-rich product is that the whole grain content
per ounce equivalent is greater than or equal to 8 grams per ounce equivalent
serving. Manufacturers are not required to provide information about the grams of
whole grain on their product labels.
The whole grain stamp is a voluntary program and is an additional cost for
manufacturers.
The Whole Grain Stamp is good information to suggest the product contains the
proper amount of whole grains, but the content of the whole grain must still be
matched against the serving size and ounce equivalent requirement in the school
meal patterns. Products that display the Whole Grain Stamp contain at least 8
grams of whole grain per serving size listed on the product, but they may also
contain some un-enriched refined flour which does not meet the grains criteria for
Child Nutrition Programs. So, just because a product has 8 grams of whole grains
does not mean the product will meet the whole grain-rich criterion.
15
3. Whole Grain Health Claim
The product includes
F.D.A.’s whole grain
health claim on its
packaging.
"Diets rich in whole grain foods and other
plant foods and low in total fat, saturated
fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of
heart disease and some cancers.“
OR
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other
plant foods, and low in saturated fat and
cholesterol may help reduce the risk of
heart disease.”
The third way a product meets the whole grain-rich requirement is when the product
includes the F.D.A. whole grain health claim on its packaging. The claim reads:
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated
fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers” or
“Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and
cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart disease.” The difference between
these two statements is the addition of “and some cancers” in the first statement.
Manufacturers are not required to put this whole grain health claim on their
package.
16
Whole Grain-Rich Mixed Dishes
• Processed foods - The first grain ingredient is a
whole grain.
• Recipes - The weight of all the whole grains is
greater than or equal to the weight of grains that are
not whole grains.
For mixed dishes like pizza or corn dogs, check to determine if the first grain
ingredient is a whole grain. For recipes, the weights of grain ingredients are used to
determine whether the total weight of whole grains is greater than or equal to the
total weight of grains that are not whole grain. Proper documentation from the
manufacturer or a standardized recipe is required.
17
Non-creditable Grains
• Bran, germ, corn
fiber, corn starch –
cannot be credited.
• Unenriched flours
can be used, cannot
be credited.
Ingredients such as bran, germ, corn fiber, oat fiber, and cornstarch are not
creditable in school meal programs. If purchased grain products include these
ingredients, the amounts all added together must equal less than 2 percent or less
than .25 ounce equivalent. If you see a label with non-creditable grains listed at
levels of 2 percent or .25 ounce equivalent or more per ounce equivalent grain, the
entire product is considered non-creditable.
Unenriched flours can be used, however they cannot be credited as a whole grainrich item. For example, if white flour is used in a breaded product and it is not
enriched, the product can still be served; however, the product will not credit toward
the grains. The breading will still contribute to the dietary specifications for calories,
saturated fat, and sodium.
Print the list of Whole Grains and Non-Creditable Grains handout now by selecting
the link, or at the end of the training from the Resource Page.
18
Ready-to-Eat Cereals
When 100% whole grain:
• Does not have to be fortified.
• May contain no more than 6.99
grams of non-creditable grains.
When not 100% whole grain:
• Must be fortified.
• May contain more than 6.99
grams of non-creditable grains.
• Other grains do not have to be
enriched.
Ready-to-Eat cereals that are from 100 percent whole grains are not required to be
fortified and may contain no more than 6.99 grams of non-creditable grains. If the
Ready-to-Eat cereal is not 100 percent whole grain it must be fortified according to
the Food and Drug Administration’s standards for enrichment. The product may
contain more than 6.99 grams of non-creditable grains, as long as the primary
ingredient is a whole grain. Other grains do not have to be enriched, as nutrients
are added through fortification, for example, the cereal could contain un-enriched
white puffed rice.
19
Child Nutrition Labels
• Manufacturers may
apply for a Child
Nutrition Label.
• The term “oz eq grains”
= whole grain-rich.
Manufacturers producing entrees with meat/meat alternate that contain grains, may
apply for a Child Nutrition (C.N.) Label to indicate the number of ounce equivalent
grains that meet the whole grain-rich criteria. The term ounce equivalent grains on
the C.N. Label shows that the product meets the whole grain-rich criteria.
20
In Summary – Identifying Whole
Grain-Rich Foods
Before we put our new knowledge to work, you may download the Whole Grain
Resource booklet with the flow chart on page 5 for reference by selecting the link.
This booklet presents a thorough summary of the criteria to accurately identify
whole grain-rich food items.
21
Do These Products Meet the Whole
Grain-Rich Criteria?
Now let’s look at some food packaging and start by using the ingredient list to
practice identifying whole grain-rich products and determining if the advertising
claims are true. Select the link to print the List of Whole Grains handout to help
determine if a food item is whole grain-rich. Notice that all the products contain a
whole grain claim on the package. But are they really a whole grain-rich product?
Let’s find out!
22
Is This Cereal Whole Grain-Rich?
Ingredients:
Rice, whole grain rice,
sugar, salt, calcium
carbonate, barley malt
extract, freshness preserved
by Vitamin E (mixed
tocopherols) and BHT.
On the package we can see that this product is labeled Whole Grain, but is this a
whole grain-rich product? Let’s look at the ingredient list. The first ingredient is rice.
Rice is not considered a whole grain. Therefore, this product is not considered
whole grain-rich.
23
Is This Pasta Whole Grain-Rich?
Ingredients:
Whole grain wheat, whole
grain brown rice, white
whole grain oats, wheat
gluten, crystallized cane
juice, natural flavor
(soybean oil, natural
flavoring), wheat bran.
On the package we can see the Multi Grain claim. So, this pasta must be whole
grain-rich, right? Let’s check the ingredient list. The first ingredient is Whole grain
wheat. Whole grain wheat is considered a whole grain. Therefore, this pasta is
considered whole grain-rich.
What if the first ingredient was water, would the pasta still be whole grain-rich? Yes,
the pasta would still be considered whole grain-rich because the next ingredient
listed is whole grain wheat.
24
Would You Include this Bagel as a
Whole Grain-Rich Product?
Ingredients:
Untreated high gluten
wheat flour, filtered water,
stone ground whole wheat
flour, crystalline corn
fructose, oats, ground
flaxseed, sorghum flour,
wheat fiber, wheat germ,
sunflower oil, barley malt,
yeast, potato flour, salt,
cornmeal.
This package claims that this product is a Whole Grain Bagel. Let’s check the
ingredient list. The first ingredient listed is untreated high gluten wheat flour. Wheat
flour is not considered a whole grain. Therefore, this product is not considered
whole grain-rich.
25
How About This Mixed Food?
Whole Grain Chicken Corn Dog
Corn dogs are mixed dishes as they contribute to both the grain and meat/meat
alternate components. This corn dog lists a whole wheat flour as the first grain
ingredient listed in the batter, so the product meets whole grain-rich requirements.
26
Are these Tortillas Whole GrainRich?
According to the Ingredient List, these tortillas are prepared with whole corn treated
with lime. When processed with lime in the traditional manner, part of the corn
kernel is dissolved. Additional whole grain content is removed in the washing or
rinsing of the corn during this process. Because of this, these tortillas require the
F.D.A. whole grain health claim, or other acceptable manufacturer documentation,
in order to meet whole grain-rich criteria.
Corn tortillas may be served even if there is not documentation that they are whole
grain-rich, however, they do not count toward the grain requirements for the day or
the week. They do count as extras, so the calories, saturated fat, and sodium must
be counted as well.
Enrichment of corn masa is not required for School Meal Programs when the
finished corn product bears the F.D.A. whole grain health claim.
27
Documentation for Whole GrainRich Products
• An ingredient list that shows a whole grain as the
primary ingredient by weight.
• A copy of a food label.
• U.S.D.A.-Authorized Child Nutrition (C.N.) Labels for
entree items that include grains.
To document that items served meet whole grain-rich criteria, school nutrition
directors must maintain one or more of the following types of documentation on file:
•
An ingredient list from a product carton that shows a whole grain as the
primary ingredient by weight.
•
A copy of a food label showing the amount of whole grain in grams for the
appropriate National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program
serving size or copy of a food label displaying one of the F.D.A. whole grain
health claims.
•
U.S.D.A.-Authorized Child Nutrition Labels for entree items that include
grains.
28
Documenting Whole Grain-Rich
Products
• Customized product
formulation statement
on manufacturer
letterhead.
• Recipe that includes the
ingredients and
ingredient amounts by
weight or volume.
• U.S.D.A. Foods Fact
Sheet.
In addition, whole grain-rich products can be documented by:
•
A customized product formulation statement on manufacturer letterhead.
•
A recipe that includes the ingredients and ingredient amounts by weight or
volume.
•
A U.S.D.A. Foods Fact Sheet. Please note that fact sheets must be
accompanied by acceptable manufacturer documentation if it is not clear that
the item meets whole grain-rich criteria.
For example, documentation must be on file for the whole grain chicken corn dog to
show that the whole grain-rich criteria for reimbursable meals are being met. Check
the Resource Page at the end of the training for examples of these types of
documentation.
29
Practice Identifying Whole GrainRich Items and Documentation
Now that we’ve practiced identifying whole grain-rich requirements and learned that
recipes, U.S.D.A. Foods Fact Sheets, and other sources can serve as needed
documentation of whole grain-rich products, let’s look at some more product
examples.
Do these bread sticks meet the whole grain-rich criteria and is any documentation
needed as evidence? The ingredient statement for this product lists whole wheat
flour first. Additionally, the remaining grain in the product is enriched, so this product
meets the whole grain-rich criteria. Because oat fiber is a non-creditable grain and it
is listed as being 2 percent or less of the product formula, there is no need to
request additional information from the manufacturer. However, it is important to
maintain on file a copy of the label for documenting that this product meets whole
grain-rich requirements.
30
How About These Flour Tortillas?
These flour tortillas look like they are whole grain-rich, however they do not list a
whole grain as the first ingredient by weight. Earlier we noted that modified food
starch is considered a non-creditable grain. Because modified food starch is listed
first, these tortillas will not meet whole grain-rich criteria. The U.S.D.A. Foods whole
wheat tortillas would be a better choice for your menu.
31
Another Student Favorite – Is It
Whole Grain-Rich?
Pizza is another student favorite, but can this pizza meet the whole grain-rich
criteria? If you recognized this as whole grain-rich, great job!
This cheese pizza illustrates one of the other methods of identifying whole grain-rich
menu items. It displays a Child Nutrition or C.N. Label. The C.N. Label Statement
credits the pizza crust with 2 ounce equivalent grains. This means that the crust
meets whole grain-rich criteria and the crediting on the C.N. Label can be used.
Check to make sure that the C.N. number is valid on the C.N. Labeling Web site
and maintain the original C.N. label from the box or a copy of the original product
label on file. If the C.N. Label isn’t on the package, the manufacturer would need to
provide other information to credit this pizza as a whole grain-rich menu item.
The Resource Page following this training includes the link to the C.N. Labeling
Web site and you can learn more about grain ounce equivalents in the online
training Calculating Grain Contribution in School Meals.
32
Checking Recipes
In this recipe, the whole grain cornmeal, enriched flour, and whole wheat flour each
count as creditable grains. How do you decide if this is whole grain-rich?
Start by comparing the weight of the creditable whole grain ingredients with the
weight of the creditable enriched grain ingredient. The whole wheat flour and the
whole grain cornmeal count as whole grain ingredients, so the total weight used in
this recipe is 1½ pounds. The enriched bleached flour is not whole grain and it
contributes 1 pound to the recipe. The weight of the whole grains exceeds the
weight of the enriched flour, so this product meets the whole grain-rich criteria.
Make sure to keep the recipe on file as documentation that the product meets the
whole grain-rich requirements.
33
U.S.D.A. Foods Fact Sheets
Any products available to schools through the U.S.D.A. Foods Program, formerly
known as U.S.D.A. commodities, do not include a label on product packaging.
Obtain the U.S.D.A. Foods code number from the manufacturer and visit the
U.S.D.A. Foods Available List for Schools and Institutions to access the product fact
sheet. Check this site regularly to see changes in U.S.D.A. Food offerings. Keep the
fact sheets on file to show that criteria are being met. U.S.D.A. Foods that meet the
whole grain-rich criteria include whole wheat tortillas, oatmeal, brown rice, whole
grain pastas (macaroni, rotini, and spaghetti), and whole grain pancakes. A sample
U.S.D.A. Foods Fact Sheet is included on the Resource Page following this training.
34
Product Formulation Statement (P.F.S.)
Another acceptable form of documentation that demonstrates that the product
meets the whole grain-rich criteria is a customized product formulation statement,
also known as P.F.S., on manufacturer letterhead. This P.F.S. for Wheat Smile
Pancakes indicates that two pancakes contain 23.5 grams whole wheat flour and 11
grams enriched flour, so this product is indeed whole grain-rich. This sample P.F.S.
for Wheat Smile Pancakes is available on page 27 of the U.S.D.A. Whole Grain
Resource for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, which is
accessible from the Resource Page available at the end of this training.
35
Reminder About Ready-to-Eat
Cereals
We mentioned earlier that ready-to-eat breakfast cereals must list a whole grain first
in the ingredient list. If the cereal includes non whole grains, then it must be fortified
to meet the whole grain-rich criteria. Fortified means that vitamins and minerals not
originally in the food were added to it. For example, adding vitamin A to cereal. You
can tell cereal is fortified from the packaging—look for a list of vitamins and minerals
in the ingredients list or the Nutrition Facts label to identify fortified foods.
Would this cereal meet this requirement? This cereal meets the whole grain-rich
criteria, because the first ingredient is whole grain wheat and the cereal is fortified.
Cereals that are 100 percent whole grain do not need to be fortified to meet
requirements.
36
Storing Whole Grain-Rich Foods
Now that more whole grain-rich products are included in your program, you may
need to do a little rethinking about your storage system. Extra refrigerator or freezer
space may be needed because whole grain ingredients like whole wheat flour and
brown rice still have the bran and the oil-rich germ. These products may turn rancid
when stored in warm areas and have a shorter shelf life than their refined versions.
To increase shelf life, store these products in a cool, dry place in airtight containers.
If products will not be used quickly, they should be stored in the refrigerator or
freezer. The best way to store whole grain-rich foods is to use the principles of First
In, First Out.
37
Getting Started Can Be Easy …
U.S.D.A. Foods
• Cooked breakfast
cereals
• Pancakes
• Tortillas
• Macaroni
• Pizza crust
• Brown Rice
Serving more whole grain-rich menu items can be as easy as starting with products
that are already popular with students. Introduce whole grains in student favorites,
such as pizza, macaroni, pancakes, tortillas, breakfast cereals, or rice. The goal is
to offer nutritious items that meet the whole grain-rich criteria and that students will
enjoy. If students prefer to select grain options that are lighter in color, you may
choose to incorporate products or recipes that use white whole wheat flour to
increase acceptance.
38
Help Students Make the Switch
Some students may not be familiar with foods that meet the whole grain-rich criteria.
To encourage them to try different products, conduct student taste tests to select
items that have the most student appeal. When students feel included in the school
meal process, they can be some of your best advocates. In addition, by keeping
track of taste test results and student preferences, program operators may be
surprised by what their students like and start to develop a list of appealing meal
items that meet the whole grain-rich criteria. See the Resource Page at the end of
this training for taste-testing guidance and tracking templates.
39
Resources and References
• ChooseMyPlate.gov
• U.S.D.A.– Whole Grain
Resource
• The Whole Grain Council
• California Healthy Kids
Resource Center
1-8-8-8-3-1-8-8-1-8-8
These agencies and Web sites offer additional resources for ideas and recipes to
move your menu toward meeting the grain requirements. Check out the Resource
Page at the end of the training for these links and more ideas, training tools, and
information to add whole grains to your meals! Remember to start simple and feel
free to contact the California Healthy Kids Resource Center for assistance.
40
Training Objectives
In this training you have learned how to:
• Explain why whole grains are critical to
children’s health.
• Describe the whole grain-rich requirements.
• Identify whole grain-rich items.
• Access resources to support the whole grainrich requirements.
Let’s review our objectives for this training. Today you learned how to explain why
whole grains are critical to children’s health, describe the whole grain-rich
requirements, identify whole grain products for school meals, and access resources
to support the whole grain-rich requirements.
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Congratulations!
Partner: California Department of
Education, Nutrition Services Division
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the training. You will now have the
opportunity to take a quiz to test the knowledge you have acquired in this training. If
you receive a passing score, a completion certificate will be e-mailed to you at the
e-mail address you provided. If you don’t receive a passing score, you will have the
opportunity to take the test again at any time. Following the quiz, you will be asked
to complete an optional brief feedback survey. After you complete the survey, you
will be able to access sample library resources and additional information about
whole grains. You may take the quiz by selecting the link. Thank you for
participating in this training!
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