Meal Pattern and Nutritional Quality - RCCI

Breakfast and Lunch: 7-day Week

Due to the unique service style and needs of Residential Child Care Institutions (RCCIs), the following four waivers are available to assist with menu planning and meal service in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). Please submit an Online Request for any of the following flexibilities.

1. Meal Pattern Flexibility

The Meal Pattern Waiver allows the RCCI to offer the same meal pattern to all students regardless of their age/grade group. If approved, the RCCI must follow the meal pattern for the highest age/grade group served. Without the meal pattern flexibility, students must be served according to their corresponding meal pattern. See the meal pattern tables above for more information.

2. Offer Versus Serve Flexibility

The Milk Variety Flexibility Waiver  allows the RCCI to waive the Offer Versus Serve requirement for students in grades 9-12. If approved, all five required components in their daily minimum amounts must be served to each student.

• Without the OVS flexibility, OVS is required at lunch for grades 9-12. See OVS In a Nutshell for more information.

3. Milk Variety Flexibility

The Milk Variety Flexibility Waiver allows the RCCI to offer a variety of milk over the course of the week rather than having to offer a variety of milk at each meal service. For example, instead of offering a choice between fat-free chocolate and 1% white milk at each meal service, you may instead choose to offer only white milk at each meal during the week and chocolate milk at each meal on the weekends. The RCCI may decide what will work best for their program.

• Without the milk variety flexibility, at least two varieties of milk must be offered daily, at each meal service. See Milk in a Nutshell  for more information.

4. Seperation of Gender Flexibility

The Seperation of Gender Flexibility Waiver allows the RCCI to request an exemption for Prohibition of Seperation by Gender during the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) meal service, if combining members of the opposite gender would represent a safety risk. 

RCCI are encouraged to give students sufficient time for meals in an atmosphere that maximizes nutritional and social benefits of shared meals.

• Family Style Meal Service
  • RCCIs may serve meals family style.
  • To claim family style meals for reimbursement, RCCIs must meet the following conditions:
    • Provide enough food so that each student has access to the daily minimum amounts for each component as listed in the meal pattern tables. Additionally, include servings for the supervising adult(s) if they choose to eat with the students.
    • Each student must be offered the full required minimum portion of each component.
    • Offer vs. Serve is allowable with family style meal service. However, for the meal to be reimbursable, it must contain two full components plus ½ cup fruit or vegetable.
    • The RCCI cannot force or require a student to take any of the meal items. However, the meals may not be claimed for reimbursement if the above requirements are not met. The full cost of the meal (usually adult price) must be covered by a fund other than the food service account.

• OVS is only required for 9-12 students at lunch. It is optional (but encouraged) for K-8 at lunch and K-12 at breakfast.
  • At breakfast, schools must offer at least four food items from the three required components (fruit, grains, fluid milk) and students must select at least three food items, one of which is 1/2 cup fruit and/or vegetable.
  • At lunch, schools must offer all five components and students must select at least three components, one of which is 1/2 cup fruit and/or vegetable.
• For resources and training, please visit the DPI Offer Vs Serve Webpage

• Production records document that reimbursable meals were planned and served. Schools must keep production and menu documentation for the meals they produce. These records must be kept on file for three years plus the current school year.
  • Production Record Requirements (Spanish)
  • Transport Sheet Requirements (Spanish)
  • Instructions for Completing Production Records
• Production Record Templates
  • These templates may be edited to suit your school's specific needs. If editing, make sure that your version meets all production record requirements.
  • Breakfast
    • Breakfast - One Grade Group (PDF)
    • Breakfast - One Grade Group with Temperature (PDF)
    • Breakfast - Two Grade Groups (PDF)
  • Lunch
    • Lunch - One Grade Group (PDF)
    • Lunch - One Grade Group with Temperature (PDF)
    • Lunch - Two Grade Groups (PDF)
    • Lunch - Three Grade Groups (PDF)
• Interactive Menu Planning Production Records
  • Breakfast - One Entree
  • Breakfast - Two Entrees
  • Lunch - One Entree
  • Lunch - Two Entrees
• Other Records
  • Condiment Usage Record (PDF)
  • Garden Bar Production Record (PDF)
  • Garden Bar & Condiment Record - One Grade Group (PDF)
  • Garden Bar & Condiment Record - Two Grade Groups (PDF)
  • Milk Recipe Instructions/Template (PDF)
  • Salad Bar Production Record (PDF)
  • Transport Sheet (PDF)

• RCCIs must display signage, visible to students, that identifies the components of the reimbursable meal. If Offer vs. Serve is utilized, signage must indicate how a reimbursable meal is assembled
  • At lunch, students must select at least three full, different, food components, one of which is a ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable.
  • At breakfast, students must select at least three food items, one of which is a ½ cup of fruit and/or vegetable.
  • The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction developed a series of reimbursable meal posters. The posters may be printed in a variety of sizes depending on your needs and printing capabilities.
• For links to signage available, please visit the DPI Signage Webpage.

• All food and/or beverages sold to students during the school day must comply with Smart Snacks Nutritional Guidelines.
• The school day is considered midnight of the instructional day until 30 minutes after the end of the school day. A school day may look different at each RCCI depending on the structure of the day or how education is provided. The “school day” may be personalized from student to student depending upon their personal schedule and needs. For example, some RCCIs have a shortened school day based on individual student needs. For ease of operation and compliance, it may be best to define an end time that would apply to all residents.
• Canteen or commissary is sometimes available to students for food or snack purchases. Ensure these foods meet Smart Snacks standards or they are purchased/delivered after the school day ends.
  • Quick links can be found on the DPI Smart Snacks Webpage.

• Standardized recipes are required for anything made in-house with two or more ingredients. A standardized recipe is one that has been tried, tested, evaluated, and adapted for use by your school food service. It produces a consistent quality and yield every time when the exact procedures, equipment, and ingredients are used.
• Tools and resources can be found on the DPI Standardized Recipes Webpage.

• For a meal to be claimed for reimbursement, the student must select or accept a reimbursable meal.
• Facilities not using Offer vs Serve
  • At breakfast, the student must select four items from three required components in the daily minimum amounts (1 oz eq grain, 1 cup fruit, 1 cup fluid milk).
  • At lunch, the student must select all five required components (fruit, vegetable, grains, meat/meat alternate, fluid milk) in the daily minimum amounts (may vary depending on the age/grade group served).
• Facilities using Offer vs Serve
  • At breakfast, the student must select at least three food items, one of which is a ½ cup of fruit and/or vegetable.
  • At lunch, the student must select at least three full, different, food components, one of which is a ½ cup fruit and/or vegetable.