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School Nutrition Bulletin 1819-17

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Announcements from the WI DPI School Nutrition Team (SNT)

Updates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

 
USDA Webinar-TODAY! Moving Forward: Update on Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs with Guidance for Dried Meat Products
April 24, 2019
1:00 PM CST
 
USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) will present the first webinar of the Crediting Updates for Child Nutrition Programs: Be in the Know! webinar series. This webinar series will assist with implementation of the recent changes in CNP related to the release of SP 08-2019, CACFP 02-2019, SFSP 02-2019 Update of Food Crediting in the Child Nutrition Programs and other forthcoming memos. These webinars will provide technical assistance and hands-on practice with the newly creditable items in CNP. In addition, attendees will learn about the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) tools and resources available to assist with menu planning needs in CNP settings.
 
Registration for this free webinar is now available.
 
The webinar, Moving Forward: Update on Food Crediting in Child Nutrition Programs with Guidance for Dried Meat Products, will provide an overview of the crediting updates resulting from the Request for Information and provide crediting technical assistance with hands-on practice specifically for dried meat products. All are welcome to attend, including program operators, State agencies, and the food industry.
 
USDA Policy Memorandums are posted on the USDA School Meals Policy webpage.
 
This memorandum provides guidance regarding continuation of the food safety inspections reporting requirement under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs for fiscal year (FY) 2019. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019, (P.L. 116-6) contains language that amended section 9(h)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), 42 USC 1758(h)(3), to require the State agency’s food safety inspections reporting requirement for FY 2019. State agencies must report to the FNS the number of annual food safety inspections obtained by schools under their jurisdiction for school year 2018-19.
 
Last summer (June 20, 2018) the FNS forwarded to all states a federal memorandum (M-18-18) issued by the Office of Management and Budget, notifying all agencies of recent changes to regulated purchasing thresholds. At that time we updated all of our guidance and communicated in trainings and newsletters the increases to the Micro Purchase Threshold and the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (known commonly as Small Purchase Threshold). The increase in thresholds was $3,500 to $10,000 and $150,000 to $250,000, respectively. The attached policy memorandum (SP 20-2019) dated April 17, 2019 from USDA FNS clarifies the application of the increases to both the Micro Purchase Threshold and the Small Purchase Threshold for National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and more specifically for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This memorandum brings procurement regulations and thresholds into alignment with all other CNP procurement regulations and thresholds. These changes have already occurred and the USDA FNS has now officially made these changes and identifies the changes in guidance memorandum.
 
This is the only memo that states that these ‘items were creditable as of December 4, 2018, when FNS published SP 08-2019’, however this is true for USDA Policy Memorandums SP 21 through SP 26-2019.
  • Dried meat, poultry, or seafood products are not included in the FBG because industry production standards for these products vary widely. Therefore, SFAs must use Product Formulation Statements (PFS) or CN labels to credit these products.
  • The memo gives information on evaluating the PFS to ensure crediting principles are followed.
  • Coconut
    • Frozen or Fresh coconut may credit as a fruit.
    • Dried coconut, coconut flour, and oil are not creditable.
    • Juices labeled as 100% juice, including coconut water, will continue to credit toward the fruit component per volume served.
  • Hominy
    • ¼ cup of canned, drained hominy credits as ¼ cup starchy vegetable in the NSLP and School Breakfast Program (SBP).
    • ½ cup cooked or 1 oz. dry hominy grits credits as 1 oz. equivalent grains.
  • Corn Masa, Corn Flour, and Cornmeal
    • Now creditable as whole grain-rich (WGR) ingredients.
    • School Food Authorities (SFAs) may now credit all three in the same manner as all other creditable grain ingredients and foods.
    • Use Exhibit A or credit by grams of creditable grain per portion.
    • FNS is rescinding SP 02-2013: Corn Masa (Dough) for Use in Tortilla Chips, Taco Shells, and Tamales, 10/3/12.
    • The Food Buying Guide (FBG) will be updated.
  • ¾ c (or 0.25 oz.) popped popcorn credits as ¼ oz. eq. whole grain in NSLP, SBP, and CACFP; ¼ serving of grains in SFSP and NSLP Afterschool Snack.
  • 1.5 cups (or 0.5 oz.) popped popcorn credits as ½ oz. eq. whole grain in NSLP, SBP, and CACFP; ½ serving of grains in SFSP and NSLP Afterschool Snack.
  • 3 cups (1.0 oz.) popped popcorn credits as 1 oz. eq. whole grain in NSLP, SBP, and CACFP; 1 serving of grains in SFSP and NSLP Afterschool Snack.
  • Operators may want to pair popcorn with another creditable grain for small children related to the volume needed to credit.
  • Popcorn may be used as an ingredient in creditable foods prepared commercially or by SFAs. Must have minimum of ¼ oz. eq. and PFS or standardized recipe.
  • Popcorn ground into flour and used will require Exhibit A to credit.
  • Grains section of the FBG will be updated.
  • Toppings such as salt, caramel, cheese, and butter may be used, but SFAs must ensure that any oil or fat used to pop the popcorn is included in the nutrient profile. The dietary specifications for calories, saturated fat, and sodium will limit the use of added ingredients in the NSLP.
  • NSLP operators are encouraged to choose varieties of popcorn that meet Smart Snack regulations when considering serving popcorn as part of a reimbursable meal or snack.
  • CACFP and/or SFSP encouraged to limit the use of toppings. Encourage healthier toppings like herb blends. Program operators are to use their discretion in determining if a certain popcorn product or recipe is perceived to be a grain-based dessert and to follow the guidance in place accordingly.
  • Program operators must consider the developmental readiness of children to prevent the risk of choking.
  • 4.4 oz. portion of surimi seafood credits as 1.5 oz. eq. meat/meat alternate (m/ma).
  • 3.0 oz. portion of surimi seafood credits as 1.0 oz. eq. m/ma.
  • 1.0 oz. portion of surimi seafood credits as 0.25 oz. eq. m/ma (Used rounding rules that require crediting down to the nearest 0.25 oz.)
  • To credit surimi differently than what is listed in the list above, program operators should obtain a CN label or PFS from the manufacturer. There is the accepted possibility that surimi seafood may be made with higher percentages of m/ma ingredients.
  • 1 oz. of tempeh credits as 1 oz. meat alternative for tempeh with ingredients limited to soybeans (or other legumes), water, tempeh culture, and for some varieties, vinegar, seasonings, and herbs.
  • The m/ma section of the FBG will be updated.
  • Varieties of tempeh that include other creditable foods as ingredients, such as brown rice, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed, and/or vegetables, may also credit as meat alternates, grains, and/or vegetables using PFS or CN label. Note: minimum creditable quantities ( cup or ¼ oz. eq.) must be present.
FNS now allows pasta made of vegetable flour(s) to credit as a vegetable, even if the pasta is not served with another recognizable vegetable.
  • Whole vegetables cut into “noodles’ or spirals, such as spiralized zucchini or sweet potatoes, continue to credit toward the respective vegetable subgroups based on the volume served.
  • Consistent with vegetable crediting, ½ cup of pasta made of 100% vegetable flour(s) credits as ½ cup of vegetables.
  • Pasta made of one vegetable subgroup may credit towards the appropriate vegetable subgroup.
  • Pasta made of a blend of 100% vegetable flours may credit in two ways:
    • Using a PFS detailing actual volume of each vegetable per serving may credit toward specific vegetable subgroups or
    • If actual volume of each vegetable flour is unknown, the pasta product may credit toward the addition vegetables needed from any vegetable subgroup to meet the overall weekly vegetable requirements.
  • Pasta products made of vegetable flour(s) and other non-vegetable ingredients may credit toward daily and weekly vegetable requirements (or, in the case of legumes, m/ma requirements) with a PFS detailing the actual volume of vegetable flour per serving.
  • This crediting does not apply to grain-based pasta products that contain small amounts of vegetable poser for color (e.g. spinach, sun-dried tomato).
  • Pasta made with 100% legume flour(s) credit: ½ cup of cooked pasta made of 100% legume (flour(s) may credit as 2 oz. eq. of meat alternate). To credit as a meat alternate, pasta made of legume flour(s) must be offered with additional meat/meat alternate, such as tofu, cheese, or meat.
  • Legumes may credit as a vegetable or a meat alternate, but not as both in the same meal.
  • Manufacturers and program operators may credit legume flour pasta using the Bean Flour yield information on page C-1 of Appendix C in the FBG and by using the crediting principles detailed in the Manufacturer’s PFS section of the CN Labeling Program.
  • Local program operators must indicate (using signs or other nutrition education) that pasta made of vegetable flour is a ‘vegetable’ and not a grain component of the meal. For example, pasta made of chickpea flour could be labeled as ‘Chickpea Pasta’ with a symbol showing it to be part of the vegetable component of the meal.

Updates from the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) School Nutrition Team

 
IMPORTANT! Postponed - Spring Small Victories Workshop
The Small Victories Workshop that was to be offered May 7-9 and May 14-16 is postponed with anticipated reschedule dates in the fall.  An announcement with new dates will be sent in a future bulletin. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
 
Food Rescue and Food Donation
A recent article published by a major news outlet and circulated on social media featured food rescue from a school in a Midwestern state. In response to requests from school food authorities, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Team is developing and updating guidance and resources for food donations and food rescue. Food safety decisions surrounding food donations and food rescue are at the discretion of the sanitarian and/or local regulatory authority, subject to the Wisconsin Food Code as well as local regulations and ordinances. Additional decisions are at the discretion of the local education agency and may require consultation of legal counsel.
 
Contract Renewal: April 25 is the Deadline to Update SY 2018-19 School Nutrition Contract End Dates for Snow Days and Summer School Meals
Current Online School Nutrition Contracts (SY 2018-19) will close on April 25, and you will no longer be able to make changes to this year’s contracts. The end dates on your School Nutrition Contract should be the last day of meal service before June 30, 2019.
 
Do not make SY 2019-20 updates until after May 1. Questions? Contact dpifns@dpi.wi.gov.
 
Paid Lunch Equity (PLE) Guidance SY 2019-20
Child Nutrition Program Authorized Representatives and Food Service Directors were emailed SY 2019-20 PLE requirements on April 22. Information about the PLE are posted on the SNT Financial Management webpage.
 

Other Available Information

 
Thursday, April 25, 2019
2:00-3:00 PM CST
 
It is never too early to create an outreach plan to promote safe summer meals in your communities. The S.T.A.R. webinar Strategies for Implementing Safe Summer Meals will focus on ways to serve safe summer meals and how one local district has implemented a successful summer meals program. Theresa Stretch, MS, RDN, LD, CP-FS, of ICN will discuss key food safety practices essential to a successful summer meals site. Also joining will be Robert Cuellar, Jr., MPH, of the Laredo Independent School District, who will share how his district promotes and implements the SFSP at 100 feeding sites.
 
A continuing education certificate will be available after completion of the webinar.
 
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This is a communication from the WI Department of Public Instruction, School Nutrition Team.
 
You can contact the School Nutrition Team at dpifns@dpi.wi.gov. To subscribe to schoolmealsnews, please send an email to dpifns@dpi.wi.gov.
dpi.wi.gov/school-nutrition #WISchoolMealsRock
 
WI DPI School Nutrition Team · PO Box 7841 · WI Department of Public Instruction · Madison, WI 53707-7841 · USA