Menu Planning

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Menu Standards

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has served nourishing, well-balanced meals to children since 1946. Many changes have occurred in meal service and menu planning since that time. The current standard for menu planning is School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children (SMI), which was legislated in 1995.
	The nutrition goals of SMI are based on: The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) Children’s caloric (energy) requirements The recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Menus and standardized recipes are planned and developed to meet these standards
The current lunch and breakfast menus in Fulton County are based on the Enhanced Food-Based Menu Planning system: Requires specific food group components in specific amounts The meal pattern is designed to: Meet ⅓ of the RDA for key nutrients and ⅓ of calorie needs for specific age/grade groups for lunch Meet ¼ of the RDA for key nutrients and ¼ of calorie needs for specific age/grade groups for breakfast The key nutrients are: Calories, Total Fat, Saturated Fat, Protein, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C

Nutrient Standards

SMI standards also require the nutritional analysis to include cholesterol, fiber and sodium. Though,no specific standards have been set by USDA. The Georgia Department of Education (GDOE) has developed recommended standards.
Cholesterol Target	Fiber Targets	Sodium Targets
In an effort to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease during life, dietary cholesterol intake should be reduced. The daily targets for school meals for cholesterol, averaged over a week are:	Dietary fiber is a nutrient necessary for regulating the digestive system. The daily targets for school meals for fiber, averaged over a week are:	We are encouraged to reduce our intake of sodium to reduce the risk of hypertension or high blood pressure. The daily targets for school meals for sodium for all grades, averaged over a week are:
Lunch: < 100 milligrams Breakfast: < 75 milligrams	Lunch Grades K-6: ≥ 9 grams Grades 6-8: ≥ 10 grams Grades 9-12: ≥ 11 grams Breakfast All grades: ≥ 8 grams	Lunch: ≤ 800 milligrams Breakfast: ≤ 600 milligrams

Menu Analysis

All Fulton County menus are analyzed to ensure that the SMI standards for the eight key nutrients are met. Additionally, menus are continuously evaluated to guarantee that progress is being made in meeting the recommended targets for cholesterol, fiber and sodium.

The school cafeteria and dining facility should be seen as a learning laboratory for nutrition for all customers, especially students. One of our goals is to offer meals that are appealing and palatable. Menus are analyzed to ensure that student needs are met to maximize student meal participation. Additionally, when menus are planned food combinations, labor intensity, availability of equipment and aesthetic appeal are considered.