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Thank you!
With the 2015-2016 school year underway, Interflex is proud to present our Fall newsletter.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your readership and your continued support. Interflex aims to simplify the bid process and bring industry members together in a collaborative, productive, and successful environment.
We could not achieve those goals without our many clients, industry teammates, and readers. Thank you!
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All Hollow's Eve is right around the corner! Follow these safety tips for a fun and fright-less night:
Make sure kids eat a healthy and filling dinner before going out to trick-or-treat. They will be less tempted to snack on candy before you have a chance to check it and won't want to gorge themselves on treats that night.
Opt for battery-operated candles and luminaries instead of open-flame candles in your pumpkins and for yard decorations to reduce the risk of a fire!
Sew a name tag, including your contact information, into your children's  costumes.
Give your kids glow sticks to wear on Halloween night. They will love it and it will make them easily visible in the dark.
Don't forget about pet safety as well! Keep your pets away from the candy dish - many treats can be poisonous. Be sure to let the kids know that they should not share with Fido.
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- Interflex is upgrading the server hardware that hosts all of our solutions.
- This process will ultimately increase the speed and responsiveness of all systems.
- BidAdvantage for Manufacturer systems are getting interface enhancements.
- These enhancements are all designed with the goal of minimizing mouse clicks and saving time. If you are a user of BidAdvantage for Manufacturer, you will be notified of these enhancements as they are made.
- Equipment bids are now available in AwardedBids.com.
- You will see the new product types of "Large Equipment" and "Small Equipment / Smallwares" listed in your search criteria.
- The product types in AwardedBids.com have been updated.
- To accommodate the addition of equipment bids, some of the existing product types have been renamed to clarify whether the items are disposable or not. You can download a full list of the product type changes here.
- Please note: client's saved searches, notifications, and profile are the same; you will receive all of the same information - only the names of the product types have changed.
Contact us ([email protected] / 800-293-2909) to learn more about any of these updates.
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Which Pie is the Apple of Your Eye?
Pies are an iconic treat, especially during the Fall months. We decided to take a look at bids nationwide tracked by Interflex in the AwardedBids.com database to see which pie flavors were school favorites. Check out our findings below:
*Data based on bids tracked by Interflex in the AwardedBids.com database. Approximately 49% of the 2015-2016 award information available at time of the report.
While apple, pumpkin, and cherry are all-time favorites, we see different flavors peak during different years as well. For example, peach pies became more popular in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, while strawberry pies became trendy during the 2015-2016 school year.
Did you know that pumpkin pie spice traditionally includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice? Variations of the spice have been known to include cloves, cardamom, and even molasses.
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Kraft Heinz Company
Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company have merged to form the Kraft Heinz Company. The union was finalized on July 2, 2015.
NFSMI is now ICN
The National Food Service Management Institute changed its name to the Institute of Child Nutrition. Check out the new logo and website at theicn.org.
Vegetables and Yogurt now Creditable in Smoothies
Yogurt contained in a smoothie can now credit towards the meat/meat alternative requirement. Vegetables in smoothies from any subgroup are creditable when fresh, frozen, canned, or 100% juice. Pureed fruits and vegetables in smoothies credit as a juice. For more detailed information, please read the memorandum from the USDA.
USDA Foods now Include High-Protein Yogurt
After a successful pilot program, the USDA has added high-protein, Greek-style, yogurt to their list of available USDA Foods for all interested schools. 2015-2016 ordering and delivery schedule are available and all interested schools should contact their State Distributing Agency.
New Offer vs. Serve Manual
A new set of guidance on OVS is available from USDA Food and Nutrition Service. This new manual on OVS replaces the 2014-2015 edition. Please find the new manual here.
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When it comes to requirements and standards for school nutrition programs, it's always best to check with your state agency. The USDA sets minimum national standards that all schools participating in federal meal programs must adhere to, but states can set further requirements for schools that may be more strict than the national guidelines.
Finding this information and knowing who to contact with questions can be tricky. Check out these resources for a quick reference for your state:
School Nutrition Association's Summary of State Policies:
Here you'll find a downloadable PDF document for each state outlining the child nutrition policies and programs currently in place.
USDA Food & Nutrition Service's School Meal Contacts:
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Many factors contribute to the trends in school foodservice - from flavors and textures to health concerns and convenience. School food is changing more rapidly than it ever has before and Interflex is tracking those changes. Here's a sneak peek into what's hot in the cafeteria:
Peanut-Free...
Food Allergy Research & Education reports that food allergies are on the rise. It makes sense then that peanut-free spreads are becoming more popular in school districts across the country. Did you know though that sunflower seed butter is over 5 times more prevalent than soy butter? Here's the scoop on peanut-free spreads based on data from AwardedBids.com.
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| Note: Approximately 59% of 2015-2016 data available at time of report |
Breaking Bread...
With a rise in the number of schools serving breakfast, the staples of a good breakfast are becoming more important as well. Flavored mini-loaves are one popular option. Check out the most popular flavors, based on data from AwardedBids.com:
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Note: Approximately 62% of 2015-2016 data available at time of report.
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When in Greece...
Greek-style yogurt has been trending in retail foodservice for some time, and school food is following suit. Foodservice Directors across the country seem to be turning to Greek yogurt as a protein source, an ingredient in smoothies and other recipes, or as a quick grab-and-go item. Most recently, the USDA has added high-protein, Greek-style, yogurt to their list of available USDA Foods for all interested schools. With that in mind, we only expect to see Greek-style yogurt gain momentum. The data in AwardedBids.com shows that Greek yogurt has indeed been increasing for the past 3 school years.
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Note: Approximately 52% of 2015-2016 data available at time of report
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Speed-Scratch...
Fresher always tastes better! Just imagine freshly baked bread, a fresh-picked apple, or freshly brewed tea. But some schools do not have the time or resources to serve made-from-scratch items in the cafeteria. The lunch "hour" is slowly dwindling minute-by-minute and the intricacies of preparing a student-friendly meal that meet regulations are mounting. These circumstances have led to a rise in "speed-scratch" cooking, a method that allows chefs to prepare food quickly while still maintaining quality and a fresh taste. Take a look at our round-up of resources to speed up your scratch cooking:
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News from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation
The Alliance celebrated 400 + school, industry, corporate and out-of-school time partners that continue to make extraordinary strides for childhood health at the 2015 Leaders Summit October 2-4.
Meet the 2015 Award Winners
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You may be hearing a lot of stories about school food waste or fruits and vegetables going into the trash lately. It's something we all want to minimize, but the battle to make sure students are getting nutritious food and actually eating it won't be won in a day. For a quick victory, check out our tips on how you can reduce food waste in your kitchen each day:
- Make a Stock - instead of tossing the stems of herbs, corn cobs, green bean ends, and squash peels, throw them into a pot of boiling water along with some celery, carrots, and onion to make a tasty stock for your next veggie soup. We often don't have all of this at once so try keeping a plastic freezer bag in your freezer for scraps and use it for stock when it's full.
- Eat Your Greens - did you know that the leaves inside of celery stalks are edible too? Try chopping them up to garnish a salad, soup, or even a tuna sandwich. Carrot greens can be used as a garnish or spice to flavor cooked or roasted veggies too! The green leaves atop many root vegetables, like beets and radishes, can be braised with garlic and water for a tasty side-dish.
- From Stalk to Slaw - coleslaw is a popular side-dish traditionally made with cabbage. Have you ever tried broccoli slaw? Instead of throwing those tough woody broccoli stalks in the trash, try grating them up fresh and preparing your favorite slaw dish with them.
- The Seeds of Health - many squash seeds, like pumpkin, winter squash, and acorn squash can be seasoned and roasted in the oven for a crunchy snack or salad topper. Alternatively, try planting some of those seeds and see what grows!
- Oil all Round - we all know that fruit rinds can be used to make wonderful zests for baking, garnishes, and seasoning, but did you know you can put those zests into olive oil to make a citrus infused oil for later use in things like dressings and marinades?
- Compost it - if all else fails, use your produce scraps in the compost pile instead of the trash.
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A warm welcome to our new clients!
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Beyond Meat
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Channel Fish Processing
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Kunzler & Co. |
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Miss Karen's Frozen Yogurt
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National Choice Bakery
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Rosati Ice
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Seviroli
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Steaz
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Sysco, LA
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