School Nutrition Program Updates |
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April is…
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National Every Kid Healthy Week – April 26-30th - Each day has a theme – Mindful Monday to bring awareness to social emotional health; Tasty Tuesday celebrates nutrition and food access; Wellness Wednesday reminds all to use self-care strategies; Thoughtful Thursday stresses connectedness, relationship skills and social awareness and end the week on Fitness Friday for physical activity and active play goals.
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May is…
May has a treasure of food celebrations that fit any school menu. May is the designated month for American Cheese, Hamburger, Barbeque, Eggs, Salad, Salsa and Strawberries. Several of these could be combined like American cheese and Hamburgers or Eggs and salad and how about Salsa and strawberries.
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Strawberry salsa is one of the combinations that Healthy School Recipes suggest for their Seasonal Fruit Salsa recipe. Fresh strawberries can get expensive serving them all on their own but dicing the fruit to include in this recipe makes a colorful, nutritious and cheap side served with tortilla chips. Find the recipe here: Seasonal Fruit Salsa | Healthy School Recipes
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May is also National Asparagus month – Asparagus is in season and therefore, fairly inexpensive. Roasting asparagus brings out the sweetness and vibrant green color of this vegetable. USDA’s SNAP program funded a nutrition education project that included recipes and Roasted Asparagus is one of those recipes, available in both quantity and household size. All the resources for Food Hero nutrition education ideas are housed at Oregon State University, check out bulletin board ideas, kids activities, jokes and much more for asparagus at: https://www.foodhero.org/asparagus (Recipe is linked below)
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The 1st week of May has also been designated as National Raisin Week. This would be a great time to give some appreciation to that shelf stable, ready to eat, grab and go staple. Besides the little red boxes, raisins could also be made into a nice sauce for a side with a ham pattie. The US Army Quartermaster has an easy quantity recipe for raisin sauce at: Raisin Sauce (Recipe is linked below, also!)
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May the 4th (be with you) – Star Wars may have made a comeback with ‘The Mandalorian’ and Baby Yoda so students will understand the play on the May 4th date again! Creative naming for menued items might include Death Star meatballs, Empire Salad, Ewok green peas, Light Sabre breadsticks and so many more. Staff can be Jedi warriors fighting with the Force of Good Nutrition against the dark side of food insecurity and hunger.
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May 4 – Orange Juice Day – substitute orange juice for water in your muffins or splash together a quick vinaigrette of orange juice, vinegar and honey for a salad dressing.
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May 13 – Fruit Cocktail Day – spruce up regular cans of commodity fruit cocktail by adding in fresh bananas, sliced strawberries or chunks of apple – any leftover fruit can add a new twist. Shredded coconut gives a plain cup of fruit cocktail a little more texture while adding in rice would add body.
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Survey about our Monthly Newsletter |
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NDDPI Child Nutrition and Food Distribution
Back to School 2021
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Save the date to attend one of the NDDPI-Child Nutrition and Food Distribution hosted workshops coming this fall. Dates are July 27 or repeated July 28 in Fargo at The Clubhouse or in Bismarck’s Ramada Inn on August 4 or The Grand International Inn in Minot on August 5. Pick up production books and any other available resources, meet your next-door food service director and enjoy some good food at this year’s meeting. A Child Nutrition block of rooms is reserved at each facility at the state rate.
Come on in at 8 a.m. The coffee will be hot, the smiles will be warm, and the information will be cool.
The meeting officially starts at 8:30 a.m. with the ‘Big Welcome Back’, and introduction to the day’s sessions along with a reminder that more sessions have been recorded and can be viewed virtually to meet professional development hours for the year. The annual requirement for Civil Rights training will be one of those opportunities.
At 9 a.m., those interested in administration of school programs including the applications and eligibility issues, resource management and meal claiming will head to a separate area for presentation and Q and A with NDDPI CNFD staff while staff involved with kitchen operation will spend time with our featured speaker(s). We cannot announce the speaker(s) at this time however the topics will focus on kitchen management tips in forecasting, just in time ordering and waste reduction. These subjects shine a light on the importance basic menu documentation, batch cooking and portion control. Stay tuned for the big speaker reveal.
A light lunch will be served during the noon hour as you don’t want to be too full when taking in the afternoon. USDA Foods Update along with a commodity processor food show will take up the rest of the day. Please plan to attend one of the workshop dates.
SAVE THE DATE!
Registration for the ONE-day conference will open soon.
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MASKS & SALAD BARS in School Cafeterias |
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Now that some of the rules have been relaxed for restaurants to combat the COVID pandemic and students may be returning to the cafeteria to eat meals, schools are wondering if they can reopen the salad bar and stop wearing a mask. Since both of these were a local control issue, our answer is ‘Yes, but’...
School boards should be considering the case number in their district to make the decision on whether to open the cafeteria again to students. Some schools never closed the cafeteria and salad bar so you can see why this is a local control issue.
If you do open the salad bar again, implement a high degree of sanitary precautions
- Switch out portioning utensils as often as possible
- Add a sanitizing gel before the salad bar
- If staff were portioning salad items for the littles, this is still recommended
- Pre-portion the salad greens into bowls to keep the lines moving quickly for social distancing
- Limit the number of items on the salad bar on any day to also keep the lines moving
There may be other ideas that have been implemented to fit each district’s cafeteria layout.
As for masks, CDC is still recommending that people continue to wear masks in a public setting. If all staff are vaccinated in a school kitchen, this may be a moot point. Staff should consider all the factors such as work schedules, space in the kitchen, and community infection rate before asking their local school district board to repeal the mask mandate.
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MyPlate 'Bite-by-Bite' Mini Series - GRAINS |
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MyPlate puts to action the consumer use of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Released on December 29, 2020 – these guidelines are updated and released at least every five years by the USDA & HHS. The DGA is our nation’s leading nutrition advice to help guide Nutrition Professionals to provide nutrition guidance and National Agencies in program development.
“A healthy eating routine is important at every stage of life and can have positive effects that add up over time.” To learn more about MyPlate, visit www.MyPlate.gov.
April - Spring is here to stay and planting is about to be underway. Grain items are an important and often focal point of many meals for Americans. MyPlate encourages Americans to “make half your grains whole grains”.
For this month of the series, let’s look at GRAINS.
What is included in the GRAINS group? Food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, and other cereal grains. Grains are considered a either a whole grain or a refined grain. Whole grains have the entire grain kernel still intact, whereas refined grains have been through the milling process to remove part of the kernel. Grains are refined often to improve shelf life or give a grain a finer texture. This process also removes the dietary fiber, iron and many B vitamins. Most refined grains have been enriched with certain vitamins after they have been processed.
What does this mean? All listed foods above, are considered creditable grain items in the Child Nutrition Programs. Child Nutrition Programs encourage the offering of whole grain items. (Check your program materials for specific guidance on credible grain items to count towards reimbursable meals, and specific requirements for offering whole grain items).
Health Benefits
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GRAINS are important sources of many nutrients, including complex carbohydrates, fiber, as well as B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate) and minerals (iron, magnesium, selenium)
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GRAINS, specifically from whole grains contain dietary fiber which may help to reduce risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, as well as reducing blood cholesterol. Fiber assists with proper bowel function and provides a feeling of satiety or “fullness”. Consuming whole grain foods that contain fiber, as part of an overall healthy diet, can support healthy digestion.
- B vitamins play a key role in metabolism, helping the body to release energy from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, and are essential for healthy nervous system. Refined grains are often enriched with these B vitamins.
- Folic Acid (folate, another B vitamin) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who become pregnant should consume adequate folate from food in addition to possibly a supplement as this reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida and anencephaly during fetal development. In short, eating grain products fortified with folate helps prevent neural tube defects when consumed as part of an overall healthy diet before and during pregnancy.
- Iron is used to carry oxygen into the blood. Many teenage girls and women in childbearing years have iron deficiency anemia. Whole and enriched refined grain products are a major source of non-heme iron in America.
- Consuming whole grains as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Eating whole grains, as part of an overall healthy diet, may help with weight management.
If you missed out on the March Kitchen Counter Conversations, check it out…it talked about GRAINS!
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We only have a couple months left of our mini-series to go through “bite-by-bite” simple steps on getting started with MyPlate and available resources! Look forward to these remaining topics!
- May – Vegetables
- June – Dairy
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We are happy to provide, upon request, certificates for 10 years of service and for every 5-year interval after that. We also provide awards upon retirement at the request of the school district.
If you would like years of service certificates for eligible school foodservice employees, please complete the Years of Service Request form and return it to our office either by e-mail rhondaamundson@nd.gov or fax (328-9566) no later than April 14, 2021.
Certificates will be mailed out April 29th. Please check the certificates and immediately notify our office if there are any discrepancies. It is suggested the certificates be presented to your foodservice personnel on School Lunch Hero Day, May 7, 2021, or during School Nutrition Employee Week, May 3-7, 2021.
Should you have questions about the Years of Service Awards, please call Rhonda Amundson at 328-3237 or toll-free at 1-888-338-3663.
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SNA has great ideas to help recognize and celebrate the hard working, creative lunchroom staff this year, including a new masked ‘Lunch Lady’ from Jarrett J. Krosoczka! Find all those resources at: Recognize Your School Nutrition Heroes
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Professional Development Opportunities |
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Kitchen Counter Conversations – Every Kid Healthy
April 20th, 2021 - 2-3 PM (CST)
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Every Kid Healthy is the goal of the Local Wellness policy mandate for school districts across the nation. April 19th through the 23rd is the national ‘Every Kid Healthy Week’ that celebrates the amazing accomplishments school districts have made toward this goal and to encourage sponsorship of other activities that nudge students toward health habits in food, physical activity and ‘other school activity’. After the pandemic, mental health seems to be making a bigger presence in the ‘other school activity’. In this Kitchen Counter Conversation, we will first walk through the Local Wellness policy challenge that includes a triennial assessment of goals. We will help you help your school district complete some of the assessment by asking you about creative menuing, nutrition activities and cafeteria events you have hosted in the past year.
As always, this discussion will be recorded. Let us know if you want to receive the recording of this or any other Kitchen Counter Conversation from the past months.
Join us on April 20th at the following link:
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Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Join with a video conferencing device
teams@join.nd.gov
Video Conference ID: 115 372 266 8
Or call in (audio only)
Phone Conference ID: 282 939 126#
Enjoy your meeting
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New Resource Available! Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition (CICN)
We already enjoy what the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) has to offer…now USDA Team Nutrition announced a launch of the “Culinary Institute of Child Nutrition” (CINC) which only increases the benefits they have to offer! These resources are FREE!
The CINC is a new division of ICN that will provide culinary training and resources. They offer a website with a resource library of a wide variety of topics – such as “Knife Skills”, then it directs you to a page that offers 17 short training videos on various knife skills, along with Manager training courses for training staff. This is one example of the many they have available.
The first is April 1 at 2 p.m. “Scratch Made Salad Dressings and Condiments” Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom ICN chef Patrick Garmong along with 2 school districts that have implemented the scratch made products.
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CHEF DEMO -
APRIL 14TH, 2021
2:00 PM (CST)
Join Land O'Lakes for trends and culinary insights, as they demonstrate how to incorporate products into your operation. They will be showing recipes that include the Land O'Lakes Cheese Sauce that can be used in the meat/meat alternate component!
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Chef Brenda works with the commodity group to make sure their recipes are kid and kitchen friendly. She also does the crediting math for you so you know when you make the Breakfast Pear Gingerbread bars with Lemon Glaze they will be easy, yummy and count for 2 ounce equivalent grain! They also make the image available for you to use in marketing your meal. Recipe HERE!
- Other resources: Order 2 free pear window clings for your cafeteria!!
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Ag in the Classroom School Lunch Day
September 16, 2021: From Agriculture to the Table
- We encourage schools to have a full day of celebrating agriculture!
- Posters will be made available to peak student interest prior to the event.
- There are resources available for teachers who would like to incorporate ag education into their lesson plans.
- Involve the agriculture education classes to engage younger students in agriculture.
Information will be coming out from ND Department of Agriculture. Start planning now on how you will showcase North Dakota grown food.
- New this year: Harvest of the Month: We are partnering with the ND Department of Agriculture to showcase local crops every month with bulletin board materials, recipes for school and home, and parent/community information.
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NDDPI Child Nutrition and Food Distribution
Main Office:
600 E. Boulevard Ave, Dept 201
Bismarck, ND 58505
PHONE: 701-328-2294 or 888-338-3663
FAX: 701-328-9566
Mayville Office:
14 Main St E, Mayville, ND 58257
PHONE: 701-877-8901 or 888-788-8901
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Non Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
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