A Step Forward - Ingredient Standards

We've always thought of Minneapolis Public Schools as a school food leader due to their commitment to True Food: unlimited salad bars in all their buildings, no a la carte menus, and made from scratch meals. Now they've partnered with the Center for Science in the Public Interest to create the Ingredient Guide 2023 for Better School Food Purchasing - a science-based guide to help school food leaders and manufacturers improve the quality, nutritional value, and safety of food in all schools.

We're happy to report that Wayzata Cafes will be using this as a guide to look at and select new products and evaluate current ones! And the guide will be formally published to their website in the coming weeks. This is a big step for our group as we had been discussing such a guide with Michelle Sagedahl prior to Covid - and here we are! 

https://cws.mpls.k12.mn.us/nutrition_ingredients?fbclid=IwAR1UEzpdwy9d1PNvYa9qJW6vnzs6JeM0j5C6iSlt5sFE-x8DK1WuLyAukgM

Apply for Benefits!

Don't forget - even though one daily lunch and breakfast will be offered free to students through this new funding, completing the Application for Educational Benefits may qualify your family for other discounts such as:

• Reduced fees for school photography packages
• Reduced district activity fees
• Reduced internet fees
• Reduced fees to local zoos and museums
• Discounted cell phone rates through mobile phone providers

if they think they might qualify. The district encourages families to apply for Educational Benefits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBhlMCL2jqE

Outside Consultant Review of Wayzata Cafes

Earlier this year, ProTeam Foodservice Providers conducted a review of Wayzata Cafes, which was presented to the school board a few weeks ago during a work session. We'd love for you to watch the review starting at 10:00 on YouTube, but if you don't have time the main points include:

• Specific kudos to Wayzata's focus on the removal of ingredients of concern from school menus.  (This was a goal of this group when we started over 5 years ago!)

• A lot of discussion on budget shortages and meal participation. After going from free meals to paid meals, participation is down about 10%, less than the nationwide average.

• 1/3 of Wayzata's Cafes' revenue comes from ala carte purchases. Because we lack a large free/reduced base, one of the only ways to infuse money into the budget is to expand ala carte and breakfast.

• The lack of kitchens at the 3 elementary schools was mentioned several times – it hampers food offerings, especially hot, healthier breakfasts - a key area to gain revenue.

• The new USDA regulations on sugar and salt could allow for healthier ala carte options. Michelle added that food manufacturers might remove salt and sugar but then add back in ingredients of concern. (Healthier ala carte menus are a goal of this group)

• Recess before eating is a way to reduce food waste. (This was another key goal of this group, which was achieved prior to the pandemic) It was suggested the district do a plate waste study as it’s not been done before.

• A nutritionist was hired over the summer, who was key in landing the farm to school grant. And it appears the district is looking for a district chef.

Since the time of the presentation, the state passed free K-12 school meals, and we do not yet know the effects of this change.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx_vHFFohag&list=PLxqnXHzY-sX9nfAx2OY5urOdDaD5V9MNH&index=3 

New Nutrition Standards on the Way to Schools

The USDA has announced new nutrition standards for school meals, for the first time limiting sugar! "USDA last year released a report that showed added sugars in school meals far exceed the Dietary Guidelines for Americans standard that no more than 10% of calories from meals should come from added sugars. 92% of school breakfasts and 69% of school lunches were found to have exceeded the limit."

https://www.npr.org/.../school-meals-usda-sugar-sodium