George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania Child Nutrition Program and Food Services
20.1 Food Services
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania is responsible for providing healthy and safe meals which meet the nutritional guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. All meals are planned, reviewed and established based on the recommendations of the contracted Food Service Management Company (FSMC) and George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania.
Food should never be withheld from youth or used as a tool for punishment. This is good standard of practice and a requirement by our licensing agency. Withheld food or food used as punishment could be construed as a tool for abuse. Restricting food is not a prudent plan for growing teenagers.
Food Service Trainings
The Child Nutrition Program mandates staff members participate in training on an annual basis. George Junior Republic staff members will receive training related to the Child Nutrition Program in person and via training(s) uploaded into the Relias platform. All training hours will be recorded in Relias. Trainings attended by Metz employees and the Director of the Child Nutrition Program will be tracked and kept on file by both SFA and FSMC.
Civil Rights
On an annual basis, all staff members working as part of the Child Nutrition Program are mandated to attend/view a Civil Rights Training. The training will include the following components:
• Assurances
• Public Notification Systems
• Nondiscrimination Statement
• “Justice for All” signage
• Complaint and Discrimination Procedures
• Racial and Ethnic Data Collection
• Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
• Disability Discrimination
• Conflict Resolution
• Communication with youth parents or guardians, including Civil Rights and Direct Certification.
Milk and Bread Purchases and Procurement and Distribution
The Food Service Director is responsible for securing safe and healthy food for youth outside of what is procured by the FSMC. The selection of a vendor is based on George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania Procurement Policies. The Food Service Director is responsible for the oversight of milk and bread contracts.
Milk and bread deliveries will take place from the warehouse and be transported to all cottages and units based on a weekly schedule. It is the responsibility of the staff working in the cottages and units to make certain the milk is placed in the refrigerator upon arrival and the bread is rotated and available during meal service.
Refrigerator Temperature
The refrigerator and Freezer temperature must be taken at 7:00 a.m. each morning and at 7:00 p.m. each day and written on the refrigerator and freezer monthly logs.
Person Served Safety
Persons served at George Junior Republic residing in the Special Needs, ISU, Secure Detention, Diagnostic or Cottages Units will be provided plastic forks and spoons to use during meal service.
Government Food
The Food Service Director is responsible for working with the FSMC in determining the government food items to be selected. Government food products will be only utilized for breakfast and lunch meals.
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Peanut butter and jelly will be delivered by the warehouse to all units and cottages on a weekly basis. These items will be secured through the government food program or through a competitive pricing process. Peanut butter and jelly are available to all person served and served as the alternative menu item. If a person served has a peanut allergy, Sun Butter is used as the alternative.
Food Service Management Company
Metz Culinary Management was selected in 2024 as the contracted FSMC through a competitive bidding process. Metz’ contract with George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania may last a total of five years. At the conclusion of each contract year, the contract is reviewed and can be renewed. For the purposes of the Child Nutrition Program, a year is defined as July 1 –June 30 and directly relates to an operating school year.
Menu
The menu is reviewed on a regular basis and is designed by Metz and George Junior Republic administration. All staff members have the opportunity to contact the Central Kitchen, x4590, or the Food Service Director, ext. 2321, if they have questions or concerns about the menu. The menu is a five-week cycle menu and will be posted in each Cottage and Unit and on the George Junior Republic website at GJR.org.
All staff members assigned to food service operations must follow the menu for all meals and snacks. Menu items for breakfast and lunch are calculated for nutritional content to make certain they meet the dietary needs of the persons served population. Recipes for all menu items and specific nutritional values are entered into Premiero Edge and approved for nutritional content.
The menu may be altered based on various factors, including issues surrounding the shipment of goods or products. Due to the process surrounding menu changes, all menu changes must be entered into Premiero Edge and meet mandated nutritional guidelines prior to being disseminated to staff and persons served across campus.
Food Distribution
The distribution of items on the menu will be primarily delivered by the warehouse transportation workers. These workers will be assigned various routes based on unit/cottage location. At times, it will be the staff member’s responsibility to add the bread delivered from the warehouse to the menu. For example, if a meatball sub is on the menu the meatballs will be delivered from the Central Kitchen and the bread/buns will be delivered from the warehouse. Staff members must be aware of menu items and the inclusion or exclusion of bread from each meal.
In order to alleviate food service confusion, the Central Kitchen sends out menu items to be served in the bin with the clean plates and utensils. Staff members should use the outline to support food service operations.
Receiving Food
Staff must be aware of the importance of food borne illness and food safety and must make certain food is held at the appropriate temperature(s).
According to Serve Safe Guidelines:
Milk must be received at 45 degrees or lower. The milk must be cooled to 41 degrees within four hours.
Hot food must be received at a temperature of 135 degrees or higher.
*Liquids should be rejected if they have leaks, the packaging is damaged or it has stains related to spillage.
* Peanut butter, jelly, milk and bread (if not used on the day it is delivered) must be correctly labeled with month, date and year. Labeled date must reflect the date received. Food held over for youth should also be dated and marked by persons served name and easily identified by staff.
See Attachment A regarding Food Delivery and Staff Responsibilities
Snacks
Snacks are mandatory as part of BHSL guidelines. The menu lists three meals and one snack each day. The snack is not an individual meal; it is only a snack.
Serving Schedule
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania participates in the PDE Child Nutrition Program seven days per week for breakfast and lunch.
State regulations hold staff members accountable for serving food on the menu and at designated times each day. No more than five hours should elapse between meals on the same day and no more than twelve hours should elapse between the evening meal and breakfast on the following morning.
School breakfast and lunch times are seven days a week in a 365-day period. As noted, the menus rotate every five weeks and must be followed exactly as written.
*Breakfast must be served between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. every day.
*Lunch must be served between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. every day.
The breakfast and lunch requirement applies seven days a week, including weekends and holidays.
Permissible Substitution List
When a person served presents with a religious preference or health condition that prohibits them from safely/consciously eating what is on the menu, a substitution is provided. If a person served does not like what is on the menu for lunch or dinner, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can be provided to the persons served as a substitution.
Staff must be mindful of potential food allergies. A food allergy is an adverse reaction to a food protein by the immune system. Common foods allergies include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish, soy and wheat. Information regarding persons served food allergies will be entered into Client Center Version 2 by the infirmary staff. A report on food allergies will be electronically sent to the Central Kitchen and the Director of the Child Nutrition Program at least daily. The Central Kitchen will be responsible for providing food options to persons served that meet the persons served dietary restriction. A chart listing all persons served allergies or dietary restrictions will be sent in the grey bin during each food distribution. It is the responsibility of the staff members to make certain they only provide food provided for the specific person served.
** It is important for staff members to recognize and understand the difference between food allergies and food intolerances. A food intolerance is an abnormal physiological response to eating. These symptoms are often confused with food allergies.
See Attachment B related to Dietary Types.
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania, through its participation in the Child Nutrition Program, is required to follow the HAACP policies and procedures. HACCP addresses corrective actions, monitoring procedures, verification procedures, and record keeping procedures. Because recipes are made at a Central Kitchen, many of the HACCP requirements will only be required of Central Kitchen employees.
• Cleaning and sanitizing food contact surfaces
• Controlling for time and temperature during food preparation
• Cooking food to the appropriate internal temperatures
• Date marking food items and maintaining the labeling of food
• Monitoring hot and cold food temperatures
• Personal hygiene
• Receiving deliveries
• Serving food
• Storing and using chemicals
• Calibrating and using thermometers
• Washing fruits and vegetables
• Washing hands
• Using appropriate temperature log for food items and for the monitoring of the on-site refrigerators and freezers
• It is important to note, all recipes entered into Premiero Edge identify associated critical control points.
Staff must be aware of the Food Process Categories and the importance of understanding these processes as related to food safety.
• No Cook: Food kept cold from preparation through serving.
• Same Day Service: Prepared hot and served the same day.
• Complex: Prepared hot and served cooled, or possibly reheated. This food is high risk for food borne illnesses if not handled as required.
• George Junior Republic’s menu is No Cook and Same Day Service.
A HACCP manual is located in the office of the Metz General Manager. The HACCP manual will be reviewed on an annual basis.
The Metz/Central Kitchen General Manager will visit cottages and units on a regular basis to speak with youth and staff about food service.
Thermometer
Thermometers are available in each kitchen and food must be checked to make certain it is at the appropriate temperature. Staff in need of a new thermometer, must contact the Central Kitchen. The Central Kitchen will be responsible for calibrating the thermometer(s). Sanitizing wipes will be sent to each unit/cottage as requested. It is the responsibility of staff to wipe the thermometer with the sanitizing wipe in between taking the temperature of each food item
Thus, staff members should take the following action steps:
1. Thermometers and sanitizing wipes will be delivered to the units and cottages by the Central Kitchen.
2. Thermometers need to be wiped with the sanitizing wipe. Staff must make certain no food particles remain on the stem of the thermometer and to prevent cross contamination.
3. Staff must document the temperature of food items on the production record.
Food Temperatures
As noted, HACCP guidelines must be followed. This includes:
*Hot foods must be held at 140 degrees until served.
*All cold items must be cooled down to 40 degrees or below before serving.
Temperatures of hot and cold foods must be recorded prior to meal service.
Food items such as bread, chips, pretzels and fresh fruit do not need to have a recorded temperature and should be recorded as N/A.
All food and drink items must be listed on the meal count sheets.
Corrective Action – Temperature
Corrective action refers to the action taken from the initial temperature taken of food to the serving temperature of food.
Cooked temperature does not refer to the temperature of the stove or oven. It refers to the temperature of food items while cooking. This temperature determines if the food has reached the correct temperature and what corrective action is needed.
Corrective Action means: Correcting an action if food has not reached the appropriate temperature.
If a corrective action is needed, staff must call the Central Kitchen immediately, x4590.
**No leftovers are to be served to youth unless plate is held and dated. All leftovers must be discarded within 24 hours.
20.2 Child Nutrition Program Documentation
The Child Nutrition Program provides funding that make it possible for schools to offer nutritious breakfast and lunch to students each day. As a participant in this program, George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania receives federal funds for each breakfast and lunch served provided that the meals meet nutritional guidelines established by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Meal Count Sheets
Each unit/cottage will receive a meal count sheet for breakfast and lunch each day. The Meal Count Sheet must be filled out at each meal service.
The meal count sheet must be thoroughly and accurately completed in order for George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania to receive reimbursement.
Total Persons Served: This is the total number of persons served on the roster, not the total number of beds. Do not include the person served not currently in the unit (i.e. home pass).
Meals Planned Total: This is the total number of meals planned based on the number of persons served on your roster. Do not count a person served who is not in the building.
Actual Reimbursable: This is the total number of reimbursable servings/total number of persons served at least three components of the meal.
Reimbursable Portions Served: This is the total number of persons served.
Check if Substitution: This should be marked if a substitution was provided to a person served
Food is pre plated so that each plate has all 5 components of what is required in a reimbursable meal. To meet the offer vs. serve portion of the program persons served are offered 1% and skim milk for their meals. A pitcher of water should also be placed at the dining room table for persons served at every meal. Staff should use their daily unit roster to keep track of milk consumption to aid in filling out the meal count sheets.
Persons served may have a second serving of food and specified staff may have one or two servings of food. These food items are to be recorded as non-reimbursable.
If a person served is not in the unit/cottage during a meal and a plate of food is held for the person served, this Should Not be counted on the meal count and production sheet.
Religion and Special Dietary Needs
**During Ramadan, food held for person served cannot be counted on the meal count and production sheets. In these instances, person served meals are to be consumed before 7:00 a.m. and after 1:00 p.m.
**Plates of food saved for person served must be covered with plastic, marked the name of the person served and the date and time the meal was held. Food should not be held in the refrigerator overnight.
Emergency Procedures
If a youth is admitted after the Central Kitchen closes Monday – Friday, the designated staff member will be responsible for providing a boxed meal to the youth upon admission. On Saturday and Sunday, it will be the responsibility of the Campus Supervisors to make certain the youth are provided a boxed meal.
Wellness Policy
On an annual basis, George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania will review and update Wellness Policies and Procedures (see Wellness Policy).
20.3 Reimbursable Meals for the Child Nutrition Program
Breakfast and Lunch Meals
Metz is responsible for developing the menus based on the guidelines established by the USDA and the Child Nutrition Program and recommendations by George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania and person served
Meals must be counted at the point of service in the food service operation where it is determined a free meal, meeting the USDA meal guidelines, has been served to a person served
It is not acceptable to count the number of eligible students; rather students must be counted as they receive their breakfast and lunch meal.
Daily meal counts for breakfast and lunch by eligible persons served must be claimed for each unit and cottage and returned to the Central Kitchen the following day in the bin.
On-site monitoring will occur on a regular basis across campus.
20.4 Signage
Each unit/cottage must have various posters and signs hanging in the building and available for persons served to review at any time. Examples of signage includes Offer vs. Serve information, photos of reimbursable breakfast and lunch meals, Justice for All posters, the menu in English and information from Metz.
20.5 Staff and Meals
Staff members are permitted to eat meals delivered by Metz as long as there is enough food to serve all persons served first. Therefore, it is appropriate that the persons served be served their meals before staff.
If staff elect not to eat the meal prepared by Metz, staff members are not permitted to eat food purchased outside of George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania in front of the persons served. Containers and dishes used by staff must be washed by staff.
If staff members bring food in from the outside and place these food items in the refrigerator, they must have a staff name on the outside of the packaging and a date before they are placed in the refrigerator. Any food item left in the refrigerator over 24 hours or not marked with a date and name will be discarded. If a staff member spills something in the refrigerator or freezer, the staff must clean up the spill.
Kitchens are to be used for food service only. All staff members entering the kitchen must comply with kitchen health and safety standards.
20.6 Offer Versus Serve
Offer Versus Serve (OVS) is a concept that applies to menu planning and the meal service. OVS allows students to decline some of the food offered in a reimbursable lunch or breakfast. The goals of OVS are to reduce food waste and to permit students to choose the foods they want to eat. George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania is allowed to pre-plate so the offer verse serve is met with the choices of milk.
20.7 Health Inspection
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania, as a participant in the Child Nutrition Program, is required to have two health inspections each year. The Child Nutrition Director will contact the Health Inspector each September and January requesting a health inspection take place. Based on George Junior Republic’s designation as a RCCI, the health inspector will be accompanied on campus by the Child Nutrition Director or designee. Based on the results of the inspection, George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania will make corrections to meet the guidelines established by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
Requests for an on-site health inspection will be kept on file in the office of the Child Nutrition Director. If the health inspector is unable to conduct an inspection, the Child Nutrition Director
will request documentation of this discussion and the information regarding his/her inability to complete the inspection will be kept of file.
20.8 Biohazardous Materials and Universal Precautions
Staff members must reference the Bloodborne Pathogen policy and the Universal Precautions policy related to the clean-up and disinfection of areas where body fluid is spilled. These policies are found in the Standard Operating Procedures manual.
George Junior Republic in Pennsylvania Staff Responsibilities for Food Service Management ATTACHMENT A
BREAKFAST (7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.)
• Breakfast will be delivered daily with dinner delivery in grey tote.
• Review and record the temperature on the thermometer in the refrigerator at 7:00 a.m. on the meal count sheet
• Offer breakfast to each person served and appropriate drink. If fruit is on the menu, offer to person served
AFTER BREAKFAST (9:15 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.)
• Cambro, red tote (for dirty dishes) and a grey tote (clean dishes, meal supplies and thermometer) will be dropped off for lunch.
• Cambro, red tote and blue tote from previous evening’s dinner will be picked up.
• Meal count sheets from previous day (for Breakfast, Lunch and Snack) must be in the grey breakfast tote and ready for pick-up.
LUNCH (11:15 a.m. -1:00 p.m.)
• Hot foods must be checked for appropriate temperature and must be recorded on the Meal Count Sheet.
• After lunch, grey tote, red tote and the cambro should be ready for pick up.
AFTER LUNCH (2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
• Dinner cambro and will be dropped off with a red tote (for dirty dishes) and a blue tote (containing clean dishes, meal supplies, thermometer evening snack, breakfast, meal count sheets for following day).
DINNER (4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.)
• Hot foods must be checked for appropriate temperature and recorded on the Meal Count Sheet.
• Blue tote, red tote (with dirty dishes) and the cambro should be ready for pick-up.
EVENING SNACK (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.)
• Review and record the temperature on the thermometer in the refrigerator at 7:00 p.m. on the Production Record.
• Staff must serve each person served one snack item.
Diet Manual: Resource for identifying the “Diet Type” ATTACHMENT B
Each specific “diet type” listed below offers nutritional adequacy based on the dietary guidelines for Americans and meets the Dietary Reference Intakes for macronutrients and micronutrients. Please see below for the explanation of each diet type as well indication for use and modifications.
Diet Type Code
Regular
Cardiac/Low Sodium CALS
Consistent Carbohydrate/Diabetic DICC
Gluten Free GLUF
Gluten Free/Diabetic GLDI
Description
The regular diet is based on general, healthful nutrition from a variety of foods. It is planned using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and serves as the basis for all other diets and encourages basic provision of nutrients from grain, protein, vegetable, fruit, and dairy foods. This diet meets the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for macronutrients and micronutrients to provide nutritional adequacy.
The Cardiac/low sodium diet is a heart healthy diet offering a modified version of the regular diet. This diet should avoid limit the amount of saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and processed food. The Child Nutrition Program (Breakfast and Lunch) meet these standard and it suitable for this diet order. However, going off campus and purchasing extra food may be of concern. Counseling is available to help student and staff understand what to look for with this diet type. Typically used for cardiac impairment.
A Consistent Carbohydrate-controlled diet is recommended for individuals diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes, or some level of insulin or blood sugar imbalance. Controlling the amount and type of carbohydrate consumed has been found to be helpful in managing blood sugar and should be consistent at each meal offered to the student. This is individualized per student for grams of carbohydrates offered at each meal.
A gluten-free diet is a regular diet that restricts all sources of gluten and gluten-containing products. Gluten sources are wheat, rye, barley, and oats (unless it is specified that the product is gluten-free oats). Gluten-free diets are distinct from wheat allergy diets as not all foods that contain gluten are derived only from wheat (such as rye, barley, oats, and any foods made from their ingredients). Gluten-free diet is required for the medical management of celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Removal of gluten from the meal plan is essential for gastrointestinal health for individuals with these conditions. This gluten free diet may be in addition to (a) a cardiac diet, (b) a consistent carbohydrate diet, (c) a single portion diet, (d) a vegetarian/vegan diet, (e) a Pork free diet and/or allergen alert diet.
The Gluten Free/Diabetic Diet is a modification of the consistent carbohydrate diet to avoid gluten containing food.
Single Portion SINP
Vegetarian VEGE
Vegan VEGA
No Pork Product/Modified Kosher Diet
PORF
The Single Portion diet is a modification of the regular diet by encouraging the student to only select one portion of the food items available. Counseling is available, and highly encouraged for the student and staff involved in meal time decisions.
The vegetarian diet is for individuals who are reducing or eliminating their intake or animal products. The vegetarian diet type at GJR will still allow milk and eggs (formal term is lacto-ovovegetarian).
The vegan diet excludes all animal products and bi-products. Modifications need to be made for all meat, cheese, milk and eggs.
The Pork free/modified kosher diet offers a diet free of pork and pork products. Avoid: pork, pork sausage, pork hoagies, pork chops, bacon (unless turkey bacon), ham, gelatin. Many meat products on GJR campus are already pork free. Review with dietitian and/or food service manager to ensure which food is appropriate.
BRAT BRAT
Lactose Intolerant LACI
Allergen Alert
AALA
The BRAT diet is a complete avoidance of a regular diet for 72 hours. The first phase is a 24-hour Clear Liquid diet (broth, Jello, diluted juice) followed by a combination of banana, rice, applesauce and toast for 48-72 hours.
Lactose (milk sugar) intolerance results from an inability to digest lactose in the small intestine. Lactose is the main carbohydrate or sugar found in milk, and in varying quantities in dairy products made from milk including yogurt, ice cream, soft cheeses and butter.
An Allergen Alert diet is a modification of the regular diet to completed avoid a specific allergen. The top eight most common allergies are to Wheat, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Soy, Milk, Eggs, Finned Fish and Shellfish. The allergen is to be completely avoided. Always refer to food labels to ensure avoidance. Reactions can be of vary degrees of severity. Counseling is available for staff and students to ensure both understand how to ask questions about the food to ensure it is avoided, as well providing information on hidden triggers.
Most Common Allergies (90% of population):
• Milk - MILK
• Eggs - EGGS
• Shellfish/Fish - FISH
• Wheat - WHT
• Soy - SOY
• Peanuts - PEAN
Rare, but identified by youth:
• Peppers - PEPP
• Onions - ONIO
• Garlic - GARL
• Mushrooms - MUSH
• Bananas - BANA
• Tree Nuts - TREN