Offer vs serve What it is and best practices to increase student satisfaction and reduce waste!
The 5 Components of a School Lunch: 1. Fruit 2. Vegetable 3. Grain
4. Meat/Meat Alternate (M/MA) 5. Fluid Milk
Important things to know: Students must take at least 3 of the 5 components One of the 3 must be the fruit or vegetable Milk is not required Sample meal: chicken sandwich has a grain (bun), M/MA (patty), so it just needs a fruit or vegetable to complete the meal!
Why it matters: Students who are forced to take items they won’t eat often throw them away Less waste = better for the environment + more cost effective
What is Offer vs Serve? Offer vs Serve is a USDA policy that most schools partake in. It allows students to decline some of the food offered during lunch. The goal is to reduce waste while still providing nutritious meals.
Quick tips: Students are not required to take everything offered to them in the lunch line. Reinforce that they must select at least 1 fruit or vegetable. Help reduce waste by reminding students they don’t need to take milk if they won’t drink it.