| DATE: | March 30, 2016 | |
| POLICY MEMO: | SP 32-2016 | |
| SUBJECT: | Additional Yield Information for School Meals | |
| TO: | Regional Directors Special Nutrition Programs All Regions | State Directors Child Nutrition Programs All States |
In January 2012, the “Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs,” final rule was published and required schools to serve a greater quantity and variety of fruits and vegetables and more whole grains/whole grain-rich products. To support the updated meal pattern requirements and assist school food operators with menu planning, an inter-agency agreement was established between USDA, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and USDA, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to conduct analytical yield studies.
Based on laboratory testing conducted by ARS, new yields will be available for the following food items:
| Fruits | Vegetables | |
| - apples, sliced - blueberries, wild - clementines - grapes - plums (2 1/2") - tangerines (150 count) | - acorn squash - beans, canned - broccoli florets (fresh and frozen) - broccolini - cilantro | - mushrooms, chopped - pumpkin - spaghetti squash - sweet potato fries - tomato, cherry halves - vegetable purees |
The Additional Yield Information for School Meals can be accessed online at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/tn/fbg_batchyieldtable.pdf.
New yields are also available for the following grains items: whole grain and whole grain-rich pastas and parboiled brown rice. The revised grain chart was released in June 2015 and is available at:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/tn/fbg_grainchart.pdf.
All procedures and methods followed to obtain yield data were performed in a manner similar to an institutional setting (school foodservice). This includes: careful portioning and weighing, utilizing the appropriate measuring tools (scoops/ladles) and a calibrated scale. A variety of samples were procured from different vendors.
School food authorities should contact their state agencies for additional information. State agencies may direct questions concerning this guidance to the appropriate FNS regional office.
Cheryl Jackson Lewis
Director
Nutrition Promotion and Technical Assistance Division