Nutrition Requirements

Whole Grains Make School Meals Wholesome 

Now that many grains in school meals are whole-grain rich, what does that mean for your kids eating school breakfast and lunch? Every school breakfast and lunch Includes at least half of the servings offered as whole grains.

One serving is equal to...

• 1 ounce ready-to-eat whole-grain cereal ½ cup cooked oatmeal 
• 1 half whole-grain bagel
• ½ cup brown rice
• ½ cup whole-grain pasta
• 1 slice whole-grain bread 

Each school meal serves up whole-grain goodness, which provides kids with fiber, important vitamins and minerals, and healthy carbohydrates to help fuel them through their school day. More importantly, these are whole-grain foods and recipes that students actually prefer! 

Whole grains made to taste great in school meals.

So, what's on the menu? Popular, restaurant style items including:

• Mexican Lasagna (made with whole-grain tortillas)
• Crispy Sriracha Burger (served on a whole-grain bun)
• Sweet & Spicy Pizza (made with whole-grain crust)

Secret ingredient: White Whole-Wheat Flour 

White whole-wheat flour is a whole grain but has a mild taste and a light color. It's used to make menu items, like pizza crust and baked goods, whole-grain rich. These foods are then more likely to be chosen and eaten by students compared to similar recipes using 100% whole-wheat flour. 

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Breakfast Nutrition Requirements

To meet the requirements of the National School Breakfast Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following three food components:

• Grains/Bread - 2 servings
• Fruit - 2 servings (a fruit and a juice)
• Milk

A student must take at least three items for the breakfast to be counted under the National School Breakfast Program. One item must be a serving of fruit or a juice.

Students (whether paid, reduced, or free) taking fewer than three items must be charged a la carte prices, as those items would not meet the requirements under the program.

Lunch Nutrition Requirements

To meet the requirements of the National School Lunch Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following five food components:

• Meat/Meat Alternative
• Grains/Bread
• Vegetable
• Fruit
• Milk

A student must take at least three of the five required food components and one of them must be a fruit or a vegetable for the lunch to be counted under the National School Lunch Program.

Students (whether paid, reduced, or free) taking fewer than three components must be charged a la carte prices, as those items would not meet the requirements under the program.