Michelle King Nutrition Administrator Garrett-Keyser-Butler CSD, Garrett, IN

■1 Elementary, 1 Middle School, 1 High School, 1 Parochial School. ■1850 Enrollment ■Rural School District ½ hour north of Fort Wayne. ■78% Average ADP ■50% Free/Reduced Rate ■4 Week cycle (kind of) menu for Lunch ■2 week cycle menu for Breakfast ■2 lunch entrée choices for elementary, 4 lunch entrée choices for middle/high

▶ Visualize a full tray when planning your daily menus. ▶ How many colors are present? Is it monochromatic? ▶ Is the look of the tray pleasing to the eye? ▶ We all eat with our eyes first, make sure it all looks appetizing.

Quick Tips to Remember: ▶ Keep it simple. Kids want to eat fast then socialize. ▶ Cut fruit when possible, especially oranges and apples. ▶ Offer a canned and fresh fruit each day. Keep fresh fruit near register. ▶ In addition to your daily vegetable choice, offer a different fresh vegetable every day. ▶ Count all vegetables throughout the week to meet your weekly requirements. ▶ IT IS NOT NUTRITION UNTIL IT IS EATEN!!!

▶ Always use Whole Grain bread and sandwich buns. ▶ There are Whole Grain white bread options. ▶ Use our Vendors’ Whole Grain options. ▶ Brown Rice is a student favorite, especially the flavored types. ▶ 2 of my top 5 lunch entrees have Whole Grain pasta.

► On side salad day add garbanzo beans or black beans ► Add black or pinto beans to taco meat. ► Add commodity salsa and cheese to your refried beans—our students love it. (red veg!) ► Beef & bean burritos, count beans as vegetable and add shredded cheese to count as M/MA ► Make sure you take into account any sauces with the beans, you may need larger portions.

▶ Count it ALL! ▶ Pizza sauce, marinara, salsa. ▶ Serve fresh mixed vegetables, add carrots, grape tomatoes, and red bell pepper. ▶ Sandwich day? Count the tomato slices you offer. ▶ Offer Sweet potato fries if your students like them (cannot get mine to try them!)

▶ Broccoli of course. ▶ Count the lettuce that is offered for sandwiches (not iceberg though). ▶ Add fresh Spinach or Kale to your side salad or salad bar. ▶ Leafy greens are to be counted half of their serving…i.e. 1 cup Romaine = 1/2 cup

▶ You do not have to reinvent the wheel. ▶ Ask your customers what they would like to see on your menu (within reason, no steak & shrimp) ▶ Add as much color to your trays as possible. ▶ Be creative……how many ways can you think of to use commodity diced chicken? --BBQ Chicken sandwiches --Chicken Noodles --Chicken Nachos ▶ Most importantly...Have Fun!!

Thank you!!! Questions???