Salad bar & Vegetable subgroups

Class Objectives Discuss the importance of a variety of vegetables in our diet. Identify the required vegetable subgroups. Share menu planning strategies to ensure all required vegetable subgroups are met weekly. Share salad bar best practices. Identify ways to encourage students to select vegetables.

Why Vegetables are Important Health benefits Eating a diet rich in vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may: reduce risk for heart disease, including heart attack and stroke. protect against certain types of cancers. reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes—because they are rich in fiber. lower blood pressure, and may also reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and help to decrease bone loss—because they are rich in potassium Nutrients Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. And vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C. Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Sweet potatoes, white potatoes, spinach, and lentils are all examples of vegetables that contain potassium. Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells . Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections. Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy and also aids in iron absorption.  

What are the Vegetable Subgroups? The USDA requires a variety of vegetables in the NSLP meal pattern with the knowledge that consuming a variety of vegetables provides so many health benefits. So what are the different vegetable subgroups? based on their nutrient content, veggies are organized into 5 subgroups: dark-green, starchy, red and orange, beans and peas, and other. Refer to veggie subgroup handouts that outline veggies in each subgroup. Note: Green peas, green lima beans, and green (string) beans are not considered to be part of the beans and peas subgroup. Green peas and green lima beans are similar to starchy vegetables and are grouped with them. Green beans are grouped with other vegetables such as onions, lettuce, celery, and cabbage because their nutrient content is similar to those foods. So even though they have the word pea or bean in them, their nutrient content is not the same as a pea or bean so are categorized accordingly.

The NSLP meal pattern requires you offer a certain amount of these vegetable subgroups over the course of the week. For example (using this meal pattern chart posted), you must offer 3 ¾ cup of vegetables over the course of the week, and ½ cup of that total must be from the dark green vegetable subgroup.

Beans and Peas Vegetable Subgroup Plant Protein Excellent source of: Iron zinc dietary fiber Folate Potassium High nutrient content recommended for everyone (even meat eaters!). I’d like to spend some extra time on the beans/peas veggie subgroup because they are special. They are the mature forms of legumes. So examples are: kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils. These foods are excellent sources of plant protein, and also provide other nutrients such as iron and zinc. They are similar to meats, poultry, and fish because they are such great sources of iron and zinc. This means, the are a part of the Protein Foods Group. And to use School Nutrition Programs language, that means they can be served as a part of the meat/meat alternate component. However, they are also considered part of the Vegetable Group because they are excellent sources of dietary fiber and nutrients such as folate and potassium. Because of their high nutrient content, consuming beans and peas is recommended for everyone, including people who also eat meat, poultry, and fish regularly. Note: In the NSLP, legumes (beans and peas) can be credited as a vegetable or a meat/meat alternate. But not both. We recommend you use it as a vegetable to meet the weekly legume/beans/peas requirement.

Legumes: who doesn’t belong? Navy Beans Beans, Green or Wax Chinese Snow Peas Which of these vegetables are not a legume? And in which vegetable subgroup do they fit? Spilt Peas Lentils Pink Beans

ACTIVITY: Vegetable Trivia Split up into groups, raise the sign if your group is ready to answer. If you guess wrong, another group gets to guess in stead.

Bean and peas are special. They belong to two food groups. What are they? Meat/meat alternate and vegetable

Kale is an example of a vegetable in what subgroup? Dark Green

Name the 5 Vegetable Subgroups.

Green beans belong to what vegetable subgroup? other

Green peas belong to what vegetable subgroup? starchy

You offer 1 cup of romaine lettuce, how many servings of dark green vegetables does this meet?

Snap peas belong to what vegetable subgroup? other

Asparagus is an example of a vegetable in what subgroup? Other

Cucumbers belong to what vegetable subgroup? Other

ACTIVITY: Veggie Subgroup Race Name 5 vegetables in each vegetable subgroup. 2 teams come up with 5 in each subgroup Color coated post-it notes Post on wall or easel under team name.

Menu Planning Strategies So now that you’re pros about vegetables, I want to talk about menu planning strategies to meet requirement.

Cycle Menus Cycle menus are a fantastic way to ensure all components are offered, including the veggie subgroups.

THEME DAYS! Taco Tuesdays. Ideas???

Salad Bars Use a simple salad bar recipe or template that includes all of the veggie subgroups daily. choose 1 veggie from each subgroup to feature on the salad bar for each day of the week (veggie subgroup cycle menu for the salad bar, essentially) Remember to document on your production record or using a salad bar production record what is included on the salad bar. This will show us that you are meeting the requirement but will help you track what is being offered. Friday morning, you can look through your salad bar production records from the week and add the veggie subgroups that are missing, if needed. See sample production record.

Save money and time: don’t duplicate efforts Make salad bar available to all grades. If you have a salad bar, no need to plan veggie sides daily. 1st photo: troy Make available to all grades—so you don’t have to serve a veggie on the line every day.

Making Vegetables Appealing: Smarter Lunchroom Strategies Smarter Lunchrooms: placement of veggies and salad bar in cafeteria Fun names for veggies: x-ray carrots. Cafeteria decorating—have art contest that includes fun veggie puns and drawings. Advertising HOM Daily veggie fun fact for students to read in the line. Suggestions??

Forsyth

It’s easy to offer more choices of fruits and vegetables or offer them in a more eye appealing way...and it’s more FUN! Patrice Benjamin from Hardin.

Monforton

ACTIVITY: Apply in three PURPOSE: Identify the most important information from this section of the training and methods for applying it in your school food service setting. Instructions: Write at least three things you have learned from this training and ways you can apply this information in your school food service setting. Then, circle the one you plan to do first. Share with the group.

Best Practices Sharing

THANK YOU!!