Road to SMI Success Manual - Region 10 Education Service Center

Chapter 3
Menu planners are encouraged to maximize age/grade groupings for meeting
age-specific nutritional levels.
For example:
Central City Public Schools customizes five age groups to
ensure that students in all grades receive the nutrients they
need for lunch:
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Ages 3-5 (Preschool);
Ages 6-8 (Lower elementary, grades 1-3);
Ages 9-11 (Upper elementary, grades 4-6);
Ages 12-14 (Junior high, grades 7-9); and
Ages 15-17 (High school, grades 10-12).
Nutrient-Based
Menu Planning
Approaches
These five age groups are set up in the computer with identifiable
names to the SFA (PK, Lower Elementary, etc.) and appropriate
nutrient standards calculated for each age group. The SFA, which
uses central menus for all five age groups, varies the quantities
and/or menu items to meet the nutrient standards for each of
these five age groups. The SFA has five central menus to analyze
because of variations in portion sizes, even though the menu
choices may be the same.
Allowable Modification of Grade or Age Groups for .
Majority of Students for NSMP/ANSMP
If your school’s grade structure does not match the established
age or grade groups, you may consider using the following
modification:
◆ If one age or grade is outside the established range of K-6 or 7-
12, you may use the age or grade group into which most of the
children fit (majority of children).
◆ If more than one age or grade is outside the established range
of the grade grouping, a SFA must use two menus and two
nutrient standards.
Examples
Grade groupings for Lunch:
May use one grade group to plan meals for:
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Grades K–4* May use K–3 (Optional Group)
Grades 6–9** May use 7–12
At a minimum, use two grade groups to plan meals for:
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Grades K–8 Use K–6 and 7–12
Grades 5–8 Use K–6 and 7–12
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* A majority of children are in Grades K-3. Grade 4 is one grade outside the Established Grade Group
K-3.
** A majority of children are in Grades 7-9. Grade 6 is one grade outside the Established Grade Group
7–12.