managing menu curveballs allergens, special diets & ethnic diversity

Copyright © 2014 School Nutrition Association. All Rights Reserved.

www.schoolnutrition.org

Managing Menu Curveballs Allergens, Special Diets & Ethnic

Diversity

Peggy Eller, RDCD

Nutrition Services Coordinator of Hudson School District (Wisconsin)

Jean Ronnei, SNS

COO Saint Paul Public Schools , Former Nutrition Services Director

SNA Vice President



Hudson, Wisconsin



Hudson Student Demographics

• Students

– 5600 enrollment at 6 elementary, 1 MS, 1 HS

– 15% F/R eligible

– 8% Minority Students

– Satellite to 2 private schools

– “Closed” Campus



Saint Paul, Minnesota



SPPS Student Demographics

• 39,000 students

• Students speak more than 100 languages and dialects

• Approximately 33% of students are English Language Learners

• Approximately 4,000 students are new to SPPS each year, 2,000 at the secondary level

• 73% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch



Ethnic Dishes

Chicken Suqaar with Vegetable Rice- Partnered with representatives from the Somali community to develop and re-tested with a Somali parent group to ensure its cultural authenticity after being scaled up for production



Ethnic Dishes

Thai Sweet & Sour Chicken- This recipe was originally provided to us by local chef at True Thai Restaurant. While it is a peanut-free dish, it captures all of the wonderful flavors of authentic Thai cuisine.



Ethnic Dishes

Coconut Chicken over Brown Rice- Developed to appeal to our district’s new, fastest growing ethnic group, the Karen; included turmeric, sweet potatoes, coconut milk… delish!



Ethnic Dishes

Tips for trying new dishes:-Ask parents, community, and students to submit recipes-Post pictures, make marketing materials, have the principal announce a taste test during the morning announcements…-Have student ambassadors! Have students help prepare the dish or hand out samples



CURVEBALL…

•My staff tells me that the kids do not like the new ethnic food…



School Taste TestsHave the students try it!

•Post signs the day before to get students & staff excited•Serve up sample cups in the lunch line•Allow students to vote with their sample cup

Students are full of opinions and ideas for how to improve upon the sample!



Open Houses, Parent Fair, Community Events



Foodservice Director-Best Special Event Concept

“Parent Night at the Nutrition Center takes the mystery out of school food”



•Food Allergies•Food Intolerances•Special Dietary Needs

•Gluten Free•Modified Textures•Renal•Metabolic Disorders•Controlled Carbohydrates/Diabetic

Special Diets



CURVEBALL…

•You receive a special diet statement signed by a Traditional Naturopath for a gluten free, casein free diet.



2320 Special Diets (5.9% of student population of SPPS)

•228 lactose intolerance•808 at risk for anaphylaxis•57 controlled carbohydrate•51 gluten free

Special Diets

Special Diets (5.2% of student population of Hudson School District)

•3% food allergies/ intolerances•1.5% Metabolic Disorders (primarily Diabetes)•0.7% gluten free (Celiac Disease)



CURVEBALL…

•You receive a legal “cease and desist” letter from the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network regarding your breakfast in the classroom program.



Food Allergies- Top 8



Food Allergies



CURVEBALL…

•You receive a handwritten note from a parent saying that a non-anaphylactic food allergy has been outgrown and the child should now be allowed to eat the previously offending foods at school.



Special Diets• What is

anaphylaxis?

– Serious, quick reaction

– Can restrict breathing & circulation

– May cause death

– Considered a disability



Special Diets

Food Intolerance• Definition:

– Adverse Reaction to food that does not involve the immune system

• Symptoms:– Stomach pain & cramps– Diarrhea– Gas– Nausea



CURVEBALL…

•A parent with a newly diagnosed anaphylactic peanut allergy demands that you remove all peanuts from your menu.



POS Messages

• Working with Nursing

• Lingo– FA: Food Allergy– ANA: Anaphylaxis Risk– LI: Lactose Intolerant– GF: Gluten Free– Low Sodium– Controlled Carbohydrate



•Field trips (Gluten Free on the go?)•Food waste (unfamiliarity with ethnic or new foods)•Cultural/Religious dietary restrictions (vegan/vegetarian)

Other Challenges:



CURVEBALL…

•You are preparing a class’s field trip lunch and you notice there is a student with a peanut allergy. (Assumption: your standard filed trip meal includes a peanut butter & jelly sandwich)



Policies/Getting Legal Involved

•SPPS Policy: Managing Food Allergies in School

•Partnership with Nursing/student wellness, principals, and schools staff



Hudson Policy• Provide “allergy-aware” environment

• Do not “ban” foods

• Provide education and supportive community

• Minimize the risk

• Educate staff/volunteers to respond to

circumstances

• Provide suitable dietary substitutions where

indicated



CURVEBALL…

•The school nurse asks your staff if something on the menu for that day is safe for a student to eat with an anaphylactic food allergy.



NutriSlice- New Online Interactive Menus!



NutriSlice-Menu Smart Phone App



Questions?Contact:Jim Hemmen (Director of Nutrition

Services)

[email protected]

Angie Gaszak RDN, MPH (Nutrition Coordinator)

[email protected]

651-603-4950

SPPS Website:ns.spps.orgMenu: spps.nutrislice.com



Questions?

Contact:Peggy L. Eller, RDCD

Nutrition Services Coordinator Hudson School District Phone: 715-377-3717

Fax: 715-377-3718

Email: [email protected]

Hudson Website:http://www.hudson.edu/sites/faronm



References

• Minnesota Office of the Reviser or Statutes – https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=121A.2205

• Accommodating Children with Special Dietary Needs in the School Nutrition Programs: Guidance for School Food Servide Staff, United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service, Fall 2001

• Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network– www.foodallergy.org

• Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Association of Minnesota– http://www.minnesotafoodallergy.org



Hudson Special Diet Policy



SPPS Peanut Policy

http://studentwellness.spps.org/uploads/managing_food_allergies_11-8-13.pdf



Hudson Special Diet Statement



SPPS Special Diet Statement

http://ns.spps.org/uploads/special_diet_statement.pdf



Hudson Diet Modification Protocol



Hudson- Procedures for Preparation of Foods with Potential to Cause

Anaphylactic Response

managing menu curveballs allergens, special diets & ethnic diversity

Documents

students staff excitedserve

lunch lineallow students

special dietswhat

ethnic dishestips

student ambassadors

food allergiescurveballyou

special diet statement

growing ethnic group