How to Use

School districts should decide what works best for their school food programs according to the unique needs of their community. This guide is a tool that can be used by school districts of any size or geographic location to:

• Share with industry partners, manufacturers, food entrepreneurs, brokers, and anyone wanting to enter the school nutrition space to guide their decision-making process in the development of new products and alteration of current products intended for schools; It can be used to help clarify expectations and understand market demand.
• Guide purchasing decisions, product selection and recipe development; The guide can be included as part of all food RFPs (Requests for Proposal) either as a requirement or informational addendum of district priorities.
• Communicate food philosophy to students and families via school nutrition websites or social media platforms.
• Steer overall menu direction and program vision.

Overall, if school nutrition operators using this guide have questions about whether or how an ingredient is used, we encourage them to reach out to the manufacturer or vendor.

---

“Better School Food Purchasing” Definition:

A food product should include only whole foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, meats or dairy that are minimally processed or in their purest form; simply food made from food. A food product should not include unnecessary ingredients.

---

Nutrition Statement

The school nutrition leaders who contributed to creating this tool are committed to providing students with healthy, minimally processed, whole foods through school meal programs. In an effort to lead the nation in changing school food for the better, school districts are encouraged to develop menus that align with the age-appropriate recommendations in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and then when needed, exceed federal nutrition requirements for Child Nutrition programs. Healthy eating patterns are essential for students to achieve their full academic, physical and mental growth potential, and to support long term health and well-being. Additionally, school districts are encouraged to provide nutrition education through the school food environment so that students will become healthy lifelong consumers.