Salsa Comes to School Lunch!
It's tasty, trendy, and nutritious! The talk is salsa -- the number one choice of Americans as we garnish and flavor our foods. Now the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has been asked by school food service professionals and the food industry to review the crediting policy for salsa. Until now, the tasty add-on has received no credit toward the vegetable/fruit component of Child Nutrition Program meals planned under a food-based menu planning system. But after reviewing the policy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has established a new position to allow crediting of salsa following certain criteria.
In recent years, salsa has become widely accepted by children, and menu planners now use it more in the role of a fruit or vegetable side dish in amounts greater than one-eighth cup. Additionally, the USDA has made a commitment to maintain flexibility in all menu planning options to help program participants serve lower fat, healthy meals. Because salsa is no longer being used primarily as a condiment and because there are numerous products available that contain only fruit or vegetable ingredients, the Department's policy is now changed to allow credit for the use of salsa in a reimbursable meal.
Why salsa? As mentioned, salsa is trendy and popular. But it has a lot more going for it than hot sales. There are many prepared brands available, and many more quick and easy recipes for delicious fresh-prepared salsas. Many fruit and vegetable salsa recipes have been created, and most are high in two essential vitamins -- vitamin C and vitamin A. Salsas add interest and eye appeal to basic meals, and they add flavor that sparks the appetite without adding fat or empty calories. Many recipes use seasonal fruits and vegetables, and that means salsa earns high nutrition, low cost honors with food service professionals.
Salsa may receive credit under the following criteria, according to the USDA --
- First, as with any vegetable/fruit component, the minimum amount that can be used to receive credit is one-eighth cup.
- For products that contain all vegetable ingredients plus minor amounts of spices or flavorings, 100% of the product may be used to meet the volume requirement. The USDA commodity salsa fits into this category.
- For products that contain non-vegetable components, like gums, starches or stabilizers, only that portion of the product that is a vegetable ingredient may be counted toward the volume requirement.
- It is the responsibility of the purchaser/provider to maintain documentation on the percentage of vegetable in a product, either as supplied by manufacturer or as written into the product specification that goes out for bid.
Look for the freshness and flavor of salsa on the school menus in your district. Salsa - the new guy at school - has a lot to offer!
Sandy Procter, M.S., R.D., L.D.
Coordinator, EFNEP
8/98 File: NUTRITION/LIFE-CYCLE/ School-aged child
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.