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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.
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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 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
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! FLOP!
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 Tests • Have 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!
Foodservice Director-Best Special Event Concept “Parent Night at the Nutrition Center takes the mystery out of school food”
Special Diets • Food Allergies • Food Intolerances • Special Dietary Needs • Gluten Free • Modified Textures • Renal • Metabolic Disorders • Controlled Carbohydrates/Diabetic
CURVEBALL… • You receive a special diet statement signed by a Traditional Naturopath for a gluten free, casein free diet.
Special Diets • 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 (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.
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
Other Challenges: • Field trips (Gluten Free on the go?) • Food waste (unfamiliarity with ethnic or new foods) • Cultural/Religious dietary restrictions (vegan/vegetarian)
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.
Questions? Contact: Jim Hemmen (Director of Nutrition Services) Jim.hemmem@spps.org Angie Gaszak RDN, MPH (Nutrition Coordinator) Angie.gaszak@spps.org 651-603-4950 SPPS Website: ns.spps.org Menu: spps.nutrislice.com
Questions? Contact: Peggy L. Eller, RDCD Nutrition Services Coordinator Hudson School District Phone: 715-377-3717 Fax: 715-377-3718 Email: ellerpl@staff.hudson.k12.wi.us 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
SPPS Peanut Policy http://studentwellness.spps.org/uploads/managing_food_allergies_11-8-13.pdf
SPPS Special Diet Statement http://ns.spps.org/uploads/special_diet_statement.pdf
Hudson- Procedures for Preparation of Foods with Potential to Cause Anaphylactic Response