District Cafeteria Clerk
Maggie Molina
[email protected]

Managers and key food handling personnel must understand and have implemented a food safety program such as a HACCP (Hazard Analyzes Critical Control Point) program into their daily operations. The HACCP system is the most effective approach to food safety yet known, which when properly devised and implemented, provides high assurances that foodborne outbreaks and food spoilage will not occur.

Next, each facility must have instituted an ongoing internal self-evaluation program. Each month I inspect each site for proper handwashing techniques, following temperature guidelines, and over sanitation of each site.

Each facility must utilize electronic thermometers to monitor internal cooking temperatures of

And finally there can be no confirmed foodborne illness outbreaks associated with the site during the past year.

The Central Union School District elementary schools have met this rigorous criteria every year. Congratulations to the 2012 recipients:

Akers Elementary School
Central Union Elementary School
R.J. Neutra Elementary School
Stratford Elementary School

What is the goal of the School Nutrition Program?
The goal of the program is to provide high quality, nutritious meals to our students at a price that is affordable to all.

Who makes the menus for Central Union School District?
Menus are planned by the Coordinator of Food Services and based on the following menu criteria:

• Quality-Taste, Appearance, and Overall Acceptability
• Food Cost Benchmarks-The average cost per meal must meet established benchmarks.
• USDA Commodity Allocations-Foods donated by the USDA are incorporated into the menus on a daily basis. These food items are high quality foods that meet or exceed food quality standards.
• Nutrition Value-All school menus must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Lunch menus should meet 1/3 of the student’s nutritional needs. Breakfast should meet ¼ of the RDA’s and caloric needs.
• Federal Reimbursable Meal Requirements-Central Union School District follows the National School Breakfast and Lunch Patterns for the Enhanced Food Based Meals.

Why is breakfast so important?
Research proves breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It breaks the fasting of our bodies while we sleep and gives us fuel for starting a new day. In most studies, children who eat breakfast improved their grades. Teachers observed increased attentiveness, motivation, self- discipline and concentration in students who participate in the School Breakfast program. Studies have found that children who ate breakfast make fewer mistakes and better grades.
Also, skipping meals can start poor eating habits which may lead to a risk of obesity.

Why is lunch served at school?
Research has shown that hungry children cannot learn. A child with an empty stomach is lethargic, irritable and is not able to participate fully in learning experiences. Good nutrition is critical to student achievement.

How are the lunch menus determined at each school?
The menus must meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that no more than 30 percent of an individual's calories come from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat. Regulations also establish a standard for school lunches to provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories.

What is Offer vs. Serve?
Offer vs. Serve (OVS) allows students to decline a certain number of food items in the meal. The goal of OVS is to allow students the option of declining foods they do not intend to eat to minimize plate waste and encourage schools to offer more food choices.

What is in a breakfast?
The components for a reimbursable breakfast is grain, milk, and fruit/vegetable.

What is in a lunch?
The components for a reimbursable lunch is protein/meat alternate, grain,  milk,  and fruit/vegetable.

What is Trans fat?
Trans fat, also called trans fatty acids (TFA), is formed when hydrogen is added to a vegetable oil to make a more solid fat like shortening or margarine. This process is called hydrogenation, and it is used to increase the shelf life and maintain the flavor and texture of foods. Trans fats behave like saturated fats by raising the “bad” cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) that may increase your risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), a leading cause of death in the United States. Central Union School District's menu planning team work very hard to eliminate trans fats from the products we choose to the menus we serve.