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**MENU PLANNING IN THE**

**SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAM**

School meals are intended to \"safeguard the health and well-being of
the Nation\'s children." Participating schools must serve breakfasts
that are consistent with the applicable recommendations of the most
recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans including: eat a variety of
foods; choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and
fruits; choose a diet moderate in sugars and salt; and choose a diet
with 30% or less of calories from fat and less than 10% of calories from
saturated fat. In addition, breakfasts must provide, on average over
each school week, at least 1/4^th^ of the daily Recommended Dietary
Allowances for protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. To provide
local food service professionals with flexibility, there are five menu
planning approaches to plan healthful and appealing meals. Schools
choose one of the approaches below. The choice of what specific foods
are served and how they are prepared and presented are made by local
schools.

# The Traditional Food-Based Menu Planning Approach

Under the Traditional Food-Based Menu Planning Approach, schools must
comply with specific component and quantity requirements by offering
four food items from the following food components: vegetables and/or
fruits; milk; and two servings of meat/meat alternate, two servings of
grains/breads OR one serving of each of these components. Minimum
portion sizes are established by ages and grade groups.

(See chart on following page)

+------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------------+
| TRADITIONAL FOOD-BASED MENU  |          |           |              |
| PLANNING APPROACH-MEAL       |          |           |              |
| PATTERN FOR BREAKFASTS       |          |           |              |
+==============================+==========+===========+==============+
| FOOD COMPONENTS AND FOOD     | AGES 1-2 | AGES 3,4  | GRADES K-12  |
| ITEMS                        |          | AND 5     |              |
+------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------------+
| MILK (fluid) (as a beverage, | 4 fluid  | 6 fluid   | 8 fluid      |
| on cereal or both)           | ounces   | ounces    | ounces       |
+------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------------+
| JUICE/FRUIT/VEGETABLE: Fruit | ¼ cup    | ½ cup     | ½ cup        |
| and/or vegetable; or         |          |           |              |
| full-strength fruit juice or |          |           |              |
| vegetable juice              |          |           |              |
+------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------------+
| SELECT ONE SERVING FROM EACH | ½ slice  | ½ slice   | 1 slice      |
| OF THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS, |          |           |              |
| TWO FROM ONE COMPONENT, OR   | ½        | ½ serving | 1 serving    |
| AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION:   | serving  |           |              |
|                              |          | 1/3 cup   | ¾ cup or     |
| GRAINS/BREADS :              | ¼ cup or | or        |              |
|                              |          |           | 1 ounce      |
| Whole-grain or enriched      | 1/3      | ½ ounce   |              |
| bread                        | ounce    |           | 1 ounce      |
|                              |          | ½ ounce   |              |
| Whole-grain or enriched      | ½ ounce  |           | 1 ounce      |
| biscuit, roll,               |          | ½ ounce   |              |
|                              | ½ ounce  |           | 1 ounce      |
| muffin, etc.                 |          | ½ ounce   |              |
|                              | ½ ounce  |           | ½            |
| Whole-grain, enriched or     |          | ½         |              |
| fortified cereal             | ½        |           | 2            |
|                              |          | 1         | tablespoons  |
| MEAT OR MEAT ALTERNATES:     | 1        | t         |              |
|                              | ta       | ablespoon | 4            |
| Meat/poultry or fish         | blespoon |           | tablespoons  |
|                              |          | 2         |              |
| Alternate protein            | 2        | ta        | 1 ounce      |
| products^1^                  | tab      | blespoons |              |
|                              | lespoons |           | 4 ounces or  |
| Cheese                       |          | ½ ounce   |              |
|                              | ½ ounce  |           | ½ cup        |
| Large egg                    |          | 2 ounces  |              |
|                              | 2 ounces | or        |              |
| Peanut butter or other nut   | or       |           |              |
| or seed butters              |          | ¼ cup     |              |
|                              | ¼ cup    |           |              |
| Cooked dry beans and peas    |          |           |              |
|                              |          |           |              |
| Nuts and/or seeds (as listed |          |           |              |
| in program guidance)^2^      |          |           |              |
|                              |          |           |              |
| Yogurt, plain or flavored,   |          |           |              |
| unsweetened or               |          |           |              |
|                              |          |           |              |
| sweetened                    |          |           |              |
+------------------------------+----------+-----------+--------------+

^1^ Must meet the requirements in appendix A of 7 CFR 210.

^2^ No more than 1 ounce of nuts and/or seeds may be served in any one
breakfast.

The Traditional Food-Based Menu Planning Approach is designed to meet
nutritional standards set forth in program regulations.

**[The Enhanced Food-Based Menu Planning Approach]{.underline}**

The Enhanced Food-Based Menu Planning Approach uses the same meal
pattern and age groups as the Traditional Food-Based Menu Planning
Approach. The only difference is the addition of an optional age/grade
group was added for grades 7-12 to better meet the needs of children in
that crucial growth period by adding low fat calories from additional
servings of grains/breads.

+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+
| ENHANCED FOOD-BASED MENU  |         |         |         |           |
| PLANNING APPROACH-MEAL    |         |         |         |           |
| PATTERN FOR BREAKFASTS    |         |         |         |           |
+===========================+=========+=========+=========+===========+
| FOOD COMPONENTS AND FOOD  | R       |         |         | OPTION    |
| ITEMS                     | EQUIRED |         |         | FOR       |
|                           | FOR     |         |         |           |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+
|                           | AGES    | PR      | GRADES  | GRADES    |
|                           | 1-2     | ESCHOOL |         |           |
|                           |         |         | K-12    | 7-12      |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+
| Milk (fluid) (as a        | 4 fluid | 6 fluid | 8 fluid | 8 fluid   |
| beverage, on cereal or    | ounces  | ounces  | ounces  | ounces    |
| both)                     |         |         |         |           |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+
| JUICE/FRUIT/VEGETABLE:    | ¼ cup   | ½ cup   | ½ cup   | ½ cup     |
| Fruit and/or vegetable;   |         |         |         |           |
| or full-strength fruit    |         |         |         |           |
| juice or vegetable juice  |         |         |         |           |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+
| SELECT ONE SERVING FROM   | ½ slice | ½ slice | 1 slice | 1 slice   |
| EACH OF THE FOLLOWING     |         |         |         |           |
| COMPONENTS, TWO FROM ONE  | ½       | ½       | 1       | 1 serving |
| COMPONENT OR AN           | serving | serving | serving |           |
| EQUIVALENT COMBINATION:   |         |         |         | ¾ cup or  |
|                           | ¼ cup   | 1/3 cup | ¾ cup   |           |
| GRAINS/BREADS:            | or      | or      | or      | 1 ounce   |
|                           |         |         |         |           |
| Whole-grain or enriched   | 1/3     | ½ ounce | 1 ounce | plus an   |
| bread                     | ounce   |         |         | a         |
|                           |         | ½ ounce | 1 ounce | dditional |
| Whole-grain or enriched   | ½ ounce |         |         | serving   |
| biscuit, roll,            |         | ½ ounce | 1 ounce | of one of |
|                           | ½ ounce |         |         | the       |
| muffin, etc.              |         | ½ ounce | 1 ounce | Grai      |
|                           | ½ ounce |         |         | ns/Breads |
| Whole-grain, enriched or  |         | ½       | ½       | above.    |
| fortified cereal          | ½       |         |         |           |
|                           |         | 1       | 2       | 1 ounce   |
| MEAT OR MEAT ALTERNATES:  | 1       | tab     | tabl    |           |
|                           | tab     | lespoon | espoons | 1 ounce   |
| Meat/poultry or fish      | lespoon |         |         |           |
|                           |         | 2       | 4       | 1 ounce   |
| Alternate protein         | 2       | tabl    | tabl    |           |
| products^1^               | tabl    | espoons | espoons | ½         |
|                           | espoons |         |         |           |
| Cheese                    |         | ½ ounce | 1 ounce | 2         |
|                           | ½ ounce |         |         | ta        |
| Large egg                 |         | 2       | 4       | blespoons |
|                           | 2       | ounces  | ounces  |           |
| Peanut butter or other    | ounces  | or      | or      | 4         |
| nut or seed butters       | or      |         |         | ta        |
|                           |         | ¼ cup   | ½ cup   | blespoons |
| Cooked dry beans and peas | ¼ cup   |         |         |           |
|                           |         |         |         | 1 ounce   |
| > Nuts and/or seeds (as   |         |         |         |           |
| > listed in program       |         |         |         | 4 ounces  |
| > guidance) ^2^           |         |         |         | or        |
|                           |         |         |         |           |
| Yogurt, plain or          |         |         |         | ½ cup     |
| flavored, unsweetened or  |         |         |         |           |
| sweetened                 |         |         |         |           |
+---------------------------+---------+---------+---------+-----------+

^1^ Must meet the requirements in appendix A of 7 CFR 210.

^2^ No more than 1 ounce of nuts and/or seeds may be served in any one
breakfast.

The Enhanced Food Based Menu Planning Approach is designed to meet the
nutritional standards set forth in program regulations.

# The Nutrient Standard Menu Planning Approach

Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (sometimes called "NuMenus") is a
computer based menu planning system that uses approved computer software
to analyze the specific nutrient content of menu items automatically
while menus are being planned. It is designed to assist menu planners in
choosing food items that create nutritious meals and meet the nutrient
standards.

# The Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning

Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning (sometimes called "Assisted
NuMenus") is a variation of Nutrient Standard Menu Planning. It is for
schools that lack the technical resources to conduct nutrient analysis
themselves. Instead, schools have an outside source, such as another
school district, State agency or a consultant, plan and analyze a menu
based on local needs and preferences. The outside source also provides
schools with recipes and product specifications to support the menus.
The menus and analyses are periodically updated to reflect any changes
in the menu or student selection patterns.

Here are the required minimums for nutrients and calories for these
nutrient standard menu planning approaches:

+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| MINIMUM NUTRIENT AND CALORIE     |          |            |          |
| LEVELS FOR SCHOOL BREAKFASTS     |          |            |          |
|                                  |          |            |          |
| NUTRIENT STANDARD MENU PLANNING  |          |            |          |
| APPROACHES (SCHOOL WEEK          |          |            |          |
| AVERAGES)                        |          |            |          |
+==================================+==========+============+==========+
|                                  | MINIMUM  |            | OPTIONAL |
|                                  | REQU     |            |          |
|                                  | IREMENTS |            |          |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| NUTRIENTS AND ENERGY ALLOWANCES  | P        | GRADES     | GRADES   |
|                                  | RESCHOOL | K-12       | 7-12     |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| Energy allowances (calories)     | 388      | 554        | 618      |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| Total fat (as a percentage of    | ^1^      | ^1,2^      | ^2^      |
| actual total food energy)        |          |            |          |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| Saturated fat (as a percentage   | ^1^      | ^1,3^      | ^3^      |
| of actual total food energy)     |          |            |          |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| RDA for protein (g)              | 5        | 10         | 12       |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| RDA for calcium (mg)             | 200      | 257        | 300      |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| RDA for iron (mg)                | 2.5      | 3          | 3.4      |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| RDA for Vitamin A (RE)           | 113      | 197        | 225      |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+
| RDA for Vitamin C (mg)           | 11       | 13         | 14       |
+----------------------------------+----------+------------+----------+

^1^ The Dietary Guidelines recommend that after 2 years of age
"\...children should gradually adopt a diet that, by about 5 years of
age, contains no more than 30 percent of calories from fat."

^2^ Not to exceed 30 percent over a school week

^3^ Less than 10 percent over a school week

# Any Reasonable Menu Planning Approach

This menu planning approach allows states and school districts to
develop their own innovative approaches to menu planning, subject to the
guidelines established in our regulations. These guidelines protect the
nutritional and fiscal integrity of the program.