Serving Communities Year-Round
1 in 8 kids in the US faces hunger (as of 2021), approx. 9 million children
At-risk programs can’t operate over the summer but helps fight hunger during school year
SFSP and SSO fill that gap over the summer
Benefits include being able to hire year-round staff, financial stability, offer consistent services, and improve access to resources
Structured non-food programs must be offered, but the child does not have to participate in them
Must be served in congregate, on site settings
There is a non conjugate option for rural sites that don’t have congregate setting
Programs must remain in good standing from year to year, which means there are non significant findings
Eligibility is established with area eligibility and is good for five years
Funds left over at the end of one program can be carried over to the next
(SFSP to At risk, At risk to SFSP)
Reduce food waste by improving quality, improving engagement, introducing a share table, offering ample time to eat, and offering OVS
Can be operated during unexpected closures, like building maintenance or extreme weather
SFSP and SSO sponsors may be preapproved to operate
Sound glitch at around 45:00, returns just before 48:00
Lists resources, short QA
Tailoring Menus to Accommodate Special Diets
Common challenges to understanding managing special diets
Understanding medical statements
Managing multiple allergies
Knowing the specific foods to avoid or substitute
New/unfamiliar requests
Allergic reactions can differ wildly from person to person or exposure to exposure
Never assume that something has been done (like the ingredients list being checked)
A lot of allergens can “sneak” into foods unexpectedly, so you must always check labels
Top nine food allergens: Wheat, egg, soy, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame
All must be labeled on food packaging in the US
Many states have lists of common substitutions for these allergens (like acceptable milk subs)
Water is never an acceptable sub for milk
Food allergies and food intolerances are not the same
Allergies affect the immune system, intolerances affect the digestive system
For kosher/halal requirements, it is best to find a vendor that specializes those foods
Kosher requires dedicated space/equipment but halal does not(?)
Consider ways to handle texture modifications, which may be temporary or long lasting
There are gradients of possibilities for texture modifications
Meal Innovations
Non congregate meals for rural sites is only allowed for states that opted in
EBT no longer available to children under 6, monthly reimbursement down to $40/mo
SNAP allotments ended, Medicaid and CHIP ended continuous re enrollment
Meal boxes can either require no prep (pre-made, non refrigerated items), frozen and ready to heat, or fresh and ready to heat
Meal boxes can require less skilled labor (like high school students) and therefore can be easier to produce because of more available/cheaper staff