Tips for serving vegetarian meals in schools: a survey of school food service staff

Christina Niklas

VEGETARIAN MEALS, WHICH TEND TO BE HIGHER in fiber and lower in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than non-vegetarian meals, can be a useful tool for helping schools bring menus into compliance with the Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. However, little practical information is available to assist schools in incorporating more vegetarian options into existing menus.

In an effort to collect this information, The Vegetarian Resource Group initiated a survey of schools. From July to September 2004, we conducted interviews with representatives of 25 school food service departments throughout the nation. The interview questions focused on vegetarian foods already being served in those schools. The purpose of this project was to obtain practical information about how to successfully introduce and integrate vegetarian options into school menus. The ultimate goal was to share this information with school food service directors and other professionals who may want to increase the number of vegetarian meals served at their schools. Most interviews were conducted via telephone with school food service directors or dietitians.

CHALLENGES OF SCHOOLS

Schools face many challenges in trying to serve healthy meals that are acceptable to students. The costs of food and labor were repeatedly cited as major hurdles. Many food service departments are financially self-supporting and receive no funding from outside their departments. Typically schools budget 25-60 cents per entree. As a result, the variety of pre-prepared food items they can buy is limited to those that fit within a tight budget. Labor is also a high cost. As one respondent noted, most food service workers are unionized and paid a higher hourly wage than many other types of laborers. Therefore, schools have to strike a balance between cost and convenience, an ongoing challenge in determining the extent to which they can use ready-made, relatively costly food items, such as vegetarian burger patties and other specialty products.

The individuals surveyed said that school personnel also face demanding customers. Parents of vegetarian students may not understand the cost limitations imposed on schools or appreciate the difficulty of meeting the needs of special diets. It can be difficult to communicate to parents that it is not always possible to get what they demand.

Most schools use commodities (food purchased by the United States Department of Agriculture) to lower costs. However, there have been occasional problems with product quality. For example, oil can be rancid. Also, not all commodities are always available. One interviewee reported that commodities such as cheese and nonfat dry milk were always accessible, but 'unusual' items like brown rice were not. In other words, some foods are consistently available, while others are not. Occasionally, schools get a surplus of a particular commodity (black beans, for example), which can be a challenge due to storage limitations.

Foods that are acceptable in meeting the nutrition requirements of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) varied widely according to which menu system is used. Most schools reported using the traditional food-based menu system. There seemed to be confusion about the use of peanut butter. Some schools reported using peanut butter, while other schools said they could not use it anymore because of food allergy risks. One interviewee stated that the USDA was not clear as to what is an acceptable vegetarian entree.

Student acceptance of new foods can be another challenge. Most prefer familiar items. Staff often perceive that students are not accepting of new foods. Nutrition education is seldom integrated into the classroom curricula, so healthy foods and their benefits are rarely discussed. Respondents speculated that this lack of nutrition education undermines the students' acceptance of unfamiliar options.

Other issues mentioned include competitive foods, such as those in vending machines; balancing healthy food choices with those that contribute more profit; limited amounts of time for preparation and serving; government paperwork; and unskilled staff.

WHAT ARE SCHOOLS DOINGS?

Vegetarian foods were offered in all schools surveyed. Pizza, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and other meatless pastas were the most common vegetarian items served. Many respondents reported that it is difficult to identify the vegetarian foods non-vegetarians were likely to eat, but the most popular non-meat entree was pizza. Other popular entrees included pasta, soup, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and bean burritos. One interviewee stated the most acceptable vegetarian entrees at her school were familiar non-vegetarian foods that have been modified to be vegetarian.

Of the 25 schools surveyed, 14 served both products from scratch as well as commercially prepared products. Many of the items made from scratch were made with commodities. The most frequently used commodities were cheese, beans, peanut butter, and tomato products, such as sauce or paste. When cooking from scratch and using commodities, interviewees stressed creativity:

* Doctor up commodities by adding spices to tomato sauce, or combine a veggie burger with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese for a pizza burger.

* Process commodity items into a food that students enjoy.

* Take the meat or animal fat out of a popular recipe and replace it with beans.

Recipes that call for commodities include vegetarian chili, vegetable lasagna, soft tacos, burritos, and vegetarian wraps. Many schools reported using USDA recipes when cooking with commodities. Other sources for recipes included magazines, professional journals, cookbooks, and websites.

Those who used commercially prepared products cited many favorite name brands: Smucker's peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, East Side Entrees, Chef America Hot Pockets, and Tony's Pizza. Many schools noted that they order their vegetarian items from the same vendors that provide their non-vegetarian items. Two vendors, Global Foods and Mon Cuisine, carried a large variety of vegetarian foods or ingredients. One person commented that, in the past five years, Sam's Club has increased the quality and quantity of wholesale vegetarian ingredients stocked as well.

To decrease costs, interviewees recommended using commodities creatively. Balancing the budget over the week was another strategy recommended. For example, if a high cost item is used one day, use a low cost item the next day. One respondent noted that not buying meat automatically decreases cost, and items such as black beans for a Mexican salad are inexpensive. Many reported that cheesy stuffed baked potatoes are inexpensive, and one respondent stated that this dish costs half the price of a meat item. Another said that Mexican foods, such as quesadillas, burritos, and bean tostadas, are popular and cheap. Pasta, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and pizza were also cited as cost effective.

Those who used a nutrient-based menu system recommended it for increased flexibility. For example, under a nutrient-based menu system, protein is not subject to 'approval.' As one interviewee put it, "It is an easier system to use, and you don't have to serve 2 ounces of meat."

Almost all schools surveyed stated that no special equipment, no special ingredients, and no special staff training were needed to incorporate more vegetarian meals into school menus.

All schools surveyed reported serving some vegetarian entrees. The demand for and ease of serving vegetarian menu options varied by geographic location. Nevertheless, as national attention to childhood obesity increases, it will likely become easier for schools to add a greater number and range of healthy options for students and school personnel who eat in school cafeterias.

Twenty-five food service and nutrition departments in schools throughout the U.S. were interviewed. For the following questions, multiple parties who gave the same response are indicated by the number after the x. Otherwise, assume one school said they served that particular item. If you are in charge of food service at a school, you may want to assess which of these items may be appropriate to add to your school's menu.

Survey Highlights

Which vegetarian menu items are served at your school?

100% fruit juice
3-cheese calzone
3-pepper pasta
Bagel
Baked beans
Baked potato with cheese x 3
Bean and cheese burrito x 4
Bean and cheese chalupas
Bean and cheese pockets
Bean burritos x 3
Bean tacos
Bean tostadas
Beans and rice
Breadsticks with sauce
Breakfast sandwich or wrap
Burrito grande
Canned fruit (commodity)
Cheese croissant
Cheese enchiladas x 2
Cheese hoagie on grain bun
Cheese hot pocket
Cheese pizza hot pockets
Cheese quesadilla x 2
Cheese ravioli x 2
Cheese and crackers
Chef salad with eggs and cheese x 2
Chickpea stew
Cooked/cold vegetables
Cottage cheese
Couscous salad
Egg and cheese sandwich
Egg salad sandwiches
Eggs x 3
Fettucini alfredo
Fresh fruit x 4
Fresh vegetables (seasonal) x 2
Fruit and yogurt salad
Garlic cheese French bread
Grated cheeses x 3
Greek salad
Grilled cheese sandwich x 6
Hard boiled eggs
Hummus x 2
Italian dippers (mozzarella sticks)
Jasmine rice
Lasagna roll-ups x 3
Legumes
Macaroni and cheese x 14
Manicotti
Meatless spaghetti or penne x 8
Mexican Sandwich Wrap (lettuce,
  beans, cheddar, olives, salsa)
Milk
Mozzarella breadsticks
Nacho combo/bean chili
Nachos with refried beans
Nachos with cheese and/or salsa
Nuts x 2
Pasta salad
Pasta with cheese and vegetables
  bake
Peanut butter and jelly x 9
Peanut butter x 2
Pizza bagel x 2
Pizza x 18
Pretzel with cheese
Quiche x 2
Ratatouille
Refried beans
Salad bar x 4
Salad x 4
Soft taco with refried beans
Soups (i.e. alphabet vegetable, potato,
  bean, lentil, corn chowder) x 4
Soy corn dog (discontinued because
  company stopped making them)
Spaghetti with Oriental vegetables
Spanakopita
String cheese entree
String cheese with yogurt
Stuffed baked potato with broccoli
  and cheese
Stuffed crust pizza
Stuffed pasta shells x 3
Stuffed potato
Sub sandwich
Taco hot pockets
Vegetable or Cheese Lasagna x 6
Vegetarian chili (one with sweet
  potato muffin) x 4
Veggie burger x 11
Veggie taco with hot pocket and
  Mexican rice
Whole wheat bread
Yogurt and pretzel
Yogurt x 5

Note: Cheese may contain animal rennet and may not be acceptable to all
students. Make sure that yogurt and other products do not contain animal
gelatin. Serving vegan foods may be a convenient way to meet the needs
of vegetarians and vegans alike.

Other responses to the question "What vegetarian menu items are served at your school?"

* Any student can refuse the meat entree and request additional vegetables, fruits, and bread items.

* A vegan entree is available on request.

* Also offer lunch box meals, nacho box, PB and J box, string cheese box, that compete with Lunchables.

* Yogurt plate that includes 4 ounces of yogurt and half a sandwich, which may be a peanut butter sandwich.

* In the past, vegetable lasagna has been menued; however, very few students selected this item.

* Other items that have been tried are: quiche with broccoli, cheese nachos, cheese quesadillas, and vegetable burgers.

* More vegetarian foods offered in higher grades.

* Looking at possibly adding pierogies.

* Have tospy-turvy day where breakfast is served for lunch and then have eggs, pancakes, etc.

* Use very little cheese.

* Soy corn dog was added to counteract hamburger day and was popular but discontinued by company we purchased item from.

* Veggie burger was served on Kaiser roll but didn't do well due to lack of marketing and kids in elementary school are pickier.

* Foods go over well if a popular food is used with a vegetarian slant; however, cost is the issue.

Which food service vendor(s) do you use?

Abbott/Sysco
Adams
All items are put out to bid,
  so no one vendor.
Amy's Organic
Aramark
Berry Man
C.D. Hartnett
Chase Bros.
Direct shipment to facility
Ellenbee Leggett
Farmers' markets
Fox River Foods x 2
Ginsberg's x 2
Goldstar
Gordon Food Service
Jordano's
Labatt
Little Debbie
Maines
National Foods Market
Nature's Path
Pepsi (juice, water)
Sam's Club
Self-operated
Shamrock
Soko
Sun Valley--Warehouse seeks out
  vendors based on menu; catering
  dept. uses Sysco.
Syd's Gourmet vegetarian foods
Sysco x 8
U.S. Foodservice x 2
USDA products
Whoever is awarded the bid
  in the current bid cycle.
Wonderbread

Which commercially-prepared products are favorites?

Advantage--soy protein
Aunt Jemima
Boca Burgers
Buena Vista calzone
Campbell's frozen soups
Canned corn
Carrots
Celery
Cheese
Chef America Cheese Hot Pocket x 2
Dakota Gourmet--sunflower seeds
Dannon yogurt
East Side Entrees Lasagna Roll-Ups,
  East Side Entrees Stuffed Pasta
  Shells x 3
Fernando's cheese enchilada
Frozen peas/carrots
Galaxy pizza
Gardenburger x 2
Gilardi pizza x 2
Grilled cheese
Hot Pockets
JTM chili (Indianapolis)
Kraft products
Krusteaz Mini-Pancakes
Land O'Lakes Macaroni and Cheese
  x 2
Land O'Lakes Nacho Cheese Sauce
Max pizza sticks
Milk
Morningstar veggie burgers x 2
PB&J bar is commodity
Pizza Hut (kits for schools)
  Cheese Pizza
Polly-O String Cheese
Red Baron Pizza
Santa Fe burrito
Schwan's Pizza x 2
Schwan's Burrito
Smucker's PB&J x 4
Southland pizza bagel
State Fair soy corn dog (taken
  by one-third of kids)
Stouffer's French Bread Pizza x 2
The most expensive/real cheese sauce
  I can find.
Tony's Pizza x 7
Yogurt

Which food service vendor(s) supply these favorite
products to you?

Abbott/Sysco
Amy's Organic
Ben E. Keith
Casa Consuelo
C.D. Hartnett
Commodity x 2
Dakota Gourmet
Ellenbee Leggett x 2
Fox River Foods, bring in certain
  items on special request
Ginsberg's
Jordano's
Labatt
H and R Foods
Haines
Hascarian and Sons
Sam's Club
Schwan's
Sometimes even local supermarkets
Sun Valley
Sysco x 3
Thurston Foods
U.S. Foodservice x 4
Vistar Foods

Do you know of specific vendors that have a larger
variety of vegetarian foods or ingredients?

No x 15
Jordano's
Goldstar
Sysco x 2
U.S. Foodservice
Ellenbee Leggett, but high cost and not necessarily
  approved for HSLP.
Mon Cuisine
Global Foods
Sam's Club has increased their quality and quantity
  of wholesale vegetarian ingredients over the last
  five years. But Adams Fair Acre Farms is always
  tops for any fresh produce.

Do you use government commodities in preparing
vegetarian menu items? If so, which ones?

Baking mix
Beans x 7
Cheese pizza
Cheese x 15
Eggs x 3
Flour x 3
Fries, tater tots
Frozen eggs
Frozen vegetables, frozen fruits,
  canned fruits/vegetables
Fruits
Legumes
Nonfat dry milk x 3
Nuts
Pasta
Peanut butter x 6
Rice
Soy oil
Tomato sauce/paste x 5
Tomatoes x 2
Vegetables

Other responses to this question:

* Tomatoes, canned veggies, used mostly as side dishes.

* High reliance on fast foods.

* Don't use whole grains and beans because of misperceptions about availability and time required to use/prepare these products.

* Divert item, i.e. send cheese to company, and they return as pizza.

* We only receive bonus commodities. We are a CLOC site. CLOC refers to commodity letter of credit voucher for specific commodities.

Are there any tips that you can provide to other schools re: integrating these commodities?

No, not enough commodities in NY for entrees.

Have items processed into an item the students will enjoy.

Cheese is very versatile and can be easily integrated into many recipes.

Kids like simple foods.

Use cans for decreased labor, request healthy commodities--use argument that schools will use if provided, try free items, USDA publishes list, but foods difficult to get.

Use as many as possible, can be difficult when you get large amounts of one food.

Be creative, taste panel, don't be afraid to try.

Food service director needs to make a conscious effort,

No, most districts process commodities today.

Trial and error, error is OK since there is no cost for mistakes.

Most products are easy to use.

Have an open mind, try new things, and don't be afraid to add commodities to recipe.

Use commodities first,

Take out meats/animal fat to make item vegetarian.

Doctor up commodities; for example, add spices to tomato sauce.

Are there items that are particularly cost effective
that you serve? If so, what are they?

All salad stuff

Any produced in-house

Cheesy stuffed baked potatoes x 4--costs
  half of meat item.

Chili

Commodities--pay for shipping only; use beans,
  if not high labor involved.

Commodity foods, vegetarian specialty items
  have high cost.

Government commodity cheese products

Grilled cheese

Homemade soups

Mac 'n' cheese

Mexican food is popular and cheap: quesadilla x 2,
  burrito x 2, bean tostada

Nachos

No vegetarian options are cost effective
  unless student selects only vegetables/
  fruit/bread offerings of the day.

No, they are all very costly, but keep them
  on menu to satisfy client's needs.

Not buying meat automatically decreases cost;
  black beans are inexpensive. Once had surplus
  of black beans, therefore, made a Mexican salad.

Pasta bake with vegetables

Pasta is always the most cost-effective item,
  even stuffed with fresh vegetables.

Pasta, use commodity like spiral.

PB&J x 2

Pizza x 2

Salads can be good, but keeping it fresh
  is the key. Spoiled produce can cost.

Scrambled eggs

Soft taco

Soups and stews

String cheese and yogurt

What funding constraints do you face?

None x 3

Have to financially support self and break even every year; bottom line is most important.

Only the usual.

Always constraints, excessive labor is issue, need enough demand to make it worthwhile.

Reimbursement by government to cover cost, need low cost items, try to make items themselves. Nonprofit, work for archdiocese, school contracts this company as a vendor; school and contractor take profits.

Have to support themselves because food service is separate from the general fund.

Need higher reimbursement rate; lots of fruits and vegetables are offered so that's a high cost.

Many with rising food, fuel, labor, and benefit costs and rising indirect costs.

Federal and state reimbursement rates, along with board-approved meal prices for students.

Lack of funding, only 65-70 cents funded per meat, which is too little.

Numerous, 65 cents cost for entire menu is a major one.

Budget cuts, goal is 70 cents per meal.

Goal is to break even financially, which is achieved; some years even make money.

Increased expenses for food, labor, and services.

Same as all school districts. Reimbursement is fairly low to cover all the expenses of our enterprise operation.

If we lose money, we can't pay the staff or my mortgage broker. If we charge too much for an item, we lose money because no one buys it.

What other challenges do you face?

Meeting healthy requirements, balancing health vs. profit.

Providing healthy meals.

Educating parents that school lunch is healthy.

Schools built for smaller student populations, limited time for serving. Items must be easy to prepare and serve.

Starting out with vegetarian foods.

More variety in foods offered.

Finding student acceptance; vegetarian items are now more requested.

Acceptable meals with fast food mentality, students don't want what school wants--meals aren't widely accepted.

There are no fryers in the schools.

Government paperwork.

Labor or staff with minimal skills (literacy and numeracy issues) or qualified staff.

Old kitchens with frequent equipment breakdowns.

Not a lot of selection for schools or not marketed for availability.

Access to products; unfamiliarity of products.

Challenge to offer whatever people want.

Demanding minority diet advocates.

Affordable vegetarian options.

Staff resistance.

Changing needs of students.

Controlling inventory, if products will move, minimum case purchases.

Matching what customers want.

Competitive foods.

If we run out of an item, the young customers have been known to cry.

Regarding USDA regulations, what menu planning system do you use?

Food-based

Enhanced food-based x 3

Traditional x 6

Traditional, because easiest to understand, almost every food fits.

Traditional/reasonable approach

Traditional food-based, but nutrient based is increasing among schools.

Nutrient-based

Some use food-based, some use new menus.

FBMD Food Service, NSMP (Nutrient Standard Menu Planning).

Nutrient Standard--Computer planning--not subject to "approved" protein; cumulatively reach protein requirements; looks like balanced meal to kids.

SHAPE California NSMP, SHAPE California Food-Based, USDA Food-Based.

What foods/dishes fit within these regulations?

Hummus, pizza, some soups, PB&J, salads, pretty much everything.

Almost any as long as they are not too high in fat, sodium, etc.

All that we serve x 7

Entree, grains, fruits/vegetables, fluid milk--1% variety.

Must meet all requirements for fat, saturated fat, calories, vegetable, fruit, bread, protein, and milk portions.

Gardenburger--2 oz. meat equivalent, CN (Child Nutrition) labeled.

Is there anything specific that your school did to fit the regulations?

Worked within guidelines, i.e. enough beans in soup to meet protein requirements.

Make sure that the meat alternative is served in an adequate portion to meet the requirements.

No x 8

Work as team, careful planning--Nutrikids software lays out week of nutrition.

Use 2 oz. protein for meat alternate.

Added breads and fruits, reduced fat.

Search for people to help.

They hired a vegetarian food service to cater to healthier options.

Have any new rules helped you add new options?

No x 7

8 oz. yogurt = 2 oz protein.

Yogurt to meet a meat/meat alternate component x 3

Allowance of yogurt.

Nutrient menu planning is easier, don't have to serve 2 oz. meat.

Yes, got rid of whole milk, which they were trying to do anyway. In the past you had to have <1% sales to delete item; therefore, they could not delete whole milk until now.

Have you added any options because of new regulations?

No x 10

Only the yogurt plate.

Added new menu items (pretzel with cheese, breadsticks with marinara) when switched to nutrient-based menu.

Taken away options like junk food.

Ala carte not > 40% sugar, fats/trans fats not more than 30% fat, SMI review every 5 years.

Which vegetarian items do non-vegetarians buy?

All listed above x 2

Anything with cheese

Bean burrito x 2

Chalupas

Fruit

Hummus

Lasagna

Mac 'n' cheese

Milk

PB&J

Pizza x 7

Pretzels with cheese

Salads x 2

Soups

Spaghetti

Veggie burgers

Don't know who's vegetarian x 2

Not sure, but likely cheese stuffed potato, PB&J.

Don't buy Gardenburgers x 2

Only a couple of items marketed as vegetarian.

I believe all of them.

We have no way of knowing which students are truly vegetarians and which are not. We do know that the cheesy baked potatoes and cheese pizza are popular items with many students.

In the future, The Vegetarian Resource Group will place this article on its website at <www.vrg.org>, as well as additional survey information with references to cost, type of preparation, other tips, and ways of promoting new items.

Christina Niklas, RD, LD, CDSD, developed and conducted a survey of school food service staff and wrote this article as part of an internship for a master's degree in public health. VRG Nutrition Advisor Suzanne Havala Hobbs, DrPH, MS, RD, served as her guide and mentor for these projects.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

1) Communicate with students and parents. Set up taste panels with students. Be aware of what kids want. Attend PTA meetings or invite parents to schools to find out what they want.

2) Market vegetarian items. For example, introduce new items during National School Lunch Week. Advertise the nutritional benefits of vegetarian meals. Be creative by having students rename vegetarian dishes so that they sound even more appealing.

3) Understand that kids are open to trying new foods. Increase acceptance of healthy choices by including food studies in the school curriculum.

4) Be inventive. Research new recipes, enhance commodities, and include more popular non-meat items.

5) Remember that a team effort helps ease the transition to more vegetarian foods on school menus. Identify vegetarian staff, including chefs, dietitians, and teachers, and get them involved.

6) To decrease costs, buy food items in volume with other schools, and use commodities when possible.

7) Attend food shows and conferences, explore websites, and network with other schools for ideas on how to increase the selection of vegetarian foods at your school.

COPYRIGHT 2005 Vegetarian Resource Group
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