Great Trays
Healthy school meals for Minnesota kids
In Their Words
Inspiring stories from Minnesota
schools
Annual Report
May 2011
Lunch Land Lessons
Progress and possibili es in
school nutri on
Great Trays FAQs
You’ve got ques ons. We’ve got
answers.
Breaking News
Office of Statewide Health Improvement Ini a ves
Workshop I Survey Results
In Their Words
Today’s school nutri on
scene has never been more
exci ng, or more challenging.
Schools around the country
are responding to a changed
landscape that includes new,
proposed nutri on standards
and heightened public
a en on in the face of
unprecedented childhood
obesity.
Minnesota’s Great Trays Partnership was formed in 2010
with funding from the Centers for Disease Control and
Preven on to support schools with incen ves to join a
statewide purchasing coopera ve and receive skill‐based
trainings. Through this work, Great Trays staff have
collected stories from school nutri on directors around
the state to inform and inspire our work. Enjoy this
snapshot of what we’ve learned and what fuels our
passion to improve children’s health across the state.
“I try to come up with recipes that stretch the kids’
experience,” says Brenda Braulick from Sartell‐St. Stephen.
She scours cookbooks, magazines and websites to find fun,
healthy ideas. Her team introduced three new menu items this
year that were developed with help from seventh grader Bryan
Sanchez including Gold Rush Pizza, Cheesy
Chorizo Quesadillas and Peppy Quinoa.
“This summer, we provided a two‐
day staff training focused on recipes
with local foods, whole grains and fruits
and vegetables that kids will eat and
enjoy,” says Owatonna’s Rachel Valesano.
The most successful to date? Chicken
Tor lla Bake, White Chicken Chili and a
Spring Salad featuring baby spinach,
strawberries, mandarin oranges and a
lemon poppy seed dressing. Yum!
Thank you for the nice explana on and thoughts that are going
into the school lunch program.”
“We’re ge ng kids excited about school lunch,”
Hopkins’ Laura Metzger told a group of school administrators at
the Minnesota School Board Associa on annual mee ng in
January. Among their many ini a ves, Hopkins nutri on staff
have trained parent and community volunteers to be food
coaches ‐ friendly adults who roam the cafeteria encouraging
kids to try new foods, especially vegetables and fruits.
“Imagine...a group of sixth grade boys clamoring for
asparagus!” Carrie Frank from Dover‐Eyota shared this story
from one of her cooks: “We were offering fresh green beans
one day when a sixth grader saw the flash of bright green from
a distance and called out “is that asparagus?” Upon closer
inspec on, he recognized the veggies as green beans but was
undeterred. He asked me if we could also serve asparagus. A
few of his friends chimed in with support. We’re obviously
making a huge difference in ge ng kids to love produce. The
sixth graders are crazy about their fruits and veggies!”
“We have a Healthy Hits process that drives our
menu innova ons,” says Saint Paul’s Jean Ronnei. The
results speak for themselves: menus that are budget‐friendly,
kid‐tested, use simple scratch prepara on techniques and
reflect the district’s rich diversity of students. This year’s
challenge is to modify exis ng recipes to reduce sodium and
add more recipes with legumes.
On Their Wish List
Black trays to display fresh produce  knives and lessons on how
to use them  versa le food processors to slice, dice and wedge
local produce  vegetable peelers  colanders  more refrigera on
space  a two‐compartment sink with produce sprayer  vegetable
steamers  more storage space
“I appreciate everyone ge ng a consistent message
based on solid facts. Nice work," wrote one principal in
response to an announcement that the district would reduce
the availability of chocolate milk to lunch only, keeping it to
white fat‐free milk for breakfast and snacks. “We had braced
ourselves for a nega ve reac on, but there has been li le
response,” says Rochester’s Sherri Knutson. One kindergarten
teacher wrote “Love the change, not only as a teacher but as a
parent of a child who loves chocolate milk a li le too much.
“Thanks to our expanded Farm to School program,
our district has received some really outstanding
public rela ons,” recalls Winona’s Lyn Halvorson. “This in
turn makes parents and staff very happy. We are now
recognized as a nutri on educa on resource and are giving kids
an opportunity to try foods that may not be available at home.”
Stay tuned as we con nue to collect more local
stories in year two of Minnesota’s Great Trays
ini a ve.
Lunch Land Lessons
Connectedness Counts
As Janeen Peterson put it, “please don’t describe Great Trays as
a project to ‘fix us’.” Peterson, represen ng a suburban Twin
Ci es district, made this plea at one of the first Great Trays
partner mee ngs, expressing the frustra on felt by many in her
profession a er years of being cri cized in the media.
Great Trays staff took these comments seriously and focused
on the systems and environmental changes required to help
school nutri on professionals update their menu without
bus ng their budget. Frequent partner mee ngs, published
progress reports and many opportuni es to collaborate
strengthened connec ons and built trust.
The Great Trays Ques on of the Week was sent by email to ten
school nutri on directors in small, medium and large districts
represen ng rural, suburban and urban communi es. It
provided brief project updates and requested feedback on a
variety of challenging issues. “These advisors offered a weekly
dose of reality and many new ideas to maintain our posi ve
momentum,” says Great Trays Supervisor Kate Franken.
Strength in Numbers
Many aspects of the Great Trays
ini a ve have one thing in common:
there is a profound strength in
numbers. The most obvious example is
the increased purchasing power of
Minnesota School Food Buying Group
par cipants. Early reports from
par cipa ng districts suggested savings
of $4 per student per year on
commonly purchased foods. Smaller
districts benefi ed even more.
In addi on, there’s an undeniable
amount of excitement that goes along
with a statewide ini a ve like Great
Trays. Project staff created an audible
buzz on the web, through emails, in mailboxes, over phone
lines, and at gatherings of school nutri on professionals
throughout the project period. These efforts led to well‐
a ended workshops and, if all goes as planned, will increase
par cipa on in the buying group and purchases of nutri ous
products in 2011/2012.
Reality Checks
School nutri on professionals are in a unique posi on to make
a big difference to improve children’s ea ng habits. Kids
consume up to 50 percent of their calories during the school
day. Even so, preparing healthy school meals and ge ng kids to
make healthier choices is not easy. Complica ng ma ers are
budgetary constraints, outdated kitchens and compe on from
on‐campus vending machines and school stores. Great Trays
staff are keenly aware that any progress made through this
ini a ve will be affected—for be er or worse—by the school
environment outside cafeteria walls.
Ge ng to WOW Workshop
by the numbers
3 compelling case studies
5 simple scratch foods to taste
6 persuasive video clips
7 diverse loca ons
12 expert trainers
13 nutri on fact sheets
33 simple scratch recipes
157 schools/districts
247 school food service staff
3,923 years food service experience
Minnesota School Food Buying Group
The Minnesota School Food Buying Group added three new food categories to their
bidding process for 2011/2012 — fresh fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables and
legumes — and labeled 84 of their product specifica ons with a new “IN” symbol for
“Improved Nutri on,” iden fying specs that support two or more Ins tute of Medicine
nutri on recommenda ons. Seventy of these product specs were popular enough with
par cipa ng districts to proceed to bid. For example, the group commi ed to purchase
over 3,000 cases of baby carrots, broccoli florets and shredded romaine le uce.
In addi on, veteran directors
understand that there’s never a dull
moment in school nutri on. This
year was marked by several
significant events, including the
passage of the Healthy, Hunger‐Free
Kids Act. This law reauthorized the
Na onal School Lunch Program with
notable changes in nutri on and
professional standards, funding and
program management.
As 2010 came to a close, Great Trays
advisor and Wayzata director Mary
Anderson noted, “Child nutri on
programs have lived through many
changes and we'll live through this
one too.”
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs about the Project
How did Great Trays begin? The
Minnesota Department of Health was
awarded a two‐year $2.3 million grant
from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Preven on.
Great Trays Partners
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minnesota Department of Educa on
Minnesota Department of Health
Minnesota Department of Human
Services
Minnesota School Nutri on
Associa on
Minnesota School Food Buying Group
University of Minnesota Extension
University of Minnesota School of
Public Health
Great Trays Staff
Kate Franken, Supervisor
Meredith Ahlgren, Admin Support
Michonne Bertrand, Evalua on
Susan Bishop, Access
Sarah Carroll, Communica ons
Linda Dieleman, Training (Extension)
Lisa Gemlo, Farm to School
Hanna Kite, Student Worker
Johanna Rehorst, Training (MDH)
Chris ne Twait, Nutri onist
Web address:
www.health.state.mn.us/schools/
grea rays
Mailing address:
P.O. Box 64882
St. Paul, MN 55164‐0882
Phone: 651‐201‐5443
How can Great Trays help schools? Great
Trays will iden fy cost savings on healthier
foods and provide tools and training to
plan kid‐tested menus that meet new
nutri on recommenda ons.
Why is Great Trays needed now?
Childhood obesity has increased
drama cally in the past 30 years. School
meals can promote healthy ea ng habits
to improve children’s health.
How will Great Trays be evaluated? The
Great Trays Partnership will analyze a
sampling of school menus, purchasing
data, and statewide survey data to iden fy
changes in the nutri onal quality of foods
purchased and served to Minnesota
students between 2010/2011 and
2011/2012, while iden fying con nued
barriers to serving healthy school meals.
How are school nutri on professionals
involved in program development? Great
Trays partner Minnesota School Nutri on
Associa on (MSNA) represents over 2,900
school nutri on professionals throughout
the state. MSNA leadership serve on
several project sub‐commi ees. In
addi on, ten school nutri on directors,
represen ng small to large opera ons in
rural, suburban and urban communi es,
offer weekly advice via a "virtual" working
group.
$200 off the MSFBG administra ve fee for
the 2011/2012 school year.
How will MSFBG iden fy healthier
products? MSFBG will require zero trans
fat, lower sodium and saturated fat in
popular school foods and increase bid
requests for whole grain products, fruits
and vegetables.
Are new foods taste‐tested for
acceptability? Yes. Several schools
volunteer to test foods before the bidding
process is finalized.
How is MSFBG different from other
buying groups? MSFBG works directly
with manufacturers. Schools and districts
may con nue their rela onship with
distributors or other buying groups.
Who can join MSFBG? Any government
en ty can join MSFBG by signing a joint
agreement with Anoka‐Hennepin ISD, the
district leading the bid process.
FAQs about the Trainings
When and where will trainings be
provided? The first workshop, Geƫng to
WOW: Simple Steps to a Great Menu, was
held in February in seven loca ons
throughout the state. Subsequent
workshops, Geƫng to WOW: Preparing
Great Food, PromoƟng Great Trays will be
held from May through August in a variety
of se ngs.
What makes these workshops unique?
Using their own menu as a star ng point,
par cipants will develop a plan to energize
their program with new ideas, tools and
resources.
FAQs about the Buying Group
How can schools save money? Public
school districts and charter schools are
invited to join the Minnesota School Food
Buying Group (MSFBG) to increase
purchasing power and drive down costs of
commonly used foods. Great Trays offers
How will the workshops lead to healthy
meals and happy customers? Marke ng
ideas and communica on tools will be
shared to encourage healthy choices and
build support among students, parents
and staff.
Printed on recycled paper. This publication was supported by a cooperative agreement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (3U58DP001974‐01S4).
Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the
federal government.
3/11
Breaking News
Mee ng Needs, Filling Gaps
Room to Grow
The first Great Trays workshop was presented nine mes
throughout the state between February 21st and March 25th.
61% of public school districts in Minnesota, with self‐operated
kitchens, were represented and several more private and
charter schools took advantage of the opportunity to prepare
for a newly proposed USDA rule on nutri on standards.
Workshop par cipants were also asked to iden fy barriers that
will stand in their way of implemen ng the proposed nutri on
standards. Nearly half of survey respondents said they felt that
healthy food products are too expensive for their schools or
districts and 40 percent expected staff in their schools to resist
making changes.
Workshop evalua ons documented the a endees’ sa sfac on
levels with the workshop, readiness for change and remaining
needs. 95 percent of respondents said the workshop met or
exceeded their expecta ons and 88 percent thought the
training content was at about the right level. One respondent
said she was “thrilled to take home tools to make this
implementa on.”
Great Trays partners have begun addressing these barriers
through the following efforts:
Ready to Change
Workshop par cipants were asked several ques ons about
their readiness for change and responded as follows:
82 percent of respondents said the me and effort to purchase
local foods will be worth it.
 The Minnesota School Food Buying Group is sharing new
data with workshop par cipants to illustrate the cost savings
achieved through coopera ve purchasing.
 A weekly, one‐page newsle er called the Great Trays Tickler,
reminds par cipants of specific ps and tools to achieve
menu changes. Twelve issues will be distributed via email
through early June. Great Trays encourages foodservice
leaders to share the Tickler with their staff.
 The second Great Trays workshop will offer addi onal tools
and resources to help foodservice leaders train their staff and
build support for menu changes.
84 percent said they have the support they need to make
healthy changes to their menus.
94 percent agreed that school lunch programs play an
important role in helping kids learn to eat healthy food.
95 percent of respondents said they are excited about making
changes to their schools’ menus.
58 percent of respondents shared specific ideas that they plan
to try in their own schools. The most common changes
iden fied included reducing sodium, increasing the variety and
quan ty of fruits and vegetables, and doing more scratch
cooking.
Contact Michonne at [email protected] for a
complete summary of first workshop evalua on results.
First Great Trays Workshop by the Numbers
319 a endees at 9 workshops represen ng 197 school
en es, including:
177 independent school districts
14 private schools
3 charter schools
2 residen al schools
1 other public school
83% of a endees plan menus, 77% prepare food, 76%
purchase food
On the Horizon: Second Great Trays Workshop
Ge ng to WOW: Preparing Great Food, Promo ng Great Trays will be held in eight loca ons from June 3rd to June 23rd.
Workshop a endees will learn:
Best prac ces in food prepara on to implement nutri ous menu changes
Simple, inexpensive ways to nudge students to make healthy decisions
Engaging ideas to involve students, parents and the community in a two‐way conversa on about the school meals program
Plus, a endees will enjoy a delicious lunch featuring recipes from the Let’s Move Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge and Great
Trays online cookbook, and qualify to receive a marke ng toolkit with colorful posters, serving line signage and more!