Congress enacted a law in 1995 requiring school meals to comply with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This law established specific minimum standards for calories and key nutrients that school meals must meet. The USDA implemented the School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children (SMI) to provide healthy school meals that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
What are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans?
- Eat a variety of foods
- Balance the food you eat with physical activity
- Choose a diet with plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits
- Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol
- Choose a diet moderate in sugars
- Choose a diet moderate in salt and sodium
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation
How must menus be planned?
District must choose one of the four menu planning systems below:
- Nutrient Standard Menu Planning
- Assisted Nutrient Standard Menu Planning
- Enhanced Food Based Menu Planning
- Traditional Food Based Menu Planning
How will menus be reviewed?
The ESC Child Nutrition Specialist will analyze the district's menus to evaluate how well the menus meet the Dietary Guidelines. This menu analysis (the SMI Review) will be done in the same school year that the district has a CRE review from TDA.
How does a district prepare for an SMI review?
Specialized training sessions are held each year to help districts prepare for the SMI review. These sessions cover:
- Required Documentation
- Criteria for meeting the Dietary Guidelines
- Timeframes for analysis
What tools are available to assist with the SMI Process?
The following resources are available to provide SMI guidance
Or check out the Squaremeals website at the following link.
Click Here to view
If you need more information about the SMI and the Dietary Guidelines, contact us.