Hair Restraints
The Indiana Department of Health, Food Protection Division has confirmed that hair spray is not an acceptable form of hair covering in a production kitchen per 410 IAC 7-24: “Food Employees shall wear hair restraints such as hats, hair coverings or nets, beard nets, and clothing.” Any alternatives that do not effectively restrain hair are in violation of Indiana’s Food Sanitation Rules and Requirements. Please ensure staff in your cafeterias comply with the hair restraint policy and that this requirement is written into your Food Safety Plan.
Round 4 of Supply Chain Assistance (SCA) Funds
For those who applied, SCA funds for round four have been disbursed and should appear under the payments tab in CNPweb. The ACH deposit notification comment will say "SC_R4." The deposits should arrive in your accounts by early next week. Please remember all SCA funds must be deposited into the School Foodservice Account (0800) and used specifically for the purchase of food as described in the Supply Chain Assistance Funds FAQ. If you receive an unexpected payment, click on the Payments tab (next to the Claims tab), find the amount that was paid, and then click the arrow (>) to the far left under Batch Number. The description of the payment will identify what items are included in the payment amount. Additionally, if the payment is less than expected, the description will show deductions, such as USDA Foods storage fees. All Supply Chain Funds show under the "Other" column on the payments tab.
IDOE Encourages Participation in Summer Meals Program
Last week, IDOE issued a press release concerning the availability of the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The SFSP is designed to fill the nutritional gap during summer months when school is out of session and food insecurity is often at the highest level. As sponsors of child nutrition programs who serve children throughout the school year, local educational agencies make good candidates for summer meal program sponsorship. The two primary ways to qualify for the SFSP sponsorship is by using the school’s free & reduced meal eligibility data or the US Census block data.
In December 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (the Act) (PL 117-328) was signed into law, with significant policy changes for Child Nutrition programming, including the authorization of a permanent, non-congregate meal service through the SFSP and NSLP Seamless Summer Option (SSO). The Act allows qualifying sponsors to distribute meals in non-congregate style, using either the meal pick-up or home delivery method in areas where there are currently no congregate meal service sites. The same Act also authorized the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children Program (S-EBT); however, these are two separate programs, so households may participate in both S-EBT and SFSP.
There is a streamlined SFSP application process for current child nutrition sponsors which is scheduled to open in CNPweb in March. For more information, contact summermeals@doe.in.gov.
New Food Buying Guide Tools
Check out the new content available in the Food Buying Guide (FBG) for Child Nutrition Programs Interactive Web-Based Tool, including:
- An interactive flow chart on using the preparation yield factor in the Recipe Analysis Workbook (RAW);
- An ounces to pounds calculator that makes converting units a breeze; and
- New USDA Foods frozen mixed vegetables and a variety of meat items available in the FBG.
Team Nutrition (TN) Virtual Training Update
All 40 hours of TN Virtual Training are now available in Moodle for managers and directors. Additionally, all eight hours of training for frontline staff is available. Upon completion of the training, you will receive a certificate. You will then need to complete the Training Completion Form. Note that you will not be eligible for the monetary incentive without both the certificate and Training Completion Form on file. When IDOE receives the form, you will be emailed next steps, including required paperwork for the Central Indiana Educational Services Center (CIESC) to process the incentive payment. Make sure to complete all forms or payment will not be processed. Allow at least one month to receive payment. The first 250 food service directors and 250 kitchen managers who complete the 40 hours of training will be rewarded $500. The first 250 frontline staff that complete the eight hours of training will be rewarded $100. Read through the frequently-asked questions (FAQs) and contact the TN Training Grant team with any questions.
Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey
The Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey is open through Friday, March 1. This survey is mandatory for all schools that will receive USDA Foods for the 2024-2025 school year. Annual Pre-Order Forecast Survey training will be held on Wednesday, February 7, from 10 to 11 a.m. ET. Refer to the following information to join this training:
- Join the Microsoft Teams Meeting:
- Meeting ID: 279-767-622-757
- Passcode: APBDnl
- Join the training via phone at (317) 552-1674:
Decrease in USDA Foods Entitlement for School Year (SY) 2024-2025
Per USDA, meal counts decreased nationwide which has caused a decrease in state entitlement. IDOE received lower entitlement for SY 2024-2025 which is divided among approximately 600 school districts on the Food Distribution Program. Due to the reduction in entitlement for IDOE, schools received lower Planned Assistance Level (PAL) amounts for SY 2024-2025. PAL is calculated by multiplying meals served for the previous school year by USDA’s per meal rate. Then, based on the amount of entitlement that IDOE receives it is allocated to schools based on fair share. USDA Foods represent 15-20% of the school food budget.
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USDA Foods Recipes
Pasta Salad is a delicious way to use up some of your USDA corn, carrots, and frozen broccoli, and Fluffy Applesauce Pancakes are an easy to make crowd pleaser suitable for any meal.
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Holidays and E-Learning Day: USDA Foods Orders
Please remember that it is mandatory to have school staff available to inspect, verify, and accept all USDA Foods orders that are placed. This is especially important for orders placed during e-learning days, school breaks, and holidays. State-assigned warehouses Dilgard Frozen Foods, Stanz Foodservice, and Wabash Foods are contracted to deliver Direct Delivered (Brown Box) USDA Foods to schools between the hours of 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. local school time.
Nominations for the School Food Service Employee of the Year Due Wednesday, February 14
Help IDOE recognize school food service employees who contribute significantly to the health and learning capabilities of students by nominating them for IDOE's 2024 School Food Service Employee of the Year Award. This award was created to recognize the outstanding achievements of school food service employees who excel in the areas of customer service, attitude, professionalism, and teamwork. Submit your nomination by Wednesday, February 14. Contact Suzette Hartman with any questions.
Meal Service Expectations During Religious Fasting
USDA has confirmed the requirement that meals be offered at the approved CNPweb mealtimes, even if there is a religious holiday that calls for fasting. Approved SFAs should have meals available for those students choosing not to fast. As an additional reminder, all Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools are required to offer breakfast and lunch as a part of their CEP agreement. The only time a meal does not have to be offered is when the school is operating with a morning delay or an early dismissal that affects all students.
American Dairy Association, Indiana (ADAI) Reimbursable Meals Signage
ADAI has free downloadable posters for reimbursable meals. Signs are available for both Offer vs. Serve (OVS) and non-OVS serving methods and both breakfast and lunch. Find the posters by scrolling down to Additional School Resources and the New! Reimbursable Meals Posters here.
Winter Local Food Summits
Two winter food summits are occurring this month. These are great opportunities to connect with local farmers in your area to talk about Farm to School.
- Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit at the Orange County Community Center
- Northeast Indiana Local Food Networking Event at the Union Street Market at Electric Works in Fort Wayne
- Tuesday, February 27, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET
- Register here
- Contact Denise Hoff or call (260) 438-0954 with any questions.
School Food System Transformation Challenge Grant Opportunity
Applications for the Illinois Public Health Institute's (IPHI's) Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub are open through Tuesday, April 30. The Hub aims to improve the nutritional quality of school meals to help students learn and grow. Two grant opportunities are open to prospective grantees in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin and range from $10,000 to $100,000 per year. They are for collaborations of local food system leaders who want to ensure that school meals better reflect the Lake Michigan region’s harvests and cultural diversity. Learn more here.
Join IPHI for an informational webinar:
- English: Wednesday, February 14, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET. Register here.
- Spanish: Wednesday, February 14, from 3 to 4 p.m. ET. Register here.
Upcoming Dates |
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Thursday, February 8, 2 to 3 p.m. ET
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Low Sugar, Low Fuss Breakfast
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Tuesday, February 13, at 2 p.m. ET
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Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) Info Session
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Wednesday, February 14, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET
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IPHI Informational Webinar (English)
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Wednesday, February 14, from 3 to 4 p.m. ET
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IPHI Informational Webinar (Spanish)
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Wednesday, February 14
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IDOE 2024 School Food Service Employee of the Year Nominations Due
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Thursday, February 15, at 10 a.m. ET
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After School Snack and Meal Options
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Thursday, February 15, 2 to 3 p.m. ET
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Savory Breakfast Ideas
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Wednesday, February 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET
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Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit
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Tuesday, February 27, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET
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Northeast Indiana Local Food Networking Event
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Thursday, February 29, 2 to 3 p.m. ET
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Breakfast in the Classroom
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Monday, April 29
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Summer EBT Final Rule Comments Due
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Tuesday, April 30
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Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub Application Deadline
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This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
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