Maryland's Largest School District
The Department of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) provides a variety of appealing, high-quality, nutritious meals in a cost-effective, efficient operation. Dedicated employees, empowered to promote success for every student, serve meals in an innovative learning environment, respectful of each student's needs and differences.
DFNS is proud to be a vital link in the “Success for Every Student” mission of MCPS. Our philosophy is that appropriate combinations, balance, careful selections and preparation of individual food items play equally important roles in our menu-planning process. Menus and food specifications are based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, without depriving students of their favorite foods.
Our menus are planned by licensed, registered dietitians and analyzed by computer to ensure the maintenance of dietary goals, such as the 30 percent or less target for calories from fat over a week’s worth of menus. Purchased foods, recipe ingredients, and preparation techniques are reviewed carefully to ensure that our menus comply with nutritional guidelines.
However, the ultimate nutritional value is determined by the actual food consumed. Menus are presented as a balanced unit In the elementary schools, but not all items may be consumed. A variety of choices are available in the middle and high schools; and students are encouraged to learn how to choose wisely by selecting a balance of favorites with other offerings.
"Farm-to-School" strives to bring locally produced foods into school cafeterias; participate in hands-on learning activities such as farm visits, host producers' visits to schools, school gardening; culinary classes; and integrate food-related education into the standards-based classroom curriculum.
Farm-to-school includes all types of producers and food businesses, including farmers and watermen as well as food processors, manufacturers, and distributors.
Maryland schools spent $18 million on local food served in schools, according a recent USDA Farm-to-School Census. Maryland was the first state in the nation to have every public-school system participate in the Maryland Homegrown School Lunch, an element of the Maryland Farm-to-School program.
Maryland has more than 2 million acres of farmland and more than 12,000 farms. More than 70 million lunches and 24 million breakfasts are served in Maryland schools annually.
In Maryland, Farm-to-School is not the federally funded Childhood Nutrition Programs. Locally sourced Maryland foods can be a part of the Breakfast, School Lunch, Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Summer Meals, Maryland Meals for Achievement, and others.
Outdoor EducationThe Department of Food and Nutrition Services provides meal service—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an evening snack—for the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, which is owned and operated by Montgomery County Public Schools. Meals are planned to meet the extra requirements for outdoor activity. A salad bar is available at lunch and dinner. Entrees include students’ favorites, including omelets, french toast, spaghetti, and baked chicken.
Special dietary concerns may be addressed by calling the cafeteria manager at the Smith Center at 301-924-3123.
More information about environmental education and Montgomery County Public Schools can be found at www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/outdoored/.
Child-Nutrition Commodity ProgramsWHAT ARE DONATED COMMODITIES? The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports the National School Lunch Program and agricultural producers by providing schools with nutritious, USDA-purchased food (donated commodities). Donated commodities must be domestic in origin and a significant portion must have been determined to be in surplus at the time of the USDA purchase.
Over the past several years, donated commodities have contributed from $.15 - $.17 per lunch served. MCPS's Department of Food and Nutrition Services has received and utilized canned and fresh fruits, frozen and canned vegetables, ground beef and turkey, peanut butter, eggs, cornmeal, and flour.
Additional “bonus” purchases also significantly help offset the cost of providing lunches to students. The amount of bonus purchases varies from year to year. For example, for the 2004-05 school year, bonus orange juice led to a cost avoidance of over $500,000 for orange juice that did not have to be purchased.
Donated commodities vary from year to year, but include foods from categories of meats, fruits, vegetables, juices, eggs, grains, and nuts, and all contribute to the nutritional integrity of school lunches. USDA’s specifications for donated commodities change with ongoing scientific research relating to child nutrition—from canned fruits in heavy syrup to light syrup or juice-packed, lower- fat meats, and increased availability of fresh fruits and vegetables.
