Where’s the power in Peanuts?

The power of peanuts is coming out of the shell (see what we did there?). While being a sustainable, vegetarian-friendly option that provides 7 grams of protein per ounce, peanuts provide school nutrition meal planners a food item that is versatile and affordable. A powerhouse packed full of vitamins and minerals, peanuts are the perfect addition to your school breakfast menus.

As we have discussed earlier, school breakfasts impact the way our students learn and grow. More importantly, research shows that “teens experiencing hunger are more likely to have been suspended from school and have difficulty getting along with other children.” School breakfast can save students’ day by breaking the fight of hunger and allowing them to attend school to be successful in life.

Complying with the USDA Final Rule

USDA released the Final Rule on nutrient and menu standards for child nutrition programs. The nutrient standards impact the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and SBP added sugar and sodium for menu planners along with other updates for the CACFP. USDA used the Final Rule to align child nutrition programs to the recommendations set forth by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025, which focuses on added sugars and sodium in American diets. Child nutrition programs create nutrient standards based on age/grade groups of students, which means the standards evolve as students get older because the caloric and nutrient needs of students change.

Added sugars will see a similar timeline of implementation. On July 1, 2027, school breakfast and lunch programs will need to reduce added sugars by 10% of calories throughout the week. To add a practical implication, school breakfast programs must provide students with 350 to 600 calories per meal based on the age/grade group for the week. With a 10% reduction of added sugars based on calories, this would mean menus cannot have more than 35 to 60 calories (based on the age/grade group for the week) from added sugars.