Soy Protein's Place in School Meal Guidelines

Soy protein can help you meet nutrition standards for school meals no matter which menu planning option you choose. Soy protein is classified as a vegetable protein product or VPP, which has been authorized for use in school meals since 1971 as an alternate food to meet part of the meat/meat alternate requirement of the meal patterns for child nutrition programs.

Food Based Menu Planning

When you choose food-based menu planning or use traditional meal patterns, current regulations limit the amount of soy protein in a meat/meat alternate. Under these plans, soy protein products must:

• Be prepared in combination with meat, poultry or seafood.
• Not exceed 30 parts fully hydrated soy protein to 70 parts uncooked meat, poultry or seafood.

Nutrition Standard Menu Planning (NuMenus)

NuMenus is a computer-based menu planning system that allows menus to be planned to meet nutrition standards. Because software allows direct measurement of the nutrient content of meals, this system does not have food component or quantity requirements.

Assisted Numenus

Assisted NuMenus is designed for those schools that do not have the technical resources to implement NuMenus, but want to take advantage of some of its features. Menu planners can use menu cycles, recipes and other information from outside sources to produce meals that meet nutrition standards.

Building Healthy Meals

Keep in mind that if you are using the Food-Based menu plan, vegetable protein products that meet federal requirements may not exceed the ratio of 30 parts fully hydrated vegetable protein product to 70 parts meat, fish or poultry. NuMenus or Assisted NuMenus do not have these limitations. However, because of health concerns of over-fortification, if a school is using NuMenus or Assisted NuMenus and wants to exceed the 30/70 ratio then it is recommended that non-fortified soy proteins be used.