Meal Pattern Analysis (Menu Plans)

The Meal Pattern Analysis analyzes meal component contributions offered in your menu plan and compares them with Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) daily meal pattern requirements. Click here for a video demonstration of how to read this analysis .

Component Analyses
The first part of the analysis lists the names of the reimbursable meals included in the menu plan as well as the quantity of the meal components present in the meal items.

Fruit Analysis
The meal component offerings are checked against the minimum daily requirements. If a meal component contribution meets or exceeds HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box for that meal component will be green and read Yes. If a meal component contribution does not meet HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box will be red and read No. In addition, the analysis will check for the substitution of fruit for fruit juice.

Vegetable Analysis
The meal component offerings are checked against the minimum daily requirements. If a meal component contribution meets or exceeds HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box for that meal component will be green and read Yes. If a meal component contribution does not meet HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box will be red and read No. In addition, the analysis will have a more detailed breakdown of the types of vegetables used in the reimbursable meals.

Note: No vegetable requirement exists for breakfast menu plans. Vegetables can be used to help fulfill fruit requirements.

Meat/Meat Alternate Analysis
The meal component offerings are checked against the minimum and maximum daily requirements. If a meal component contribution meets HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box for that meal component will be green and read Yes. If a meal component contribution does not meet HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box will be red and read No.

Note: No meat requirement exists for breakfast menu plans. Meat can be used to help fulfill grain requirements.

Grain Analysis
The meal component offerings are checked against the minimum and maximum daily requirements. If a meal component contribution meets HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box for that meal component will be green and read Yes. If a meal component contribution does not meet HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box will be red and read No. In addition, the analysis will check the number of grain-based desserts and whole grain rich contributions.

Milk Analysis
The meal component offerings are checked against the minimum daily requirements. If a meal component contribution meets or exceeds HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box for that meal component will be green and read Yes. If a meal component contribution does not meet HHFKA requirements, the Requirement Check box will be red and read No. In addition, the analysis will check the variety of milk types offered and make sure that low-fat flavored, 2%, and whole fat milk types are not offered. If low-fat flavored, 2%, and whole milk types are not offered, the field will be blank. If they are offered, the check box will be red and read No.

Reimbursable Meals
The second part of the report lists all the reimbursable meals used for the menu plan. Each meal will also have a list of all items used to make up the meal.
Click Print to print a copy of this analysis. Click Close or the red X to close the analysis window.

Substitutions
Breakfast meals do not have a requirement for meat and vegetable component contributions. Instead, meat can be used to fulfill grain requirements, and vegetables can be used to fulfill fruit requirements.
For vegetable substitution, Fruit Total = Fruit Total + Substitutable Vegetable Contribution. For meat substitution, if the daily grain requirement has been met, Grain Total = Grain Total + Substitutable Meat Contribution.

Note: For breakfast analyses, if your grain requirement is being met with meat substitutions, or if your fruit requirement is being met with vegetable substitutions, an asterisk ( * ) will appear next to the component amount.