School Meals Initiatives for Healthy Children
The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) mandates Public School Foodservice’s
National Health Responsibility to provide healthy school meals consistent with the Recommended
Dietary Allowances (RDA), age appropriate caloric goals and the dietary guidelines for Americans.

Traditional Menu Planning System
Casa Grande UHSD has adopted Traditional Menu Planning out of the Five Possible Menu Planning
System created by the USDA.  The objective for the menu system is to meet the following nutritional
goals established by the USDA School Meals Initiative for Healthy Children:
o	Meet 1/4 of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for breakfast.
o	Meet 1/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for lunch.
o	Meet age appropriate caloric goals.
o	Provide a menu consisting of balanced nutrient content.

How are nutrient Standards Determined?
Specific nutrient standards are established for children based on the required level of calories,
nutrients and dietary components; and by weighing and averaging the RDA for a specific age or
grade group.