Maryann Durrant (USBE): This training will go through some details of offer versus serve. We’ll discuss the principle and then go through an example. Before we jump into that, let’s review the difference between a food component and a food item. A food component is the name of a group of foods in a reimbursable meal. For example, milk is a food component, as are vegetables, fruits, grains, meat/meat alternate. They’re the same food components that we discuss when talking about the meal pattern. At breakfast only, vegetables and fruits are one combined component. A food item is a food that is part of a food component. For example, broccoli is a food item in the vegetables food component. While it might seem simple, it’s important to have a firm grasp on the difference between these terms.
In offer versus serve, each of the food items offered needs to be a different food item. For example, a breakfast could consist of milk, strawberries, toast, and cold cereal. There are 3 components offered, with two different items from the grain component. Now let’s look at an non-reimbursable example. In this example for breakfast, the center is offering milk, strawberries, and two different types of toast, cinnamon raisin, and whole wheat toast. Even though there are two different types of toast being offered, they’re both toast, so this would not count as 4 different items being offered. Another example would be this breakfast that consists of milk, strawberries, and a bagel that meets the serving size for the 2 servings of grain/bread. Even though the serving size for the grain/bread is met for the 2 items, it wouldn’t meet the requirement to offer 4 different food items.
In order for a meal to be reimbursable, the participant must take at least 3 different food items from what you’re offering. Let’s say you have a breakfast where you’re offering ½ cup of berries, ½ cup of grapefruit, 1 serving of pancakes, and 1 cup milk. A participant could take berries, grapefruit, and milk and this would be a reimbursable meal. Even though the berries and grapefruit and the same component (fruit), because they’re different items, it meets the requirements. A participant could also take berries, pancakes, and milk. This is 3 different items. If a participant took 2 servings of pancakes and milk, this would not be a reimbursable meal because there were only two different food items chosen.
Depending on the planned menu, participants may need to select more than one food item to have the minimum serving size needed for a component to be credited towards a reimbursable meal. Let’s say that you’re offering a breakfast that consists of ¼ cup cantaloupe, ¼ cup berries, 1 cup cereal, 1 cup yogurt, and 1 cup milk. Remember that the participants only need to take 3 food items with offer versus serve, however, the full serving size of a component taken does need to be met. So in this example, the participant would need to take both the cantaloupe and the berries in order for the serving size for fruit to be met at breakfast. So let’s go through some examples. In this example, the participant took cantaloupe, berries, and cereal. This meets the requirements. There were three food items chosen, and the fruit component serving size is met. Another reimbursable option is if the participant took berries, cereal, yogurt, and milk. In this case, the cereal, yogurt, and milk serving sizes are all met, so the berries are essentially an extra. If a participant only took berries, cereal, and yogurt, the meal would not be reimbursable. Even though they took three food items, the component serving size for fruit is not met.
So far our examples have been with breakfast, now let’s move on to lunch and supper. At lunch, you must offer all five of the required components, in the minimum serving sizes, and the participant must take at least 3 different components. This is a bit different from breakfast, because at breakfast, the participants needed to take at least 3 different food items, even if they were within the same food component. So let’s say that you’re offering roasted chicken, black beans that you’re crediting as a meat/meat alternate, rice, broccoli, apple slices, and milk. You’re offering all of the required components, and you’re even offering 2 different food items in the meat/meat alternate component. If the participant takes chicken, rice, and broccoli, it would be a reimbursable meal. If they take broccoli, apples, and milk, it would be a reimbursable meal. Now what if a participant takes chicken, beans, and rice? This would not be a reimbursable meal because the chicken and the beans are both in the meat/meat alternate component, so this is a meal that only has 2 components. The participant would need to take one additional component in order for the meal to be reimbursable. You might remember that black beans can credit as both a meat alternate and a vegetable, but they can’t be credited as both components at the same meal. You would have to choose before the meal which component the black beans are being credited as and stick with that for the meal.
When you’re serving an entrée that contains multiple components, you’ll need to be conscious about what items the participant would need to take in order for the meal to be reimbursable. In menu 1 you can see that the center is serving milk, a vegetable and bean burrito that contains the grain, vegetable, and meat alternate component, and apples. In this situation, the participant would have to take the burrito in order for the meal to be reimbursable. If they didn’t, there were only be two components to choose from, and remember at lunch and supper, the participants must take at least 3 components in order for the meal to be reimbursable. If you wanted to give an option where the burrito wouldn’t have to be chosen, you could serve chicken strips as one of the menu options. In this case, the participant could choose to take the milk, chicken strips, and apple and it would be a reimbursable meal without having to take the burrito. However you want to set up your menus is fine, you’ll just need to be aware ahead of time what items would need to be taken in order for the meal to be reimbursable.
If you’re offering combination foods or two or more food items from one components, such as bread and rice, you would need to make sure that instructions or signs are available to let supervisors and participants know what choices make up a reimbursable meal. The instructions and signs should let participants know that they cannot select two of the same food items or components.