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Offer vs. Serve
Offer versus Serve (OVS) is a system designed to decrease food waste and give students greater flexibility in choosing what eat for school breakfast or lunch.
General OVS Requirements for Lunch:
- Students must take at least 3 of the 5 food items. This is the minimum under Federal program regulations.
- Students may take smaller portions of the declined food items.
- The meal must be priced as a unit. That is, a student who takes 3, 4, or 5 food items, or smaller portions of some items, pays the same price.
What's for lunch?
For a meal that is reimbursable under USDA regulations, students must be offered a lunch that contains:
- 5 food items...
- from the 4 food components...
- in at least the minimum serving sizes for the appropriate age/grade group
The 5 food items at lunch include:
- Meat/Meat Alternate
- Grains/Breads
- Vegetables - two or more servings of different kinds of
vegetables and/or fruits
- Fruits - two or more servings of different kinds of
vegetables and/or fruits
- Milk
The 4 food components at lunch are:
- Meat/Meat Alternate
- Vegetables/Fruits
- Grains/Breads
- Milk
What's for breakfast if served?
- 4 food items;
- from 3 or 4 components;
- in at least the minimum serving size for the appropriate age/grade group.
The 4 food components for breakfast are:
- Meat/Meat Alternative = meat, poultry, fish, cheese, nuts, nut butters, eggs, dry beans, yogurt, and alternative protein products.
- Grains/Breads = bread, tortillas, bagels, biscuits, muffins, and many more products made from enriched or whole-grain meal or flour, plus enriched or fortified cereals.
- Vegetable/Fruit = fruit or vegetable in any form or full-strength juice.
- Milk = fluid, served as a beverage or on cereal or both.
Concepts:
- Students can make food selections, and will more likely eat what they select.
- Students may refuse any food item.
- Students may take any combination.
- Combination foods count as more than 1 food item.
- Parents and other adults teach kids -- by example -- to make healthful choices.
- We encourage students to select all foods offered.
- Policy for extra portions at extra cost is unaffected by OVS.
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