You had Questions We have Answers Given that

You had Questions We have Answers

Given that the FS manager is very busy with multiple roles and limited staff, what is the best way to work with them to establish nutrition standards/or implement food service guidelines that include sodium?

• Focus on incremental change • Provide tools • Show them the WHIFM / ROI

What tips do you have for working successfully with FS managers and RDs? How can we encourage them to expedite their testing and approval of new products, ingredients and recipes?

• Think about partnerships and how we can all work together for the common goal. • Think about constraints and guardrails and how to work within those parameters

How can we encourage chefs to make the time to test low sodium products? What types of trainings to lower sodium would benefit chefs who are already professionally trained? Who should conduct these trainings?

• Storeroom Scan – top 10 volume products • Evaluate sodium content and recommend replacements • Every product fights for its life • Less about training and more about practice • Measurement, product use, functionality

The University at Buffalo has a nutrition labeling program in place. Have you seen successful nutrition labeling programs at smaller colleges and community colleges? In addition to nutrition labeling, what other nutrition policies have you seen at colleges?

• Not sure what is being asked here • Nutritional labeling is tricky. By doing so we are making a guarantee. Are we able to support that with proper measuring, portion control? How does this translate to service style

Aramark has partnered with American Heart Association and has a commitment stated as follows: “We are reducing the amounts of sodium and unhealthy fats in our recipes and working with our suppliers to do the same in their ingredients. ” How can we work with Aramark to develop nutrition standards or a policy that includes sodium and is in alignment with their existing commitment to serve healthy meals? How do we activate change towards healthy commitment, especially if colleges are not implementing their stated policies? Do colleges have the ability to mandate that their food service company follow healthy nutrition standards? Is this accomplished during negotiations with food service companies? Is it part of the contract with food service companies? Are there ways we can assist colleges in establishing nutrition standards/policies that will apply to any food service company that contracts with them?

• Can’t speak to specific contractual elements • Policies are nice but how are they being validated / enforced? • Can assist by providing goals (not standards) and tools for success

If a college is not committed to establishing nutrition standards/ food service guidelines who should we discuss this with in upper management, and what is the best way to obtain their buy-in? What recommendations do you have for creating buy-in for healthier foods from all stakeholders at colleges? Who should we work with in the food service management company to improve and/or implement nutrition standards/food service guidelines that include sodium?

• The right stake holders need to be at the table from the beginning. • Budget holders, decision makers, purchasing, accounting, and labor all need to be represented • Think Business Models. Not just new dishes or new recipes • Self ops vs contract feeders all have different motivations

Once nutrition standards are in place, what recommendations do you have that will assist food service operations adhere to nutrition standards?

• Establish SOPS • Evaluate Sales • Revise and repeat

Create sustainable • Develop opportunities with ROI - measurable success • When cost is greater - define intangible return • Just because you did it different, doesn't mean it changed • Work within operational constraints - easily implementable initiatives • Develop customizable programs - understand the situation • Create the story that benefits the situation 16