School Nutrition Association (SNA) 2017 Developments!

Check out this recon from the School Nutrition Association  (SNA) meeting recently held in Denver, Colorado. 

• Step 1 was working with the approved school foodservice processors who we interact with at the American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA).  There they learn from USDA which commodities are in the USDA Foods program for the year.  
• Step 2. The processors work with the big school districts who receive the USDA foods by the truckload(s).   They look at flour, eggs, and specialty ingredients like blueberries!  Products are developed with often with assistance from USHBC-FoodTech.  That includes muffins, bars, and cups.  
• Step 3.  The commodity processor comes to the School Nutrition Association to present the new lines available.

It is a win-win situation.  Schools receive quality foods using the USDA ingredients -- which means low cost of the item.  The processor makes the product and sells minus the cost of the USDA-Foods ingredients.    When we first started working on commodity processing for schools, there were few if any products using blueberries in the system.  Processors and schools were unaware.

Now, check out this video!