One way to overcome this obstacle is to make whole-grain products look—and taste—like what kids are used to, while still delivering peak nutrition. “Pasta has a decent amount of protein naturally,” says Jackie Schultz, R.D., corporate dietician, Barilla, Bannockburn, IL. “The way you make pasta is to use semolina, a process of making wheat that has a lot of gluten, which has 7 grams of protein in each serving.” The company’s multigrain pasta is made with a grain and legume blend. It increases the protein content to 10 grams of protein and it has a higher level of fiber.
“One of the stories I hear a lot is that students don’t notice that it’s healthier,” Schultz says. “They have succeeded in getting the nutrients into the product. The appearance of the pasta helps. It has the look, taste and mouthfeel of regular pasta.”
The pasta counts as a meat or meat alternative because of its protein content, and also as a grain or bread serving. The cost, while about $0.05 more per serving than a traditional pasta ($0.12 vs. $0.17), is less expensive than meat.
Another way to add whole grains to meals and to products is through relatively low-sodium, whole-grain, high-protein snack pellets. “We take a combo of grains and make it into a dough, extrude them into a shape that looks a bit like pasta, and they can then be either deep fried, air popped or, soon, microwaved,” says Terry Gieseke, director of sales and marketing, J.R. Short Milling Company, Kankakee, IL.
These products are expected to show up in schools as snacks and in vending machines. “It depends what grains you choose to put in the pellets, but you could have a pellet that is a good source of fiber, high in protein and low in calories and sodium,” Gieseke says. “You can also add vegetable powders to these pellets, making them even more nutritious. Most important is that it’s food kids like.” The company is also working on a 6-in. edible plate that can hold any variety of food and then be consumed afterward. “You can eat five of these and not get 100 calories,” Gieseke says. “And it’s very affordable. It’s the rice cake of the future.” Another product is what the company calls a “shortcut tube,” like the size of a jumbo puff marshmallow. It can be flavored with anything and has good nutritional value. The company is working on creating this product so that it can be microwaved by the serving or air-popped, and is marketing it as a poppable breakfast alternative.
How low can you go?
Lowering fat is another prominent concern. Serving lower-fat 1% and 2% milk is one way to comply with this recommendation. In another favorite lunch staple, potato manufacturers are finding ways to lower the fat in fries. ConAgra Foods, Omaha, NE, uses a new process designed to deliver good taste and texture while keeping up to 25% of the fat and oil out during frying. Even lower fat content can be attained if baked. The company also has a group of products that can be prepared more quickly than traditional fries and can be cooked in the fryer or oven.
The next big push will be to lower sodium. “Districts have to see if they can meet the sodium standard. They are all looking for ways to cut down on sodium in steps,” says Helene Clark, director of marketing for health and wellness platform, ConAgra. “French fries, for example, don’t have a lot of salt in and of themselves. The salt is added by the end user.”