Whole Grains in Schools

Abstract

Despite challenges and setbacks, school districts have incorporated whole-grainYrich foods into their menus. Student acceptance of these foods relies on a fluid and fully functional supply chain inwhich allmemberswork together toward a goal of continued innovation in tastywhole-grainY rich products. Nutr Today. 2015;50(3):135Y141 The status and future of whole grains changed dramatically with the January 2012 release of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrition Standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. With whole-grain foods required on school breakfast and lunch menus, foods designated as wholegrainYrich quickly transitioned from aspirational to a mandatory part of schoolmeals. The food industry increased the development and production of whole-grain products for schools as a result. It now is incumbent on members of the supply chain for whole-grainYrich foods in schools to develop relationships and lines of communication for creating an efficient and effective system that ensures a consistent supply of whole-grainYrich products. The school foodservice industry is 1 of the most complex food business segments. It has a high number of purchase decision influencers, receives unprecedented scrutiny from the community, and utilizes a supply chain system that includes the USDA and group purchasing organizations in addition to the standard food distribution system, all while feeding tens ofmillions of school children every school day. It is critical to successfully manage this supply chain to reduce cost and increase efficiency. Viewing whole grains in schools from a supply chain perspective considers all stakeholders from both supply and demand sectors and facilitates a number of critical process steps that are necessary for delivering whole-grain foods to schools and their students. The whole-grain supply chain provides a flexible framework for analysis, creates a common language for all stakeholders, encourages cross-functional collaborationandplanning, andemphasizeshorizontal rather than vertical integration of all involved.