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RECIPES RECIPES CUTS COOKING NUTRITION RAISING BEEF
Beef is an important part of a healthy diet for kids and an essential component of healthy school meals.
Meat/meat alternates have always been integral to the school lunch program but in the 2012-2013 school year a new National School Lunch Program1 required what USDA refers to as a “weekly range” for meat/meat alternates. This is intended to help schools offer ageappropriate meals within the required calorie range. Under these guidelines and depending on grade level, kids may be offered more ounces of meat/meat alternates than under the previous guidelines.2
As background, meat and meat alternates include meat, poultry, fish, cheese, yogurt, dry beans and peas, whole eggs, alternate protein products, peanut butter or other nut or seed butters, and nuts and seeds.
For students in grades 9-12, schools are required to provide 2 oz. eq. of meat/meat alternates daily and provide a total of 10-12 oz. each week.
For students below grade 9, schools are required to provide 1 oz. eq. of meat/meat alternates daily and between 8-10 oz. eq. weekly.
This is similar to the 7.5-10 oz provision per week that was required prior to the 2012-2013 school year. High-quality protein, like lean beef, is especially important for children because it supports the growth, repair and maintenance of all body tissues, makes red blood cells and boosts the immune system.3 Sufficient protein is essential for children to perform their best both physically and mentally.4,5
Many studies show a direct link between nutrient intake and academic performance. Zinc, iron and other nutrients in beef are critical for brain development and function.4,5,6,7,8,9
Beef is an excellent source of zinc; a 3-oz serving of cooked beef provides about 39% of the daily value for zinc.10,11 Beef is the top food source of zinc among U.S. children aged 2 to 18 years.12
A 3 oz. serving of cooked beef provides 14% of the daily value for iron and 32% of the iron recommendations for 9 to 13-year-old boys and girls.10,11,13 Schools can feel good about continuing to include high-quality protein, like beef, on the menu to help growing kids get many of the essential nutrients they need for optimal health while still meeting the requirements for healthy school meal patterns. Pairing fruits and vegetables with favorite foods like beef can help make it easier to enjoy more produce in a balanced diet. Once people have anchored their plate with protein, then fill at least half of the plate with colorful vegetables and fruits.14 By pairing produce and other whole foods with beef, kids will receive a nutrient-packed mid-day meal that provides the fuel they need for success in school.
Beef Makes the Grade
A 3-oz serving of cooked beef on average provides 175 calories and 10 essential nutrients
60% 50% 40% 30%
20% 10% 13% 14% 14% 24% 25%
20% 38% 39% 41% 51%
0%
Choline Iron RiboflavinPhosphorus Vitamin B6 Niacin Selenium ZincVitamin B12 Protein
1. National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program: Nutrition Standards for All
Foods Sold in School as Required by the Healthy, Hunger- Free Kids Act of 2010; Final rule and interim final rule. Federal Register/Vol. 81, No. 146/July 29, 2016. Available at https:// www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/07/29/2016-17227/national-school-lunchprogram-and-school-breakfast-program-nutrition-standards-for-all-foods-sold-in 2. Nutrition Standards in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs; Final
Rule. Federal Register/Vol. 77, No. 17/January 26, 2012. Available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/01/26/2012-1010/nutrition-standards-inthe-national-school-lunch-and-school-breakfast-programs 3. Duyff RL. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Complete Food and Nutrition Guide. 5th ed.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Revised, Updated edition, 2017. 4. Schwarzenberg SJ, et al. Advocacy for improving nutrition in the first 1000 days to support childhood development and adult health. Pediatrics 2018;141:e20173716. 5. Michaelsen KF, Greer FR. Protein needs early in life and long-term health. Am J Clin Nutr 2014;99:718S-22S. 6. Black MM. Micronutrient deficiencies and cognitive functioning. J Nutr 2003;133:3927s-31s. 7. Black MM. The evidence linking zinc deficiency with children’s cognitive and motor functioning. J Nutr 2003;133:1473S–6S. 8. Benton D. The influence of dietary status on the cognitive performance of children.
Mol Nutr Food Res 2010;54:457–70. 9. Prado EL & Dewey KG. Nutrition and brain development in early life. Nutr Rev 2014; 72:267–84. 10. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data
Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy. Version
Current: April 2018. Available at http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata. (NDB#13364) 11. National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Label Database. Labeling Daily Values.
Available at https://www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov/dsld/dailyvalue.jsp 12. Keast DR, et al. Food sources of energy and nutrients among children in the United States:
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2006. Nutrients 2013; 5(1):283–301. 13. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact sheet for health professionals. Available at https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/ 14. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact sheet for health professionals. Available at https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
Beef’s Top 10
Beef gives you the nutrients your body needs and the taste you love! See how beef’s essential nutrients work to keep your body going.
IRON
helps your body use oxygen.
CHOLINE
supports nervous system development.
PROTEIN
helps preserve and build muscle.
BEEF GIVES YOUR BODY MORE
Protein 51% DV
VITAMINS B6 and B12
help maintain brain function and give you energy.
PHOSPHORUS
helps build bones and teeth.
ZINC
helps maintain a healthy immune system.
NIACIN
supports energy production and metabolism.
RIBOFLAVIN
helps convert food into fuel.
SELENIUM
helps protect cells from damage.
B12 41% DV Zinc 39% DV Selenium 38% DV Niacin 25% DV B6 24% DV Phosphorous 20% DV Riboflavin 14% DV Iron 14% DV Choline 13% DV
DID YOU KNOW?
• Don’t be left unsatisfied. On average a 3-oz serving of beef provides half (25 g) of the Daily
Value for protein,1 which is one of the most satisfying nutrients. • Get your workout in! Exercise is more effective when paired with a higher-protein diet.2
DV refers to Daily Value, the amount of a nutrient needed for a healthy adult on a 2,000-calorie diet. The %DV is the percent of a nutrient’s Daily Value provided by a serving of food. For example, if a food has 50% of the DV for protein, then it provides 50% of the protein an adult needs each day. Even if your diet is higher or lower in calories, you can still use the DV as a guide to whether a food is high or low in a specific nutrient.
For recipes and more, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com © 2018 CBB & NCBA, ARMS# 1 US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Nutrient Data Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy, NDB #13364. Version Current: April 2018. Internet: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/ 2 Jäger R, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20.
