A Guide to Serving Peanuts in School Foodservice
Peanuts are a delicious and versatile food that provide a variety of vitamins and minerals in every bite, giving students the nutrients they need to live vibrant lives. The National Peanut Board created this guide to help incorporate peanuts into your school’s meals. Inside, we provide you with nutrition information and food group equivalents, inspiring recipes, and additional guidance on testing recipes and handling food allergies.
We hope you find this booklet helpful for your menu planning and foodservice operations. If you have additional questions about this content or how to best incorporate peanuts into your school menus, please reach out to our team at peanuts@ nationalpeanutboard.org. We're happy to help.
Thank you for the tireless work that you do to keep our country's children healthy and well fed!
Sincerely,
Peanuts provide 7 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving.
Peanuts are a good source of fiber, with one serving providing 10% of the recommended daily intake.
Peanuts provide mostly good fats that can help support heart health and brain development.
Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts such as peanuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Peanuts contain more than 30 essential vitamins and nutrients that are necessary to support growing kids.
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a dietary antioxidant that helps to protect cells from oxidative stress, a normal, yet damaging, physiological process.
• Magnesium: Magnesium is important for muscle function including the heart, enzyme function, and energy production.
• Folate: Folate is needed for cell division, which means that adequate folate intake is especially important during childhood when tissues are growing rapidly.
• Copper: Copper is essential for red blood cell formation and for healthy blood vessels, nerves, immune system and bones.
• Phosphorus: Phosphorus is important for the formation of teeth and bones, cell growth and muscle function, as well as helping the body use vitamins to create energy for cells.
“Peanuts have more protein (7 grams per serving) than any other nut and have more than 30 vitamins and minerals along with mostly good fat. Children need nutrient dense foods.”
- Cindy Culver, RDN, Marietta City Schools Nutrition Director• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter can be counted as 1 meat/meat alternate option.
• 1 ounce of peanuts can be counted as 1 meat/meat alternate option.
Peanut products provide a cost-effective, plant-based protein meat/meat alternate option with minimal labor investment that children love. Peanuts are versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes, ranging from snacks to meals. Using peanuts or peanut butter can also help reduce the cost of a full serving of another meat/meat alternate.
Because it is shelf-stable, peanut butter is also a food that’s perfect for keeping in stock all the time as part of your emergency preparedness planning and in cases of supply chain disruptions.
Peanuts and peanut butter can be used to meet the discriminating tastes of your students, harnessing food trends and preferences including global flavors, familiar favorites, and plant-based eating.
As schools look for ways to shift toward revised meal standards, peanut butter can brings lots of flavor and help reduce sodium and added sugar.
“When you reduce the cost of the meat or the meat alternate in the ‘center of the tray,’ then you have more food dollars for fresh produce and other local items.”- Garrett Berdan, RDN, Chef Read More About How School Nutrition Experts Serve Peanuts and Peanut Butter
School Breakfast Meal Pattern
While there are no meat/meat alternate requirements for school breakfasts, peanuts or peanut butter can add important nutrition to students’ morning meals.
Schools may substitute a 1 oz eq of meat/meat alternate for a 1 oz eq of grains after the minimum grain requirement is met.
Minimum Grain Requirements
K-5 7 oz eq grain options per week
6-8 8 oz eq grain options per week
9-12 9 oz eq grain options per week
School Lunch Meal Patterns
Meat/Meat Alternatives
K-5 8-10 oz eq meat/meat alternate options per week
6-8 8-10 oz eq meat/meat alternate options per week
9-12 10-12 oz eq meat/meat alternate options per week
Schools may consider adding peanuts or peanut butter to breakfasts to help meet minimum calorie requirements.
Minimum Calorie Requirements
K-5 350 calories per day
6-8 400 calories per day
9-12 450 calories per day
Recipe created by Chef Brenda Wattles, RDN.
Components Per One Serving:
2.25 oz eq 3 oz eq 1 ⁄2 cup(s) 0 cup(s) 3 mg
Vegetable Subgroups:
Recipe makes 100 servings
Serving Size: 1 cup rice in bowl
Top with:
• #20 scoop seasoned chicken
• ¼ cup tomatoes
• ¼ cup cucumbers
• ¼ cup hummus
• Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts
Ingredients
Prepare Chicken:
• 6 pounds 4 oz chicken breast, diced, cooked (USDA or Commercial)
• 3 cups lemon juice, bottled
• 2 cups vegetable oil (USDA or Commercial)
• 1 cup granulated garlic
• 1/3 cup cumin, ground
• 1/3 cup paprika, ground
• 1/3 cup oregano leaves, dried
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper, ground
• 2 sprays nonstick cooking spray
Prepare Rice:
• 12 pounds 8 oz brown rice, long-rain, parboiled (2 oz eq per servings) (1 gal 2 qt 1 1/3 cups)
• 320 fl oz water, hot (0.2 cup per 1 oz rice, dry) (2 gal 2 qt)
• ¼ cup turmeric, ground
• ¼ cup cumin, ground
• ¼ cup granulated garlic
Prepare Hummus:
• 7 pounds peanut butter, creamy (USDA or Commercial) (3 qt ½ cups)
• 7 pounds Greek yogurt, nonfat, plain (3 qt 2 cups) (3 ½ - 32 oz containers)
• 1 qt 3 tablespoon lemon juice, bottled
Prepare Vegetables, Pita Bread, & Peanuts:
• 8 pounds 8 oz tomatoes, fresh, grape or cherry (1 gal 2 qt 1 cup)
• 8 pounds 4 oz cucumbers, fresh, unpared (1 gal 2 qt 1 cup)
• Pita bread, whole grain-rich (at least 1 oz eq) (100 each)
• 2 pounds 2 oz peanuts, no salt added, chopped (1 qt 2 3/8 cups)
1. Thaw chicken: Thaw under refrigeration for 48 hours. Hold at 41 F or lower.
2. Season and marinate chicken: Place chicken in 12” x 20” x 4’ steamtable pan. Toss chicken with lemon juice and vegetable oil. Mix dry seasonings together. Toss seasonings with chicken and cover. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Hold at 41 F or lower.
3. Cook rice: Preheat oven to 350 F. For 100 – 1 cup servings: Spray 2 - 12” x 20” x 4” steamtable pans with cooking spray. Place 6 lb 4 oz rice, 2 tablespoon turmeric, 2 tablespoon cumin, 2 tablespoon granulated garlic, and 1 gal 1 qt hot water in each pan. Stir to combine and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
4. Cook chicken: Steam chicken breast in steamer for 15 minutes. Remove from steamer and stir. Place back in the steamer for 10 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 F. Heat to 165 F or higher for 15 seconds. Hold at 135 F or lower.
5. Prepare hummus: In a mixer, whisk peanut butter, yogurt, and lemon juice. Hold at 41 F or lower.
6. Prepare vegetables: Halve tomatoes (makes about 1 gal 2 qt 1 cup) and dice cucumbers (makes about 1 gal 2 qt 1 cup).
7. Warm pita bread: Place pita bread in warmer for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into triangles.
8. Serve: Place 1 cup (8 oz spoodle) rice in bowl, top with #20 scoop (about 1.4 oz) seasoned chicken, ¼ cup (2 oz spoodle) tomatoes, ¼ cup (2 oz spoodle) cucumbers, ¼ cup hummus (#16 scoop/2.1 oz), and garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts.
Note: Some kid taste testers enjoyed the flavors, however, they did not want them mixed together. Recommend a bento box to separate ingredients for picky eaters or younger children.
Nutrients Per One Serving (K-12):
For more information about peanuts in school foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org.
Recipe created by Chef Sam Gasbarro and HealthySchoolRecipes.com
Components Per One Serving:
Recipe makes 50 servings
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Ingredients
• ½ cup oil, vegetable
• 4 ¼ pounds onion, frozen, chopped
• 7 ¼ ounces (or 1 ½ cup) garlic, fresh, minced
• 5 ounces (or 1 ½ cup) ginger, fresh, minced
• 1 ½ ounce (or 5 tablespoons) cumin, ground
• 12 ounces (or 1 ¼ cup) tomato paste
• 4 ¾ pounds (or 8 5/8 cups) peanut butter, creamy
• 8 quarts stock, vegetable
Directions
1. In a steam jacketed kettle or tilt skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin. Stir together and cook until onion is translucent (about 5-7 minutes). This cooking time may increase with larger volume. Add the tomato paste and stir until well distributed in onion mixture.
2. Add the peanut butter. Mix into vegetable mixture well. Add 2 quarts vegetable stock, whisk to combine well with peanut butter mixture. Once combined, add remaining stock. (Adding stock in batches helps to more evenly distribute peanut butter mixture into vegetable stock.)
Nutrients Per One Serving:
• 8 ¾ pounds sweet potato, frozen, cubed or pre-cubed fresh
• 4 ½ pound spinach, frozen, chopped, thawed and drained of excess water
• 8 ounces (or 1 cup) lime juice, fresh
• 2 pounds (or 6 ½ cups) peanuts, roasted, chopped (granules) (Note: 1 pound=about 3 ¼ cups peanut granules)
• 1 ¼ cups cilantro, fresh (optional)
3. Bring to a boil. Add sweet potato. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. (If using fresh sweet potatoes, cook for 30 minutes.)
4. Add the chopped spinach to the pot, stir, then continue to cook for another 15 minutes. (Make sure to use drained spinach or else stew will be too watery.) Using the back of the spoon, mash some of the sweet potato to help thicken the broth. Boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Stir in lime juice.
5. Serve over steamed brown rice. Garnish with peanuts (2 tablespoons per serving) and 1 teaspoon cilantro (optional).
For more information about peanuts in school foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org.
Recipe created by Chef Brenda Wattles, RDN.
Components Per One Serving (Legumes as M/MA):
Meat/Meat
Vegetable Subgroups:
Dark
Components Per One Serving (Legumes as Vegetable):
Meat/Meat
Vegetable Subgroups:
Dark
Recipe makes 100 servings
Serving Size:
• 1 cup rice
• ¾ cup vegetables
• ¼ cup sauce
Ingredients
• 9 pounds 8 oz edamame, frozen, shelled (2 gal 1 1/3 cups)
• 2 sprays nonstick cooking spray
• 12 pounds 8 oz brown rice, long-rain, parboiled (2 oz eq per serving) (1 gal 2 qt 1 1/3 cups)
• 320 fl oz water, hot (0.2 cup per 1 oz rice, dry) (2 gal 2qt)
• 10 pounds chickpeas, dry, canned, drained (USDA or Commercial) (1 gal 3 qt 1 ¼ cup (2 ¼ #10 cans))
• 4 pounds bok choy, fresh
• 10 pounds red bell peppers, fresh
• 7 pounds peanut butter, crunchy (3 qts ½ cup)
• 3 cups 2 tablespoon Soy sauce, less sodium
• 3 cups 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, lightly seasoned
• 3 cups 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 cups 2 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 2 tablespoon 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 cup hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)
1. Thaw edamame: Thaw edamame under refrigeration for 12-24 hours. Hold at 41 F or lower.
2. Cook rice: Preheat oven to 350 F. For 100 – 1 cup servings: Spray 2 - 12” x 20” x 4” steamtable pans with cooking spray. Place 6 lb 4 oz rice and 1 gal 1 qt hot water in each pan. Stir to combine and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until water is absorbed.
3. Prepare and steam vegetables: Drain chickpeas. Shred Bok choy (makes about 1 gal 3 qt 1 ¼ cup, shredded). Slice bell peppers (makes about 2 gal 1 1/3 cups, shredded, packed). Place 3 perforated 12” x 20” x 4” steamtable pans in 3 solid 12” x 20” x 6” steamtable pans to drain vegetables during cooking. Mix drained chickpeas, thawed edamame, shredded bok choy and sliced bell peppers and divide into each perforated steamtable pan. Steam vegetables for 5-7 minutes. Batch cook vegetables for direct service. Do not hold in warmers for best quality.
4. Prepare sauce: In a mixer, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, lime juice, ginger, granulated garlic, and chili sauce. Note: Sauce will look grainy when it begins to mix. Mix until smooth.
5. Heat sauce: Place sauce in a 12” x 20” x 4” steamtable pan. Cover and heat in the steamer for 10 minutes. Remove from steamer and whisk. Heat in steamer for 10 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135 F. Heat to 135 F or higher. Hold at 135 F or higher.
6. Serve: 1 cup (8 oz spoodle) rice, ¾ cup (6 oz spoodle/about 4.5 oz) vegetables, with ¼ cup (#16 scoop/about 2.28 oz) sauce. Hold at 135 F or higher.
Note: Some kid taste testers suggested mixing ingredients together for service.
Nutrients Per One Serving (K-12):
For more information about peanuts in school foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org
Recipe created by Chef Sam Gasbarro and HealthySchoolRecipes.com
Components Per One Serving:
Recipe makes 50 servings
Serving Size: 1 bar
Ingredients
• 1 pound, 9 ½ ounces (9 ½ cups) oats, rolled (1 lb dry = about 6 cups dry rolled oats)
• 5 ½ ounces (6 ½ cups) crisp rice cereal
• 9 ½ ounces (2 cups) cranberries, chopped, dried
• 12 ounces (2 ½ cups) peanuts, roasted, granules
• 1 cup chocolate chips, mini
• 2 ½ pounds (4 ½ cups) peanut butter, creamy
• 2 ½ cups honey
• 2 tablespoons extract, vanilla
• Vegetable oil spray
Directions
1. Combine oats, crisp rice cereal, dried cranberries, peanut granules and mini chocolate chips in a large mixing bowl. In a sauce pan, combine peanut butter, honey and vanilla. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until peanut butter and honey are warmed and smooth.
2. Add peanut butter mixture to oat mixture. Stir well to coat oats in peanut butter mixture. If doing batches 50 or larger, use a mixer. Spray a full-sized sheet pan and add mixture. Patting mixture down until firm. Cover and refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Once set, cut into 48 squares (8 by 6). Store extra or leftover granola bars in the refrigerator for holding/storage.
Note: this bar freezes well
Variations
For an oatmeal raisin granola bar, substitute dried cranberries for raisins. For a cherry chocolate, substitute dried cranberries for dried cherries.
Nutrients Per Serving:
For more information about peanuts in school foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org.
Recipe created by Chef Sam Gasbarro and HealthySchoolRecipes.com
Components Per One Serving:
50 - Serving Size: 1/2 cup oat + 1/2 cup fruit
Ingredients
• 3 ½ pounds (6 cups + 6 tablespoons) peanut butter, creamy
• 2 ounces (¼ cup) extract, vanilla
• 18 ounces (1 ½ cups) honey
• 1 gallon milk, low-fat
• 2 pounds, 4 ounces (3 quarts + ¼ cup) oats, rolled
• 13 ¾ pounds (25 cups) strawberries, sliced, unsweetened, frozen, thawed
Directions
1. Combine peanut butter, vanilla and honey in steam jacketed kettle or large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly until warm and smooth (about 3-5 minutes). Add milk and whisk until smooth and combined. (If doing larger batches, this can be done in a large mixer on low speed.) Combine oats and warm peanut butter/milk mixture. Stir well.
2. Portion with a #8 scoop into 10 to 12 oz. cups. Top each portion with ½ cup frozen mixed berries. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Variation
3. Serve cold. For a chocolate banana peanut butter overnight oat, omit frozen strawberries and add ½ cup cocoa powder to oat mixture for 50 servings. Add more milk if necessary, top with sliced banana (14 pounds for 50 servings.)
Nutrients Per Serving:
For more information about peanuts in school foodservice, visit PeanutsinSchools.org.
“The versatility of peanuts cannot be praised enough! Peanuts and peanut butter naturally fit into a variety of cuisines, recipes, and dietary patterns. They also appeal to the senses by adding to and transforming flavors in dishes, as well as enhancing creamy or crunchy textures in foods.”
– Markita Lewis, MS, RDTry a new peanut recipe with your students to see for yourself just how much they love it. Here are a few tips and tricks for successful recipe taste-testing.
1. Get school staff and parents onboard: Before planning, be sure that you’ve obtained the necessary approvals from relevant school staff to conduct a taste test. Further, be sure parents are aware and have provided permission for their child to participate.
2. Ensure early and ongoing communication: Before the event, be sure to share the recipe, its nutritional values, and its ingredient information (highlighting any allergens) with students, parents, and school staff. At the start of the event, restate the recipe and ingredients and be sure that children with food allergies are not served their food allergen.
3. Select an ideal location for the event: Find a spot that meets your event needs and is convenient for students to access. Consider reserving an empty classroom or the cafeteria when it’s not in use so that tables are available for any discussion, focus groups, or surveys. If you conduct your taste test during meal service, consider the best way to collect feedback to avoid disruption to regular meal service procedures.
Have all your supplies nearby: Be sure you have small plates or cups for serving, napkins, and necessary utensils. You may also wish to include a trash bin nearby for convenience.
4. Serve safely: Have a plan in place to ensure that all food safety protocols are followed by anyone serving samples.
5. Share the ingredients: Be sure to have signage at your table that clearly identifies the ingredients and allergens in the recipe for any students who may avoid certain foods.
6. Plan for feedback: Use a voting or ballot system, worksheets, or other forms of surveying to collect feedback from students. These can include a mix of quantitative data (scores, counts, etc.) or qualitative feedback (open-ended questions, focus groups, etc.).
Approximately 98% of Americans can enjoy peanuts without any reaction, and about 2% of school aged children in the U.S. may have peanut allergy, according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. A combination of caution and preparation, along with a comprehensive food allergy management plan—including education of students and parents and training for all staff — helps reduce the risk of accidental ingestion and ensure that staff are ready in case a reaction occurs. Important allergen safe steps to consider include:
• Provide clear and adequate signage and labeling of common allergens on menus and serving lines.
• Clearly identify and label all containers involved in food preparation, serving, and storage.
• Use separate tools and equipment for preparation and service of allergen containing foods.
• Offer options on the menu each day.
• Conduct annual food allergy training to include cross-contamination, handwashing and cleaning, and how to respond to food allergy reactions.
Proper training is an important part of managing allergies in school foodservice. For more information, click the links to the videos shown below and visit peanutsinschools.org:
“Managing food allergies in schools is not difficult, but it requires a thoughtful approach, diligence to help those with allergies avoid accidental ingestion, and training to reduce risk and ensure that staff know how to identify students with allergies, recognize a reaction, and respond appropriately.”
Sherry Coleman Collins, MS, RDN, LD
The National Peanut Board understands that school nutrition professionals want the very best ingredients at a reasonable price to create delicious and nutritious foods for their students. With glowing recommendations from the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association, peanuts and peanut butter take pride in being a shelf-stable staple.
NPB is a strong advocate for peanut farmers and products. We believe in the importance of transparency by sharing information about food allergies, the latest industry research, and school foodservice resources. In addition, we are always sharing new recipes to diversify meals one peanut at a time. Stay tuned for updated recipe content approved by registered dietitians on our website – your one-stop-shop for all things peanuts!
peanuts@nationalpeanutboard.org
www.nationalpeanutboard.org
www.peanutsinschools.org
@NationalPeanutBoard
@NationalPeanutBoard
@PeanutFarmers
@PeanutFarmers
Peanut Pro Certification:
Are you in need of more CPEUs to complete?
The National Peanut Board has twelve, 15-minute modules that can help nutrition professionals earn up to three free CPEUs. These modules cover interesting topics like “Peanuts Role in Maintaining Health,” “Peanuts Role in School Nutrition,” and “Culinary Uses for Different Peanut Forms.”
Learn more about becoming Peanut Pro
Certified at www.NationalPeanutBoard.org/ peanutprocertified/.
