ARLINGTON, VA – School meal programs across the nation, already suffering negative impacts due to COVID-19, face a new set of challenges around supply chain issues. The recently launched USA Rice
K-12 Rice to the Rescue program provides support and resources to school foodservice while working to elevate the role of U.S. rice in their operations.
“The new initiative utilizes a range of tactics including a video series on rice’s versatility in school foodservice, recipe development, direct engagement with school officials, more digital materials, and donation support to key school districts and schools,” said Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of marketing and domestic promotion.
The school foodservice training videos give tips on how to best utilize rice and suggest ways to add more rice on school nutrition menus. Of the four-part video series, two videos focus on rice’s role in to-go programs and easy to prepare school meals using USDA food items, and have been published and distributed to relevant audiences. Upcoming videos are chef-led and revolve around flexible meal planning and school breakfast.
USA Rice also developed six new K-12 recipes covering all meal parts and provides photography, nutritional testing, and official crediting from the USDA Food Buyers Guide recipe analysis workbook (RAW). The recipes, available to download as PDFs, include a BLT Breakfast Rice Bowl, K-12 Paella, Hawaiian Poke Bowl, Korean Meatball Rice Bowl, Cilantro-Lime Brown Rice, and Chilled Breakfast Fruity Rice.
“Chef Brenda Wattles, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with the largest school district in Idaho, helped USA Rice develop the rice-centric recipes and approaches for school foodservice audiences, and is the host of the
K-12 Rice to the Rescue video series,” said Klein. “You can hear her talk about the unique challenges of school foodservice on
Episode 34 of
The Rice Stuff podcast.”
Go
here to access all
K-12 Rice to the Rescue materials. Information will be updated with additional resources as they are published.