Using Standardized Recipes in Child Care Standardized recipes are essential tools for implementing the Child and Adult Care Food Program meal patterns. A standardized recipe identifies the exact amount of ingredients, preparation methods, and the required equipment to prepare the recipe. It has been tested for consistency and accuracy, adapted for the facility s needs, and retested to ensure quality and efficiency. In addition, standardized recipes are prepared the same way each time, aiding in food and labor cost control. In this lesson, you will learn about standardized recipes and steps to creating standardized recipes. The USDA defines a standardized recipe as one that has been tried, adapted, and retried several times for use by a given child nutrition operation and has been found to produce the same good results and yield every time when the exact procedures are followed with the same type of equipment and the same quantity and quality of ingredients. The terms quantity recipes and standardized recipes are often confused. Any recipe that produces 25 servings or more is a quantity recipe. Quantity recipes are not standardized until they have been adapted to an individual kitchen. Standardized Recipe Components Recipe Title Recipe Category Ingredients Weight/Volume of Each Ingredient Preparation Instructions Name that adequately describes the recipe. Recipe classification based on USDA or a facility-defined category, i.e., main dishes, grains/breads. Products used in a recipe. The quantities of each ingredient listed in weight and/or volume. Directions for preparing the recipe. 1
Cooking Temperatures and Time Serving Size Recipe Yield Equipment and Utensils to be Used The cooking temperature and time, if appropriate. A single portion in volume and/or weight. The amount (weight or volume and number of servings) of product that is available for service at the completion of production. The cooking and serving equipment to be used in preparing and serving the recipe. ***Other possible components may include food safety guidelines, food costs, recipe variations, or alternative or optional ingredients. What are the benefits of using a standardized recipe? Standardized recipes provide many benefits for child care providers who want to offer quality, cost efficient, and appealing meals. The benefits include the following: Consistent Food Quality: Standardized recipes help ensure that the best possible food items are produced each time. Predictable Yield: Knowing how much of an item the recipe will produce helps prevent food waste and food shortages during mealtimes. Accurate Nutrient Content: Standardized recipes help ensure that nutritional values per serving are consistent and accurate. Food Cost Control: When the same ingredients and quantities are used each time the recipe is prepared, the cost per serving remains the same, controlling food cost. Efficient Purchasing: The amount of ingredients needed for production can be easily calculated based on the information listed on the recipe. Inventory Control: If a standardized recipe is followed, the quantity of food inventory used each time the recipe is produced can be estimated. Labor Cost Control: Written procedures allow child care employees to move through their work day more efficiently. 2
Employee Confidence: Child care employees can feel confident because standardized recipes eliminate guesswork, decreasing the chances of producing poor quality meals and preventing shortages or food waste. Reduced Record Keeping: Information from standardized recipes can be easily used to meet the CACFP record keeping requirements. How to create and use standardized recipes The three major terms for understanding and using a standardized recipe are recipe, recipe yield, and tested recipe. A recipe is a set of instructions explaining how to prepare a food item. The recipe yield is the number of servings or the number of people that can be served a specific portion of a food item from the prepared recipe. When there is a tested recipe, it means the recipe has been developed and prepared under strict conditions. This ensures the yield, the amount of ingredients, and the procedures for mixing and cooking are correct. USDA Recipes for Child Care are a great source to begin standardizing recipes. The USDA recipes are developed and tested to yield 25 to 50 servings. Sometimes it s necessary to increase or decrease the ingredients in a recipe. Child care directors and cooks should understand how to standardize a tested recipe for use in their kitchen. To standardize a tested recipe, follow the steps below. 1. Begin with a tested recipe. USDA Recipes for Child Care are tested recipes for child care programs. Contact your state agency or the for additional resources. 2. Review the ingredients and the directions. Make sure that the recipe can be prepared with the equipment and employees you have in your child care kitchen. You may have to change the method of cooking, for example, using a conventional oven when the recipe calls for a convection oven. 3
3. Prepare the recipe in a 25 portion amount. Make sure that ingredients are accurately weighed or measured and the directions are followed exactly. Make note of any problems with preparation. Refer to the Basics at a Glance poster for additional information on measures; find it on the NFSMI website at http://www.nfsmi.org/resourceoverview. aspx?id=250 Taste the product and judge it for quality. Does it taste good? Does it look good? Does it appear to look appealing to young children? 4. Taste test the product with the older children. If you offer the At-Risk After School Meals Program, this is a great group to test new foods, or use your pre-k, 3 year olds, or parents. Ask them how does the food taste and look. Remember meals are prepared for your children, so their taste preferences are most important. 5. Write the changes on the recipe form or card if there are simple changes. If the changes in the recipe are major, you may need to prepare a new recipe form or card. The changes could include substitution of a specific ingredient (low-fat milk instead of whole milk), baking time or temperature (depends on the type of oven), size of the pan in which it is prepared, and serving size. 6. Review the recipe with the employees who will prepare it. Make sure he/she understands each step. During food preparation, check to make sure the recipe is followed. For further information on adjusting recipe yields, see Child Care Factsheets: Adjusting Recipe Yields at http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/ PDF/20100211044827.pdf 4
References: Mississippi Department of Education Office of Child Nutrition. (2010). Decide to succeed: An orientation for new managers. Location: Jackson, MS, Publisher N/A.. (2008). Growing your professional skills: Competencies, knowledge, and skills for successful school nutrition assistants. University, MS: Author. U.S. Department of Agriculture &. (2009). USDA recipes for child care. University, MS: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nfsmi.org/recipes 5