7 Ways to Add Brain Boosting Omega 3’s to School Menus

I don’t know about you, but for me, it can seem like the focus of menu planning for school meals is heavy on subtraction. We have to navigate A LOT of rules and regulations to serve nourishing reimbursable school meals. As K12 menu planners, we need to make sure school meals are low in sodium, low in saturated fat, low in added sugar, and contain no trans fat. Oftentimes, we’re playing Tetris with entrées, vegetable subgroups, and condiments to make our cycle menus fit the USDA’s meal pattern and nutrition requirements.

Which leads me to ask, does overly focusing on subtraction stifle our culinary creativity? If you ask me, it can. The solution? Flip the script. Shift from that scarcity mindset (subtraction) to that abundance mindset (addition). School Nutrition addition that is. Instead of hyperfocusing on what we need to avoid, we can think of all the nutrients, flavors, and foods that we can ADD to our school menus.

One nutrient that often gets overlooked on school menus is omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential fatty acid, which means our body doesn’t make them, so we need to get them from the foods we eat. Research suggests that omega-3 fatty acids may improve memory, support learning, and support mental health, which is why this is a great nutrient to focus on adding to more school menus!

What are some ways we can add more omega-3 fatty acids to our menus?

1. We can serve up the classics. Think tuna fish sandwiches, tuna salad with whole grain crackers, and baked fish sticks.

2. We can keep it simple on the salad bar by adding omega-3-containing edamame (soybeans), kidney beans, and fun bean salads.

3. We can add a sprinkle of omega-3s to breakfast items. Top yogurt parfaits with flax seeds, add chia seeds to fruit smoothies, or consider adding chia seed pudding to your menu.

4. We can add the crunch of walnuts to school recipes. Toss walnuts into a leafy green salad recipe, into chicken salad, on top of muffins, or baked in whole-grain brownies.

5. We can look to other states for inspiration. For example, schools in Alaska often serve omega-3-containing fish entrées to their students. Take a look at Alaska’s Department of Education & Early Development’s free recipe booklet, “Make It Local: Recipes for Alaska’s Children,” for some inspiration!

6. We can look for inspiration regionally. Where I live, tacos are loved and cherished. Consider adding fish tacos to the lunch menu!

7. AND we can purchase school-approved products that are (intentionally) rich in omega-3s. Delicious products like Eat Omega 3’s Mini Bars and Mega O’s Cereal! 

One of my favorite things about Eat Omega 3 products as a K12 menu planner is that they are ready-to-menu. They are low in added sugar. (Honey being the only added sugar ingredient.) So we don’t have to worry about Eat Omega 3 products “tipping the scales” of the added sugar weekly average minimum on our menus. Eat Omega 3's products are also packed with plant-based protein, are gluten-free, and dairy-free.

Fellow K12 menu planners, accept the invitation to shift to abundance and incorporate more brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids into your school menus!