Assemble-and-Serve programs rely on at least one dedicated person to prepare and serve simple meals or snacks. These programs typically have access to only basic appliances such as a toaster, blender and/or kettle, but not a full kitchen. Food can either be served on reusable dishware, or on compostable/recyclable disposables. Assemble-and-Serve programs typically serve foods that require minimal preparation but can also include salad bar programs from which students can build their own meals.
To ensure a variety of nutritious foods are offered, a balanced Assemble-and-Serve meal program should ideally offer at least one choice from each of the 3 food categories of Canada’s food guide:
- Vegetables & Fruits
- Grains
- Protein
To increase students’ opportunities to have a variety of nutrients, a snack program ideally offers 2 choices out of the following 3 food categories from Canada’s food guide:
- Vegetables & Fruits
- Grains
- Protein
Water should be readily available to students at all times. At meals and snacks, schools are encouraged to also offer a beverage that contains at least 25% Daily Value of calcium and is fortified with at least 10% Daily Value for Vitamin D. This can help children and teens meet their daily needs for calcium and vitamin D. Examples include:
- Plain (unsweetened) milk (0-2% MF)
- Plain (unsweetened) kefir (0-2% MF)
- Plain (original) plant-based beverages (e.g., soy, almond, rice)
Did you know cutting up vegetables and fruit may increase the chance that students will eat them
Examples of Assemble-and-Serve Choices:
For meals: Mix and match to include one food from each of the 3 food categories.
For snacks: Mix and match to include one food from 2 of the 3 food categories when possible.
Vegetables & Fruits
- Seasonal* Vegetables and Fruits such as:
- Apple
- Berries
- Carrots, baby carrots
- Cucumber, mini-cucumbers
- Grape tomatoes
- Nectarine
- Pear
- Plum
- Other vegetables and fruits (frozen fruit, banana, oranges, grapes, snap peas, etc.)
- Grated vegetables (carrots, beets, zucchini)
- Leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, kale)
- Cooked vegetables (carrots, zucchini, broccoli)
- Canned fruits (packed in juice), e.g., fruit cups
- Canned vegetable soup (with less than 15% Daily Value for sodium)
- Fruit sauces (100% fruit with no added sugar, e.g., unsweetened applesauce)
- Dried vegetables and fruits (100% fruit with no added sugar, e.g., dried apple rings)^
- Cultural plant foods (e.g., seaweed, native berries and roots)**
*Visit buy BC’s Guide to local, seasonal foods to find out when produce is in season in B.C.
**For examples, see: https://www.fnha.ca/Documents/Traditional_Food_Fact_Sheets.pdf
^ Dried fruit can stick to teeth and cause dental cavities. Therefore if choosing dried fruit, ensure it is served with other foods.
Grains (whole grains when possible)
- Bagels
- Baked Bannock
- Bread
- Bun
- Cooked grains (oats, rice, quinoa, barley, bulgur, buckwheat, amaranth, millet)
- Chapati
- English muffins
- Flatbread
- Muffins made with whole grains (e.g., oats) or bran, and/or a fruit or vegetable*
- Naan
- Pitas
- Plain breakfast cereal (e.g,. flakes of corn/bran, oat o’s, shredded wheat)^
- Plain (non-coated) cereal or granola bars made with whole grains^
- Plain crackers^
- Rice cakes
- Tortillas wraps
- Gluten-free products when necessary
* For example, small blueberry bran muffin, oatmeal berry muffin, morning glory muffin
^ If unsure, for example with cereals, granola bars and crackers, refer to the % Daily Value below:
If unsure, use the Nutrition Facts table to see if one serving size meets the following the % Daily Value (DV):
- Saturated Fat
less than 15% DV
- Sugars
less than 15% DV
- Sodium
less than 15% of DV
If the food or beverage is less than 15% for all 3 nutrients (sugars, saturated fat and sodium) the food is considered a Serve Frequently food.
Proteins
- Beans (black, red)
- Bean spreads (e.g., black bean)
- Canned fish or seafood
- Cheese strings
- Chickpeas
- Chicken or turkey, cooked, sliced and non-deli
- Cottage cheese
- Edamame
- Eggs (e.g., scrambled, hard-boiled)
- Game (moose, deer, etc.), cooked and sliced*
- Hard cheese (cheddar, mozzarella)
- Hummus packs
- Lean beef or pork, cooked, sliced and non-deli
- Lean ground meat or poultry
- Lentils
- Nuts, seeds, nut butters and seed butters**
- Paneer
- Refried beans
- Tofu or tempeh, sliced
- Yogurt or Greek yogurt^
*Work with your local Environmental Health Officer
**Dependent on school food allergy policies
^When choosing yogurts, try to select yogurts which align more closely with the % Daily Value table below.
If unsure, use the Nutrition Facts table to see if one serving size meets the following for the % Daily Value (DV):
- Saturated Fat
less than 15% DV
- Sugars
less than 15% DV
- Sodium
less than 15% of DV
If the food or beverage is less than 15% for all 3 nutrients (sugars, saturated fat and sodium) the food is considered a Serve Frequently food.
If you are looking for B.C. foods options, search the Feed BC Directory– a searchable B.C. food and beverage product database for commercial and institutional buyers.
Sample 4 week Assemble-and-Serve Breakfast Plan:
Breakfast Plan - Week 1
Monday
- Toast
- Seed butter
- Banana
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Bagel
- Nut or seed butter
- Orange slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Granola Bar
- Yogurt
- Canned peaches
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Fruit Smoothie
- Toast
- Boiled eggs
Friday
- Grab ’n go Trail Mix
- Fruit cup
- Cheese string
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Breakfast Plan - Week 2
Monday
- Electric Skillet Breakfast Sandwich
- Orange slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Grab’n Go Yogurt Parfait
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Toast
- Seed butter
- Cinnamon apple slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Bagel
- Hummus packet
- Sliced pear
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Fruit Smoothie
- Toast
- Seed butter
Breakfast Plan - Week 3
Monday
- Whole grain waffle (from frozen)
- Yogurt
- Sliced fruit
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Boiled eggs
- Toast
- Orange slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Fruit Smoothie
- Toast
- Seed butter
Thursday
- Avocado on Toast
- Pear slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Bagel
- Cottage cheese
- Cinnamon apple slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Breakfast Plan - Week 4
Monday
- Banana Breakfast Cookie
- Yogurt
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Boiled egg
- Toast
- Sliced fruit
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Whole grain cereal
- Banana
- Sunflower seeds
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Yogurt Parfait
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Bagel
- Cheese slices
- Apple slices
- Plain milk or fortified alternatives
Sample 4 week Assemble-And-Serve Lunch Plan:
Lunch Plan - Week 1
Monday
- Turkey sandwich
- Orange
- Cherry tomatoes
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Canned vegetable soup
- Cheese string
- Bun
- Apple
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Quinoa Salad Bar:
• Quinoa • Chickpeas • Feta cheese • Tomatoes • Cucumbers • Sunflower seeds • Dressing - Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Pita
- Hummus packet
- Mini cucumbers
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Bagel
- Seed butter
- Dried cranberries
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Lunch Plan - Week 2
Monday
- Hummus packet
- Crackers
- Baby carrots
- Yogurt
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Chef Salad Bar:
• Lettuce • Hard boiled eggs • Cheese • Cucumbers • Grape tomatoes • Dressing - Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Bun
- Mini cucumbers
- Cheese
- Orange
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Electric Skillet Breakfast Sandwich
- Snap peas
- Apple
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Rice cakes
- Guacamole package
- Banana
- Yogurt
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Lunch Plan - Week 3
Monday
- Taco Salad Bar:
• Ground beef • Beans • Lettuce • Tomato • Grated cheese • Salsa • Tortilla chips - Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Tuna sandwich
- Apple
- Mini cucumbers
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Whole grain crackers
- Cheese
- Banana
- Yogurt
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Glory Bowl Bar:
• Rice • Spinach • Grated carrots • Grated beets • Tofu • Pumpkin seeds • Dressing - Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Hummus
- Mini carrots
- Pita
- Orange
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Lunch Plan - Week 4
Monday
- Bannock with Salmon Salad
- Banana
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Tuesday
- Guacamole packet
- Crackers
- Apple
- Cheddar cheese
- Granola bar
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Wednesday
- Cheese bun
- Hard-boiled egg
- Fruit cup
- Yogurt
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Thursday
- Multigrain bun
- Cucumbers
- Pear
- Chickpeas
- Granola bar
- Plain milk or fortified alternative
Friday
- Caesar Salad Bar:
• Romaine • Baby kale • Chicken • Roasted Chickpeas • Croutons • Dressing - Plain milk or fortified alternative.
Yield: 50
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