Products

Q: How many grams of fat are in LAND O LAKES® natural cheese portions?
A: Our natural cheese portions have 9 grams of fat per 1-oz portion. The reduced fat natural cheese portions have 7 grams of fat per 1-oz portion. Get nutrition information on all LAND O LAKES® products for schools.

Q: What is the best method to heat LAND O LAKES® Macaroni and Cheese?
A: LAND O LAKES® Macaroni and Cheese is a fully prepared product, delivered to you frozen. For best results, we recommend heating the pouch from a thawed state. (Pouches can be thawed overnight under refrigeration). The preferred method of heating is with a steamer, although the product can be heated using several methods:

• Steamer method: Heat pouch for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F.
• Boil in bag method: Place unopened pouch in boiling water, heat for 20 -25 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Pouches should float freely and not touch bottom or sides of kettle or pan. Use CAUTION when opening hot pouches, as the product is very hot.
• Convection oven method: Transfer thawed macaroni and cheese from pouch to an oven-safe pan. Cover and heat 40-45 minutes at 350°F.

Q: I will have remaining inventory of sliced Process American cheese at the end of the school year. Can I freeze it?
A: Regular sliced Process American cheese has a shelf life of 9 months and reduced fat sliced process American cheese has a shelf life of 6 months. Shelf life will be indicated by the USE BY date that is listed on outside of case and on each 5 # loaf. If the unopened cheese is within the shelf life, it is best to keep refrigerated over the summer months, maintained at 31°F to 41°F, and then used at the start of new school year. Process American cheese does not age or ripen like natural cheese and keeps extremely well under refrigerated conditions. Land O’ Lakes does not recommend freezing cheese as it dries out and affects quality and performance of the product. Sliced cheese becomes difficult to separate once it is frozen. If sliced cheese is accidentally frozen and it is still within the USE BY date it can be grated or shredded to be used in school foodservice recipes such as soups, sauces, main dish entrees or salad bar toppings. Land O’ Lakes does not recommend serving cheese past its expiration date.

Health and Wellness

Q: What are some suggestions for increasing “dairy” foods in school menus?
A: Here are some simple ideas:

• Serve LAND O LAKES® Reduced Fat Cheese Sauce with steamed vegetables or as a dip with fresh vegetable pieces.
• Add individually wrapped LAND O LAKES® natural cheese portions in bag lunches or after-school snack programs.
• Offer LAND O LAKES® Cheese Sauce Cups with vegetable trays or soft pretzels in a la carte lines.
• Market LAND O LAKES® Milk with graham crackers or small cookies in a la carte lines or after-school snack programs.

See our Power Up Stay Healthy program in the Director’s Corner for free promotional materials and activities that encourage physical activity and eating dairy foods for better nutrition.

Q: Is there a recommended amount of sodium that children should consume in a day or a meal?
A: Currently there are no guidelines for sodium in the National School Lunch Program, but using information from the recently revised My Pyramid Guidance System and the 2005 Dietary Guidelines, the amount of recommended sodium for the day should be 2300 milligrams or less — or approximately 800 milligrams or less per meal. Some states have established specific sodium guidelines. As a general rule, foods should be prepared without added salt. Herbs, spices and other flavorings can be used to enhance foods. School menus can be planned using a variety of fresh foods and minimally processed foods that help lower sodium in the diet.

Q: What groups should be involved with a school district’s wellness policy team?
A: A planning team should include representatives from parent groups, school board members, students, teachers (including K-12, health educators, physical education, and family and consumer science), school foodservice staff, school administration, school nurse, dietitians and community representatives from public health, healthcare and business and industry.

Q:I am creating our school's Wellness Policy but am concerned about including cheese often on my after-school snack menu due to the high fat and sodium content. Do you have any suggestions on how I can incorporate cheese into our Wellness Policy and provide evidence that it is an acceptable and nutritious food for children?
A: Cheese sometimes gets a bad rap because of perceptions that it is high in fat and calories. But a little cheese in moderation can go a long way in meeting the nutritional needs of growing children. True, it is higher in fat and calories than fruit snacks, juice, cookies, and crackers, which are often served in after school snack programs. But if you look closer at the nutrition facts and labels on these foods, you will notice that cheese is the only one that offers a natural source of calcium, vitamin A and high quality protein. Natural cheese is also lower in sodium then processed cheese, cheese in the can, and cheesy crackers or chips. We say the “nutrient density” of cheese raises this snack food to a higher level.

If you are evaluating your meals and snacks for your districts’ Wellness Policy, use the Benefits of Cheese resource, which provides key nutritional messages on cheese and compares other snack foods to cheese. You can also contact the American Dairy Association for more information that highlights the benefits of dairy in meeting the “3-A-Day” message that the Food Pyramid recommends. Land O’ Lakes has Reduced Fat Natural Cheese Portions that have 25% less fat then regular cheese portions, and make a terrific after school snack.

Safety and Sanitation

Q: What is the recommended method for thawing a case of LAND O LAKES® prepared macaroni and cheese?
A: Remove pouches from the case and place on shelves or rack in cooler overnight to thaw.* If only a small amount is needed, pouches can be thawed in a sink with cold running water.

*Go to HACCP Helper for more information on HACCP processes for LAND O LAKES® Products.

Q: What temperature should cheese be stored at?
A: All cheese products should be kept under refrigeration at 35°F to 41°F. Once cheese is opened it must be re-wrapped securely to keep air out and moisture in. Natural and Pasteurized Process Cheese will remain fresh approximately 4 to 8 weeks under refrigeration. It is not recommended to freeze cheese.

Q: How long can macaroni and cheese be held in a steam table?
A: LAND O LAKES® macaroni and cheese can be held in a steam table for two hours. It is specially formulated to withstand high heat for an extended period of time. For all hot-held food, verify that the warming unit or steam table is at 135° F* or higher before use. All potentially hazardous foods such as macaroni and cheese should be at 135° F* or higher before placing in steam table for service. Take internal temperature of food being served at start of service and at least every 2 hours.

* Follow state or local health department requirements regarding hot food holding temperatures. Go to HACCP Helper for more information on HACCP processes for LAND O LAKES® Products.

Food Production

Q: How can I serve shredded cheese on a self-serve salad bar so students take the correct portion size (1/4 c.) and I can maintain my food costs?
A: Menu planners can determine the portion size to provide and need to have the right tool. If 1/4 c. is the portion size, then a # 16 scoop or spoodle can be provided that measures 1/4 cup. Students can be charged appropriately for each serving they take. Some foodservice operators will have higher-cost items such as cheese pre-portioned into small soufflé cups, and students can select these from a salad bar, instead of “serving” themselves.

Q: How much shredded cheese does it take to equal sliced natural or process cheese in a recipe?
A: One cup of shredded cheese equals 4 ounces of natural or process cheese.

Q: How many #8 scoops do you get out of a case of LAND O LAKES® Macaroni and Cheese?
A: LAND O LAKES® Macaroni and Cheese comes ready to serve in six 5-lb pouches per case. Each pouch has a volume of 9 cups, for total volume of 54 cups per case. Six ounces by weight meets 2 meat/meat alternates and 1 bread serving for food- based menu planning. A scoop or dipper measures product by volume, not by weight, so you would need to measure a leveled scoop of macaroni and cheese and weigh the product to determine the portion size to serve. Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen staff found that a leveled #12 scoop provides 3 oz of macaroni and cheese by weight.

Menu Planning

Q: Our school uses a food-based menu planning system. How many ounces of LAND O LAKES® Cheese Sauce do I need to use in a recipe to provide one meat/meat alternate?
A: LAND O LAKES® Cheese Sauces are available in both #10 cans and 6-lb, 10-oz pouches. Can sauce provides 1 meat/meat alternate per 3-oz serving. Pouch cheese sauce provides 1 meat/meat alternate per 3.3-oz serving.

Q: How do I obtain nutritional information on LAND O LAKES® products for completion of a nutritional analysis of our school menu?
A: Nutritional information can be obtained from several sources. If you are a user of Processor Link, you can go to this website and obtain nutritional information from the product listings for Land O’Lakes. If you are a user of USDA Food and Commodity Connection, LAND O LAKES® products are also listed with nutritional information. Another resource for nutritional information is your Land O’ Lakes sales representative.

Q: What are some menu suggestions for using cheese products for a school breakfast program?
A: School foodservice managers typically like breakfast menus that are quick to prepare, easy to serve and meet nutritional needs of children. Some breakfast menu ideas using cheese products are:

• LAND O LAKES® natural cheese portions with mini bagels or muffins, fruit and milk.
• “Grab and Go” hot LAND O LAKES® cheese roll with salsa cup, fruit and milk.
• “Grab and Go” bagel sticks with LAND O LAKES® Cheddar Cheese Sauce Cup, fruit and milk.
• “Grab and go” cheese and egg muffin with a slice of LAND O LAKES® Reduced Fat Pasteurized Process American Cheese, fruit and milk.
• Breakfast taco or burrito with LAND O LAKES® Mucho Queso Jalapeno Cheese Sauce, fruit and milk.