Go for Green® Guidelines for Deli/Sandwich Bar Overview
Specialty bars are an excellent way to increase variety beyond what’s offered on the Main/Hotline. When creating a Deli/Sandwich Bar, consider the following performance-minded guidelines to help you meet the Go for Green® (G4G) Menu Coding Goals. Your dining-facility staff influences what Military Service Members choose to eat through what your facility serves as well as where your staff places menu items. Featuring Green-coded menu items in prominent places and educating diners on how to create healthy meals encourages them to choose Green- and Yellow-coded options over Red-coded ones. Your staff also can encourage diners to be creative and design their own entrées with different Green-coded items throughout the dining facility. For example, Military Service Members can add a Green-coded protein such as baked fish (from a specialty bar) on top of a salad (from the Salad Bar) for a balanced and delicious entrée. G4G Menu Coding Goals for Dining Facilities
(The G4G Menu Coding Goals can be found at https://www.hprc-online.org/resources/program- requirements-appendix-g-g4g-menu-coding-goals.) ▶▶ At least 2 sandwiches on the regular menu and any “Featured Sandwich”/specials must be Green- coded items. ▶▶ At least 30% of items should be Green-coded. 1 FOOD PLACEMENT/SETUP ▶▶ The diagram below shows one possible way to present the Deli/Sandwich Bar to be within Go for Green® guidelines. Use the equipment you have on hand to mimic these ideas. Consider low-cost changes and movement of equipment within the dining facility/galley when feasible. ▶▶ Place Green-coded options in each category first on the line before Yellow- and Red-coded options to encourage diners to choose the healthier options. ▶▶ Also place Green-coded items in easy-to-reach spots, requiring diners to reach further for Yellow-and Red-coded items.
050118 1 Banana Caesar Salami Bologna Bacon Cheese Onions Olives Coleslaw Mayo peppers dressing (R) (R) (R) (Y) (G) (G) (Y) (R) (G) (R) Pesto Lean Lean deli Lean Cheese Tomatoes Bell Pickles Tabbouleh (Y)* Mustard ham roast peppers turkey (Y) (Y) (G) (G) (G) *Depending (Y) (Y) Beef (Y) (G) on recipe
Roasted/ Spinach, Roasted grilled Tuna lettuce, Oil and chicken Cheese Cucumbers Avacado Legumes Hummus Portobello salad or mixed vinegars slices (Y) (G) (G) (G) (G) or Eggplant (G) greens (G) (G) (G) (G) → Diner flow of traffic →
Note: Breads can be kept off to the side or under the bar; display whole-grain varieties first. Additional condiments that do not require refrigeration also can be kept off to the side with Green-coded items displayed first.
▶▶ Place high-volume, Green-coded options in the largest pans your bar accommodates. ▶▶ Place Red-coded items in the smallest pans your bar accommodates, and pair them with your smallest serving utensils. ▶▶ Serve Green-coded fats/oils such as olive oil and avocado in the smallest pans with small serving utensils to encourage diners to use the designated portions. ▶▶ Keep whole-grain bread options in sight, use as the default option, and promote them with the “Featured S an d w i c h .” • Keep white bread options out of sight, for example under the serving line, so diners have to ask for them.
2 FOOD ITEMS ▶▶ Offer whole-wheat rolls, wraps, and breads in addition to white rolls, wraps, and breads. ▶▶ Offer non-traditional sandwich fillings such as whole-grain salads and lentils; these are performance-fueling items that go well in wraps and pitas. ▶▶ Choose deli meats with reduced sodium, as well as nitrite- and nitrate-free versions. ▶▶ Select lean deli meats such as lean ham, turkey, and roast beef. ▶▶ Roast your own deli meats for less-processed options compared to traditional deli-style meats; these will code Green. Start with offering one as a featured item once a week • For example: roast beef, roast chicken, roast turkey, roast pork, or ham. ▶▶ Offer as many vegetable toppings and Green-coded fillings as you have room for, and vary them often. ▶▶ Offer fruits such as sliced apples or fruit spreads (raspberry jam, apple butter, etc.) as flavorful fillings and spreads. • Order products with the least amount of added sugars. ▶▶ Offer Green-coded spreads such as hummus or guacamole instead of mayonnaise.
050118 2 3 FEATURED MEAL OR PLATE ▶▶ Create a Green-coded “Featured Sandwich,” such as an omelet, at least once a week. Offer one daily if your facility staff can accommodate it. Diners will take your advice! ▶▶ The display for your “Featured Sandwich” should include a sign with: • Meal name • Ingredient list • Directions—much like a recipe—to “build your own sandwich” ▶▶ Within 6 months of launching G4G, work towards displaying a photograph of the “Featured Sandwich” or an actual plated sandwich. ▶▶ “Featured Sandwich” ideas: • Pesto Chicken Sandwich: Whole-grain ciabatta or focaccia + 3 oz roasted chicken + ¼ cup roasted red peppers + 2 Tbsp pesto • Farmer’s Market Wrap: Whole-wheat wrap + 1 cup spinach + 2 slices tomato + Roasted Eggplant + Pepper Jack cheese • Fall Harvest Turkey Sandwich: 2 slices multigrain bread + 2 slices lean deli turkey + ¼ cup thinly sliced apple + cheddar cheese + mustard • Deluxe Roast Beef Sandwich: 2 slices rye bread + 2 slices lean roast beef + 2 Tbsp tzatziki + 2 Tbsp caramelized onions + 2 slices tomato ▶▶ Visit the G4G Menu Revisions web page for more ideas: https://www.hprc-online.org/page/g4g- operations-getting-started/menu-revisions Suggested Deli/Sandwich items to help meet Go for Green® Menu Coding Goals
Boost the number of Green-coded options at your Deli/Sandwich Bar with the following menu items and recipes. Many items are available ready-to-serve or can be prepared from scratch and/or speed scratch with Armed Forces Recipe Service (AFRS) recipes. In-house preparation is preferred when possible because you have more control over ingredients and preparation techniques. A certain item might code differently based on whether it’s an AFRS homemade recipe vs. commercial, which might vary among brands. Sodium codes are assigned based on standard portion sizes. So if a larger-than-standard portion is served, the code might be incorrect. Listed by type: Breads, protein, cheese, starchy grains/vegetables, non-starchy vegetables/fruit, fats, and condiments.
Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Breads Note: For whole-wheat/whole-grain breads to be Green-coded, they must contain at least 2 grams of fiber per ounce. Calculate the weight per ounce. (An average slice of sandwich bread weighs one ounce.) Bread, wheat Green Low D-055-00 Tortilla, whole wheat, soft, 10- Green Moderate — inch
050118 3 Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Bread, pita, whole wheat, Green Moderate — 5-inch Bread, multigrain, sandwich Green Moderate — Bread, sandwich thins, whole Green Moderate — wheat Flatbread, whole wheat Green Moderate — Bagels, whole wheat Green Moderate — Bread, focaccia Yellow Moderate D-061-00 Bread, submarine (hoagie) Yellow Moderate D-003-01 rolls, white Bread, white, sandwich Yellow Moderate D-008-00 Bread, rye, sandwich Yellow Moderate D-006-00 Bread, French baguette, Yellow Moderate D-004-00 sandwich Bagels, white Yellow Moderate D-013-00 Tortilla, spinach, soft, 10-inch Yellow Moderate — Tortilla, sun-dried tomato, soft, Yellow Moderate — 10-inch Bread, pita, white, 5-inch Yellow Moderate — Bread, sandwich thins, white Yellow Moderate — Bread, ciabatta, sandwich Yellow Moderate — Bread, ciabatta, asiago, Yellow Moderate — sandwich Bread, croissant Yellow Moderate — Flatbread, white Yellow Moderate —
Protein Beef, roasted, precooked Green Low L-005-00 Grilled Chicken Breast Green Low L-305-00 Tuna, chunk light, plain Green Low — Grilled Cajun Chicken Breast Green Moderate L-305-02 Beef, roasted, precooked Green High L-005-01 deli-style
050118 4 Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Egg salad Yellow Low — Tuna salad Yellow Moderate L-132-00 Chicken salad Yellow Moderate L-151-00 Roast Turkey (boneless) Yellow Moderate L-162-00 Peanut butter Yellow Moderate — Turkey breast, roasted, Yellow High — deli-style, lean Ham, roasted (baked) Yellow High L-069-00 Ham, boneless, precooked deli- Yellow High — style, lean Turkey Bacon, Oven Fried Red Moderate L-515-00 Bologna, deli-style Red High — Salami, deli-style Red High — Pastrami, deli-style Red High —
Cheese Swiss Yellow Low — Mozzarella Yellow Low — Provolone Yellow Moderate — Feta Yellow Moderate — Cheddar Red Moderate — American Red Moderate — Monterey Jack Red Moderate — Pepper Jack Red Moderate —
Grains/Starchy Vegetables Whole grains, cooked, cooled Green Low — (quinoa, brown rice, barley, farro) Tabbouleh salad Green Low M-305-00 Legumes, cooked, cooled Green Moderate — (lentils, beans: black, pinto, kidney, chickpeas/garbanzo)
050118 5 Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Non-starchy Vegetables/Fruit Lettuce, romaine Green Low — Lettuce, leafy green or red Green Low — Lettuce, mixed, spring greens Green Low — Lettuce, arugula Green Low — Spinach, baby or regular Green Low — Kale, shredded or baby Green Low — Cabbage, green or red, Green Low — shredded Tomatoes, diced, sliced, or Green Low — wedges, (raw, roasted, sautéed, grilled) Cucumbers, sliced Green Low — Bell peppers, sliced Green Low — Onions, red, chopped, sliced Green Low — Onions, green, sliced Green Low — Caramelized Onions Green Low Q-304-00 Cole slaw, vinaigrette Green Low M-008-00 Roasted Bell Peppers Green Moderate Q-311-00 Roasted Eggplant Green Moderate Q-312-00 Banana peppers, sliced Green Moderate — Apple slices Green NA — Mushrooms, Portobello, — — In development marinated, grilled or roasted, sliced
Fats Avocado, sliced Green Low — Olive oil Green Low — Olives, black, sliced Green Moderate — Olives, whole Green Moderate — Pesto Yellow Low O-038-00
050118 6 Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Condiments Hummus Green Low B-005-01 Guacamole (Chunky) Green Low B-006-00 Avocado Cilantro Crema Green Low O-304-01 Sweet and Spicy Balsamic Green Low O-300-00 Vinaigrette Caesar Dressing, homemade Green Low M-301-00 Mustard (spicy brown or Green Low — deli-style) Mustard Green Low — Ketchup Green Low — Olive oil, extra virgin Green Low — Vinegar (balsamic, red wine, or Green Low — white wine) Pickles, sliced Green Low — Pickle relish Green Low — BBQ Sauce Green Low — Salsa Green Low — Pico de gallo Green Low — Herb Vinaigrette Green Low In development Hoagie & sub sandwich relish Green Moderate — spread (“hots”) Tzatziki sauce Yellow Low O-024-00 Horseradish Dijon sauce Yellow Low O-028-00 Herbed mayonnaise Yellow Low O-025-00 Light Mayo Yellow Low O-302-00 Salad dressing Yellow Low — (mayonnaise-type), light Mayonnaise Yellow Low — Thousand Island dressing Yellow Low —
050118 7 Bar Item G4G Color Code G4G Sodium Code AFRS Recipe Number*
Homemade Light Blue Cheese Yellow Moderate M-059-00 dressing Chipotle Mayonnaise Yellow Moderate O-303-00 Honey mustard sauce Yellow High O-029-00 Barbeque sauce (Kansas City Yellow High O-002-00 Style) * AFRS recipes can be found on the G4G Menu Revisions web page: https://www.hprc-online.org/page/g4g- operations-getting-started/menu-revisions [U17-238]
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