What Teachers Need to Know 

BIC is part of the National School Breakfast Program and follows Offer vs Serve (OVS) regulations. This gives students the ability to choose their breakfast items while still meeting USDA meal requirements. 

BIC Best Practice: Use the 4 / 3 / 1 Rule 

To be a reimbursable breakfast:
- 4 items must be offered every day
- 3 items must be selected by the student
- 1 of those items must be a fruit or vegetable (juice counts as a fruit) 

Milk is not required to be taken — students may decline milk and still count as a reimbursable meal. 

Common Mistakes to Avoid 

- Don’t let students skip fruit/veg — they must take at least a fruit/veg or fruit juice
- Don’t count meals with only 2 items as reimbursable 

Share Table Guidelines 

The share table initiative is part of reducing food waste and providing additional nutrition opportunities. 

• Designate a clean, visible space in the classroom for unopened, unwanted food and beverage items. 

• Ensure only unopened, packaged, and non-perishable items are placed on the share table. 

• Encourage students to place items they do not want or cannot eat on the share table instead of throwing them away. 

• Allow other students to take items they do not want or cannot eat on the share table instead of throwing them away.  

• Allow other students to take items from the share table during breakfast if they want more food.  

• Return any leftover shared items to the cafeteria as part of the daily collection process.  

• Do not allow open or partially eaten food on the share table for safety reasons.  

Procedures for Handling Leftovers 

- Collect all unopened items (e.g., milk, sealed packaged items) in the designated cooler.
- Discard any open or partially consumed food per school policy.
- Return leftovers to the cafeteria promptly following your school’s designated schedule.