What's for Lunch - Wed., 9/12

Applegate Hotdog
Whole Wheat Bun
Long Island Smashed Potatoes
Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Caesar Salad
Strawberry-Yogurt Smoothie
(Fat-Free Yogurt)

The hot dogs are from Applegate Farms - so they are far better than many hot dogs but are hot dogs nonetheless. The ingredients are just: beef, water, sea salt, less than 2% of the following: celery juice, sodium lactate (from beets), lactic acid starter culture (not from milk), onion powder, spices, garlic powder, paprika. They have 6g of fat(2.5g saturated) and 380 mg of sodium. They are dairy-, casein- and gluten-free. They promote it as nitrate-free but this NYT article indicates the nitrate issue is tricky - and cites the company saying their bacon has the same level (naturally) of cancer-causing nitrates as conventional brands.  You may also not want your kids growing up thinking hot dogs are a good lunch given the potential link between processed meats and cancer. The bun is whole wheat.

The Caesar includes romaine tomatoes and croutons. See more about the salad bar here.  I don't have any details on the Long Island Smashed Potatoes other than what the name implies.

The smoothie  will be made with either plain yogurt to which we add  honey or vanilla yogurt (no honey) if we can't get plain plus 1% milk and frozen strawberries.