Sea Cliff Nutrition Committee. The Apple People

Sea Cliff Nutrition Committee. The Apple People

Thursday, February 28, 2013

What's for Lunch?

The March menu has not been posted yet - as soon as I get one, I will post again.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

What's for Lunch - Thurs., 2/28

Our Caesar Salad
Our Pizza Bagels

Chicken Parmigiana Hero (Order Entree #1)
OR
Cup of Soup (Order Entree #2)
Pizza Bagel
Caesar Salad
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Pears in Fruit Juice

Chicken is a flash-fried product from Tyson with 10g of fat and 620mg of sodium. Ingredients: Boneless, skinless chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, modified food starch, sodium phosphates, salt. PREDUSTED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), wheat gluten, salt. BATTERED WITH: Water, enriched bleached wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified corn starch, salt, dextrose, spices, garlic powder, xanthan gum, oleoresin paprika and annatto. BREADED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, spices, garlic powder, extractives of paprika, natural flavors (spice extractives). Breading set in vegetable oil.

The sauce is a Red Pack vitamin enhanced tomato sauce. The sodium at 140mg is much lower than we previously used. Here are the ingredients: Tomato Concentrate (Water, Tomato Paste), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Onion Powder, Salt, Citric Acid, Spice, Garlic Powder, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Black Pepper, Vitamin E (DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Natural Flavor, Vitamin A (Retinol Palmitate). The cheese is a USDA commodity part skim mozzarella. Ingredients are cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes.

Pizza bagel uses the same sauce and cheese on a whole wheat bagel.

The soup is Minestrone - 620mg of sodium. INGREDIENTS: Water, Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid), Great Northern Beans, Carrots, Onions, Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Green Beans, Vegetable Base (Sauteed Vegetables [Carrots, Celery, Onions, Corn Oil], Sugar, Maltodextrin, Salt, Corn Starch, Yeast Extract), Pasta (Wheat, Egg White, Glycerol Monostearate, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Romano Cheese (Sheep's Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Rennet), Olive Oil, Garlic, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Parley and Spice. 

Caesar salad is pictured above plus other fresh sides from the salad bar.   Canned pears.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

What's for Lunch - Wed., 2/27


BRUNCH FOR LUNCH
Cinnamon Challah French Toast (Order Entree #1)
w/Orange Rounds
Applegate® Turkey Bacon
OR
Scrambled Egg & Cheese Wrap (Order Entree #2)
 w/Orange Rounds
Sweet Potato Crinkles
Fruit/Veggies at Salad Bar

The salad bar is back....and just in time.

I'm really curious as to why we stopped serving whole wheat french toast to go back to the meal declared to be "cake" for lunch by our committee's nutritionist - basically white flour bread.  The syrup is basically HFCS.  They are looking for an affordable maple syrup but do not have one yet - but they will be limiting the serving size this year in the meantime.  Actual lunch from our schools above. This meal has a lot of sugar, simple carbohydrates -- no whole grains.

The turkey bacon is by Applegate.  Here are the ingredients: Turkey (Turkey Used Never Administered Antibiotics, Growth Promotants or Animal By-products), Water, Sea Salt, Maple Sugar, Celery Juice, Onion Powder, Spices, Lactic Acid Starter Culture (not From Milk.)  They promote it as nitrate-free but this NYT article indicates otherwise - and cites the company saying their products have the same level (naturally) of cancer-causing nitrates as conventional brands. Read more about nitrates here.


I do not believe the wrap used for the egg and cheese is whole grain. 

Fresh oranges

The Crinkles are fries by McCains that are flash fried and then frozen with 190mg of sodium and 7g of fat (one is saturated). The ingredients are: Sweet Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following Oils: Canola, Soybean, Cottonseed, Sunflower, Corn), Corn Starch - Modified. Contains 2% or less of Annatto (color), Beta Carotene (color), Caramel Color, Corn Starch, Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Natural Flavor (Contains Wheat), Rice Flour, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate Added To Maintain Natural Color, Sugar, Tapioca Dextrin, Xanthan Gum.

Monday, February 25, 2013

What's for Lunch - Tues., 2/26

Farm fresh beef as sampled last year

FARM FRESH BURGERS
Cup of Soup
Hamburger or Cheeseburger
Lettuce & Tomato Toppings
Roasted Potato Wedges
Sweet Corn Cobbettes
NO SALAD BAR TODAY
Raisin Cup

Still no Salad Bar.

After much work, discussion and research, our district has discontinued the use of most USDA commodity beef for a variety of health reasons and contracted with a New York State farm to provide beef raised without antibiotics and hormones. It is more expensive and there is less beef on the menu as a result but it is a huge improvement in the quality of our lunches. So, enjoy your hamburger on a whole grain bun.

The soup is Minestrone - 620mg of sodium. INGREDIENTS: Water, Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid), Great Northern Beans, Carrots, Onions, Yellow Squash, Zucchini Squash, Green Beans, Vegetable Base (Sauteed Vegetables [Carrots, Celery, Onions, Corn Oil], Sugar, Maltodextrin, Salt, Corn Starch, Yeast Extract), Pasta (Wheat, Egg White, Glycerol Monostearate, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Romano Cheese (Sheep's Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Rennet), Olive Oil, Garlic, Modified Corn Starch, Salt, Parley and Spice.

The potatoes are a frozen potato product from McCain's. Corn is also a frozen 1/2 cob.

Raisins are domestic.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

What's for Lunch - Mon., 2/25

Baked Chicken Tenders (Order Entree #1)
OR
Pizza Bagel (Order Entree #2)
Baby Carrots with Dip
Pineapple In Juice

NO SALAD BAR TODAY

The chicken is a Tyson "fully cooked chicken breast nugget fritter with rib meat" with 10g of fat and 420mg of sodium.  The ingredients are: Boneless, skinless chicken breast nuggets with rib meat, water, modified food starch, sodium phosphates, salt. PREDUSTED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), wheat gluten, salt. BATTERED WITH: Water, enriched bleached wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified corn starch, salt, dextrose, spices, garlic powder, xanthan gum, oleoresin paprika and annatto. BREADED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, spices, garlic powder, extractives of paprika, natural flavors (spice extractives). Breading set in vegetable oil.

The bagel pizza is at least partially whole grain. The sauce is a Red Pack vitamin enhanced tomato sauce.  Here are the ingredients: Tomato Concentrate (Water, Tomato Paste), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Onion Powder, Salt, Citric Acid, Spice, Garlic Powder, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Black Pepper, Vitamin E (DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Natural Flavor, Vitamin A (Retinol Palmitate).

Fresh carrots with a full-fat organic ranch dressing.

Pineapple is canned, packed in juice and is a product of Thailand.  

Monday, February 18, 2013

Friday, February 15, 2013

Weekend Reading

Reading

Check out Bhavani Jaroff's blog on food waste, fracking's impact on food and the nanoparticles engineered into what we eat.

Surprise. Junk food advertisers want your kids - and they are getting them.

Food

The Times recently ran some great "one dish, one hour" recipes. See them here.

Listening

TEDx Manhattan on Saturday is hosting speakers on "Changing the Way We Eat". More info here.

Fun

Garvies Point has a lot of great activities for kids over the February break.

The Science Museum of Long Island does, too, as well as the Nassau County Museum of Art. 

Cradle of Aviation has special activities this week.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

What's for Lunch - Fri., 2/15


MACARONI & CHEESE (Order Entree #1)
Barilla Plus Pasta with Wisconsin Cheddar
OR
Cup of Soup with Pizza Bagel (Order Entree #2)
Sauteed Broccoli
NO SALAD BAR TODAY
Banana

No Salad Bar today due to the vacation next week.

The noodles we're using for the Mac n cheese are Barilla Plus. The ingredients are: Semolina, Grain and Legume Flour, Blend (Lentils, Chickpeas, Egg Whites, Spelt, Barley, Flaxseed, Oat Fiber, Oats), Durum Flour, Niacin, Iron (Ferrous Sulfate), Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid. The sauce is made from Wisconsin Cheddar.

The soup is broccoli cheddar.  The ingredients are: Chicken Stock (Water, Chicken Base [Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor (Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil), Chicken Broth, Turmeric]), Broccoli, Light Cream, Water, Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annato, Powdered Cellulose [To Prevent Caking]), Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Modified Food Starch, Wheat Flour, Carrots, Hot Pepper Sauce (Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt) and Spice.  Plus - 850 mg of sodium and 19g of fat -- 11g of which are saturated.

Fresh banana and broccoli sauteed in garlic and oil.

What's for Lunch - Thurs., 2/14

TACO DAY!
Farm-Fresh Natural Beef Tacos with Toppings...
Lettuce, Cheese, Salsa
OR
Cup of Soup w/1/2 Quesadilla
Salsa & Sweet Corn
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Strawberry-Yogurt Smoothie

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our district has contracted with a New York State farm to provide beef raised without antibiotics and hormones. It is more expensive and there is less beef on the menu as a result but it is a huge improvement in the quality of our lunches. We season and prepare this dish.

The hard taco shells from Mission foodservice contain: whole grain corn, water, vegetable oil (one or more of the following: cottonseed oil, corn oil or palm oil), contains 2% or less of niacin, reduced iron, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin lime. No sodium - 6g of fat (2 of which are saturated)

The soup is broccoli cheddar.  The ingredients are: Chicken Stock (Water, Chicken Base [Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor (Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil), Chicken Broth, Turmeric]), Broccoli, Light Cream, Water, Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annato, Powdered Cellulose [To Prevent Caking]), Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Modified Food Starch, Wheat Flour, Carrots, Hot Pepper Sauce (Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt) and Spice.  Plus - 850 mg of sodium and 19g of fat -- 11g of which are saturated.

The quesadilla has Monterrey Jack cheese and canned black beans served in a flour tortilla - no whole grains. The tortillas are from Tyson and contain:  Bleached Enriched Wheat Flour (Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Contains one or more of the following: Cottonseed Oil, Soybean Oil), Mono- and Diglycerides, Contains 2% or less of the following: Salt, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate), Fumaric Acid, Sodium Bicarbonate, Dough Conditioner (Wheat Flour, Calcium Sulfate, Sorbic Acid), Preservative (Sodium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate).  Sodium is 380mg. 5g of fat (1 of which is saturated).

The corn is canned and has added salt - 200mg per serving and the cans do contain BPA.

The smoothie  will be made with plain yogurt to which we add  honey plus 1% milk and strawberries. The food service department says the strawberries are fresh -- we previously used frozen and have asked about the country of origin (Frozen Chinese strawberries sickened thousands of German school children earlier this year). Our fresh strawberries are from California.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

What's for Lunch - Wed., 2/13

ARROZ CON POLLO
Latin-Style Diced Chicken
OR
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Rice and Pinto Beans
Romaine Salad w/Ranch Dressing
Orange Wedges

The chicken is from Tyson. It is described as "1/2" diced chicken meat" and as "boneless, skinless, and fully cooked." It is chicken breast.

The chicken caesar wrap is also made with Tyson chicken and the wrap is probably not whole grain. 

We usually serve brown (whole grain) rice but in our facilities we cannot cook it per current recommendations to rinse repeatedly and boil in excess water which should be drained (like pasta) to remove as much arsenic as possible. Pinto beans are canned.

Ranch dressing is an organic full-fat ranch from Chelten.

Fresh oranges.

Some Healthy Ideas for Valentine's Day


Valentine's Day can of course mean a lot of candy but it can also mean a lot of artificial food dyes which aren't good for anyone and could be very problematic for some kids.  For more information check out this post on "Naturally Red" Valentine's Day parties.


The Spoonfed blog also has a number of posts on the problems with petroleum-based food dyes. Read one here and see where it takes you.

 Nutrition committee member Nina Livingston shared this with us that she creates natural red coloring in food: " I use things like concentrated pomegranate juice, concentrated cranberry juice, or pureed fruit.  You can use beet juice for a gorgeous pink color too."

In fact, you can make red heart-shaped pancakes naturally with this recipe from Weelicious - no artificial dyes - just beets (don't tell the kids -- or do, up to you.)  

And finally, check out this Bento Blog on how to make really cute heart-shaped tomatoes (It's not hard! They are red!)

Monday, February 11, 2013

What's for Lunch - Tues., 2/12


Cup of Soup
APPLEGATE HOTDOG (Order Entree #1)
Whole Wheat Bun
OR
Whole Wheat Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Order Entree #2)
Cucumbers & Peppers with Dip
Applesauce with Cinnamon

I vote for the sandwich.

The soup is broccoli cheddar.  The ingredients are: Chicken Stock (Water, Chicken Base [Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor (Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil), Chicken Broth, Turmeric]), Broccoli, Light Cream, Water, Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annato, Powdered Cellulose [To Prevent Caking]), Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Modified Food Starch, Wheat Flour, Carrots, Hot Pepper Sauce (Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt) and Spice.  Plus - 850 mg of sodium and 19g of fat -- 11g of which are saturated.

The hot dogs are from Applegate Farms - so they are far better than many hot dogs but are hot dogs nonetheless. They have 8g of fat and 330mg of sodium. 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 grilled cheese sandwich is made with cheddar or American on whole wheat bread.  We use Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread for these. The ingredients are: STONE GROUND WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, WATER, BROWN SUGAR, YEAST, WHEAT GLUTEN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: SALT, VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN OIL OR CANOLA OIL), DOUGH, CONDITIONERS (SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, CALCIUM, STEAROYL-2-LACTYLATE, MONOGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM IODATE, ETHOXYLATED MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, DATEM), CULTURED WHEAT FLOUR, VINEGAR, CALCIUM SULFATE, MONOCALCIUM, PHOSPHATE, YEAST FOOD (AMMONIUM SULFATE), SOY LECITHIN.

Fresh cucumbers and peppers with a full-fat organic ranch dressing for the dip. We serve a lot of these two vegetables because they are kid-friendly but they are also notoriously high in pesticide residue. The Environmental Working Group recommends you buy organic for these vegetables in particular - but we can't do that with a $3 lunch. 

Commodity applesauce,

Friday, February 8, 2013

Weekend Reading - and Local Fun

Reading


Glenwood Landing's Nutrition Committee has also set up a blog. See it here.

Frozen pizzas - toxic? Maybe - read more.  Either way, I'm glad out school stopped serving the 67 ingredient frozen pizzas of three years ago. But, the government will let us count them as a vegetable.

Food

Newsday recently ran a list of local cooking classes. See the list here. Or, check on the high end list of food adventures listed over at the Wall Street Journal. 

Watching

Really entertaining videos by kids about healthy food and cooking over at Doof. Think Hip Hop Beets. Show the kids - Doof has a YouTube channel. 

Fun

Sledding.

On Saturday, Garvies Point is making Valentine's from recycled paper and dried flowers.

On Sunday at 2pm, Bailey Arboretum has a Family Nature Adventured called Nature Art.

On Sunday, the Planting Fields is having a fun family event.

On Saturday, the Cradle of Aviation is hosting a Rube Goldberg contraption competition.  

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

What's for Lunch - Thurs., 2/7

BETTER-THAN-A-PIZZERIA
Thin Crust Pizza
BBQ Chicken Slice (Order Entree #1)
OR
Cup of Soup (Order Entree #2)
with Plain Slice
Caesar Salad
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Pears in Fruit Juice

The pizza sauce (from Red Pack) ingredients are: Tomato concentrate (water, tomato paste), salt, citric acid, basil.

For the crust, the ingredients are: enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, barley malt, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, soybean oil,, dextrose, salt, calcium propionate, fumaric acid, dough conditioner (wheat flour, salt, soybean oil, l-gyssteine, ascorbic acid, enzyme) potassium sorbate.

The chicken is some kind of frozen Tyson product. I believe it is supposed to be Tyson's "dark meat strips with grill marks" which have 7g of fat and 340mg of sodium, Ingredients are: Boneless, skinless chicken leg meat, water, seasoning (dextrose, salt, brown sugar, chicken stock, maltodextrin, flavors, yeast extract, molasses, disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate), soy protein concentrate, modified food starch, sodium phosphates.BUT we have also gotten diced chicken breast for both Tyson and a company called Pierce before. AND we have also gotten a  USDA commodity chicken from Tyson and described as "fully cooked boneless skinless chicken dark meat chicken fajita strips -smoke flavor added." Here are the ingredients: "Chicken dark meat, water, seasoning [salt, spices, dehydrated garlic, dehydrated onion, sugar, chili powder (chili pepper, cumin, oregano, salt, garlic powder), lemon juice powder (corn syrup solids, lemon juice, lemon oil), modified corn starch, natural mesquite smoke flavor (maltodextrin, natural smoke flavor), natural flavor (from partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil)], modified food starch and sodium phosphates."  The "partially hydrogenated" oil is a source of trans fat.  Chicken has 7g of fat (2 of which are saturated) and 490 mg of sodium.  Read more about farm animals raised by industrial giants like Tyson,  antibiotics and hormones

Ideally, the district would provide parents with ingredients and nutritional information on the food they serve. 

I would skip the chicken.  I would vote for the plain slice today except for the soup it comes with......


The soup is chicken noodle. It has 3g of fat (1g saturated) and it's quite salty - 670mg of sodium. The ingredients are: Chicken Broth, Water, Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt), Carrots, Pasta (Wheat, Eggs, Egg Whites, Niacin, Iron [Ferrous Sulfate], Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Celery, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Chicken Base (Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor [Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil], Chicken Broth, Turmeric), Chicken Flavor (Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor [Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat], Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols), Chicken Fat, Olive Oil, Parsley, Acacia & Xanthan Gum, Garlic, Turmeric, Nisin Preparation and Spices.
Contains: Wheat and Egg.

Plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables are available. Pears are canned.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

What's for Lunch - Wed., 2/6

Consider suggesting to your children they would enjoy the strawberries the grapes offered with this meal.

Cup of Soup
All White Meat Chicken Tenders
Whole Grain Roll
Sweet Potato Crinkles
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Strawberry-Grape Cup

You can get quite a bit of salt with this meal.

The soup is chicken noodle. It has 3g of fat (1g saturated) and it's quite salty - 670mg of sodium. The ingredients are: Chicken Broth, Water, Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt), Carrots, Pasta (Wheat, Eggs, Egg Whites, Niacin, Iron [Ferrous Sulfate], Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Celery, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Chicken Base (Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor [Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil], Chicken Broth, Turmeric), Chicken Flavor (Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor [Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat], Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols), Chicken Fat, Olive Oil, Parsley, Acacia & Xanthan Gum, Garlic, Turmeric, Nisin Preparation and Spices.
Contains: Wheat and Egg.

The chicken is a Tyson "fully cooked chicken breast nugget fritter with rib meat" with 10g of fat and 420mg of sodium.  The ingredients are: Boneless, skinless chicken breast nuggets with rib meat, water, modified food starch, sodium phosphates, salt. PREDUSTED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), wheat gluten, salt. BATTERED WITH: Water, enriched bleached wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), modified corn starch, salt, dextrose, spices, garlic powder, xanthan gum, oleoresin paprika and annatto. BREADED WITH: Enriched wheat flour (enriched with niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), salt, spices, garlic powder, extractives of paprika, natural flavors (spice extractives). Breading set in vegetable oil.

Whole grain roll - which may be partial vs fully whole grain.

The Crinkles are sweet potato fries that are flash or par-fried,then baked and frozen before shipping to us. They have 190mg of sodium and 7g of fat (one is saturated). The ingredients are: Sweet Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Contains One Or More Of The Following Oils: Canola, Soybean, Cottonseed, Sunflower, Corn), Corn Starch - Modified. Contains 2% or less of Annatto (color), Beta Carotene (color), Caramel Color, Corn Starch, Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Natural Flavor (Contains Wheat), Rice Flour, Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate Added To Maintain Natural Color, Sugar, Tapioca Dextrin, Xanthan Gum.

Please take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables.

Monday, February 4, 2013

What's for Lunch - Tues., 2/5


BRUNCH FOR LUNCH
Cinnamon Challah French Toast
OR
Fresh Oatmeal with Toppings
Raisin Box ~ Brown Sugar
Applegate® Turkey Bacon
Roasted LI Potatoes -Apple Crisp

I'm really curious as to why we stopped serving whole wheat french toast to go back to the meal declared to be "cake" for lunch by our committee's nutritionist - basically white flour bread.  The syrup is basically HFCS.  They are looking for an affordable maple syrup but do not have one yet - but they will be limiting the serving size this year in the meantime.  Actual lunch from our schools above. This meal has a lot of sugar, simple carbohydrates -- no whole grains.

The turkey bacon is by Applegate.  Here are the ingredients: Turkey (Turkey Used Never Administered Antibiotics, Growth Promotants or Animal By-products), Water, Sea Salt, Maple Sugar, Celery Juice, Onion Powder, Spices, Lactic Acid Starter Culture (not From Milk.)  They promote it as nitrate-free but this NYT article indicates otherwise - and cites the company saying their products have the same level (naturally) of cancer-causing nitrates as conventional brands. Read more about nitrates here.


Oatmeal, however IS a whole grain. I don't have any details on it -- don't go crazy with the brown sugar.


Raisins are domestic. Apple crisp is a dessert.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

What's for Lunch - Mon., 2/4

MEATBALL PARMIGIANA
Whole Grain Roll
OR
Cup of Soup
Whole Wheat Spaghetti “Marinara”
with Mozzarella Stick
Sweet Corn
Orange Rounds

For the meatball, parmigiana, unlike our hamburgers, this "beef" is from Tyson and  is a USDA commodity product (although we were allowed to opt-out of the "pink slime" meat the USDA used to ship.)  The meatballs are processed, cooked and frozen by Tyson from commodity beef.  Ingredients are: Ground beef (not more than 20% fat), water, bread crumbs (bleached wheat flour, salt, yeast, dextrose, and soybean oil), seasoning (salt, dehydrated onion, dehydrated celery, garlic powder, spices, soybean oil), tomato puree (tomatoes and citric acid), grated parmesan cheese [(cultured part-skim milk, salt and enzymes), cellulose powder, potassium sorbate], grated romano cheese made from cow's milk [(cultured pasteurized part-skim milk, salt and enzymes), cellulose powder, potassium sorbate].   They have 9g of fat (3 are saturated) and 450 mg of sodium.

The sauce is a Red Pack vitamin enhanced tomato sauce.  Here are the ingredients: Tomato Concentrate (Water, Tomato Paste), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Potassium Chloride, Onion Powder, Salt, Citric Acid, Spice, Garlic Powder, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Black Pepper, Vitamin E (DL-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Natural Flavor, Vitamin A (Retinol Palmitate).  The cheese is a USDA commodity part skim mozzarella.  Ingredients are cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes. The sodium is 240mg/oz.


The soup is chicken noodle. It has 3g of fat (1g saturated) and it's quite salty - 670mg of sodium. The ingredients are: Chicken Broth, Water, Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt), Carrots, Pasta (Wheat, Eggs, Egg Whites, Niacin, Iron [Ferrous Sulfate], Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Celery, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Chicken Base (Chicken, Salt, Rendered Chicken Fat, Dextrose, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Roast Chicken Flavor [Rendered Chicken Fat, Flavor, Safflower Oil], Chicken Broth, Turmeric), Chicken Flavor (Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor [Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat], Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols), Chicken Fat, Olive Oil, Parsley, Acacia & Xanthan Gum, Garlic, Turmeric, Nisin Preparation and Spices.
Contains: Wheat and Egg.

Whole grain spaghetti with red sauce described above.  Mozzarella stick is part skim. 

The corn is canned and has added salt - 200mg per serving and the cans do contain BPA

Fresh oranges.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Weekend Reading - and Local Fun

Reading

How did your chicken spend it's last 45 days? Read on and consider not using giant chicken processors like school-lunch Tyson.

I love Mark Bittman's blog post on the new Coke ad.  It might even be more clever that the whole Coke-thinks-you're-stupid thing.

The Middle school also has a nutrition committee blog - check it out for the recipes they include from time to time

Watching

The Science in the Public Interest has announced the winner of their video contest - Pour it Out - aimed at reducing the consumption of sugary beverages. It's terrific. . 

The EWG was on Dr. Oz - watch The Hidden Chemicals We're Feeding Our Kids.

Fun

Mix your own pancake batter at the New York Hall of Science on Sunday as the explore the chemistry of the kitchen.