What's for Lunch - Tues., 1/22

FAJITA BOWL
Brown Rice, Black Beans & Southwest-Style Chicken (Order Entree #1)
Corn Taco Bowl
w/Salsa/Lettuce/Cheese
OR
Rice & Black Bean Corn Taco Bowl (Order Entree #2)
Lettuce/Cheese/Salsa
Sweet Corn ~ Applesauce

Soup - Hearty Vegetable

The brown rice is a whole grain but rice has been found to contain significant amounts of arsenic  - so don't eat it every day and make sure you rinse it thoroughly multiple times and boil in extra water like you would pasta/ (Unfortunately, our cafeteria cannot take these extra steps.)

The black beans are canned and the ingredients are "BLACK BEANS, WATER, SALT, AND CALCIUM CHLORIDE" with 140mg of sodium. Cans do contain BPA.

The southwest-style chicken is a processed USDA commodity food 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.  I would skip the chicken.

 The bowl comes from Smokewood Foods. The ingredients are described just as "enriched masa flour" and they look like a big rectangular corn chip. They have 5g of fat and no sodium.

Cheese is Monterrey Jack. 

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

The soup is hearty vegetable and looks quite good. INGREDIENTS: Water, Diced Tomatoes, Red Onions, Mushrooms, Zucchini Squash, Yellow Squash, Carrots, Cabbage, Green Beans, Broccoli, Celery, Cauliflower, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Vegetable Base, Salt, Sugar, Maltodextrin, Corn Oil, Yeast Extra

What's for Lunch - Fri., 1/18

Our Pizza Bagels

MACARONI & CHEESE (Order Entree #1)
Barilla Plus Pasta with Wisconsin Cheddar
OR
Cup of Soup with Pizza Bagel (Order Entree #2)
Sauteed, Local Broccoli
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Grab n’ Go Apple Slices

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 Italian Wedding Soup. It has 7g of fat (2.5g saturated) and a whopping 920mg of sodium, 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], Chicken Flavor [Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor (Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat), Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols]), Water, Meatballs (Pork, Beef, Eggs, Bread Crumbs [Unbleached Wheat Flour, Salt, Yeast], Water, Romano Cheese [Sheep's Milk, Rennet, Salt], Dehydrated Onions, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Parsley, Spice), Spinach, Pasta (Wheat Flour, Water, Egg White, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Contains 2% or less of: Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sodium Phosphate), Modified Corn Starch, Olive Oil, Nisin Preparation, Garlic In Oil (Garlic, Soybean Oil, Water, Citric Acid [Acidifying Agent]) and Spices.

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).

The broccoli is fresh but more likely from California.

What's for Lunch - Thurs. 1/17

This Is Not Commodity Beef

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

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 Italian Wedding Soup. It has 7g of fat (2.5g saturated) and a whopping 920mg of sodium, 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], Chicken Flavor [Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor (Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat), Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols]), Water, Meatballs (Pork, Beef, Eggs, Bread Crumbs [Unbleached Wheat Flour, Salt, Yeast], Water, Romano Cheese [Sheep's Milk, Rennet, Salt], Dehydrated Onions, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Parsley, Spice), Spinach, Pasta (Wheat Flour, Water, Egg White, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Contains 2% or less of: Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sodium Phosphate), Modified Corn Starch, Olive Oil, Nisin Preparation, Garlic In Oil (Garlic, Soybean Oil, Water, Citric Acid [Acidifying Agent]) and Spices.

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.

Apple Week was Terrific!

This week, we gave out over 400 fresh, delicious Washington State Red Delicious apples. Available in the office, students dropped by over the past three days to pick one (or more!) up for snacks. Any thoughts? Please post a comment below.

What's for Lunch - Wed., 1/16

HOMEMADE CUTLETS!
Freshly-Breaded Chicken (Order Entree #1)
OR
Cup of Soup (Order Entree #2)
w/Smoked Turkey Wrap
Baked Sweet Potato Crinkle “Fries”
Fresh NY State Pear

Foe the cutlet, we use a USDA chikcen processed from Tyson.

he soup is Italian Wedding Soup. It has 7g of fat (2.5g saturated) and a whopping 920mg of sodium, 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], Chicken Flavor [Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor (Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat), Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols]), Water, Meatballs (Pork, Beef, Eggs, Bread Crumbs [Unbleached Wheat Flour, Salt, Yeast], Water, Romano Cheese [Sheep's Milk, Rennet, Salt], Dehydrated Onions, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Parsley, Spice), Spinach, Pasta (Wheat Flour, Water, Egg White, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Contains 2% or less of: Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sodium Phosphate), Modified Corn Starch, Olive Oil, Nisin Preparation, Garlic In Oil (Garlic, Soybean Oil, Water, Citric Acid [Acidifying Agent]) and Spices.

Turkey is Boar's Head. 

The "fries" are firies. The Crinkles are the french fry version of the sweet potato tater tots shown above 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.

Fresh pear. Like yesterday.  

What's for Lunch - Tues., 1/15

Italian Wedding Soup is the Soup of the Week

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

The soup is Italian Wedding Soup. It has 7g of fat (2.5g saturated) and a whopping 920mg of sodium, 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], Chicken Flavor [Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Natural Flavor (Chicken Powder, Chicken Fat), Yeast Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Natural Tocopherols]), Water, Meatballs (Pork, Beef, Eggs, Bread Crumbs [Unbleached Wheat Flour, Salt, Yeast], Water, Romano Cheese [Sheep's Milk, Rennet, Salt], Dehydrated Onions, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Natural Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Parsley, Spice), Spinach, Pasta (Wheat Flour, Water, Egg White, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Contains 2% or less of: Chicken (Chicken, Water, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Sodium Phosphate), Modified Corn Starch, Olive Oil, Nisin Preparation, Garlic In Oil (Garlic, Soybean Oil, Water, Citric Acid [Acidifying Agent]) and Spices.

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 fo 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. 

Fresh pear. 

What's for Lunch - Fri., 1/11

Chili con Kasha from Sample Day at Our School

CHILI CON KASHA  (Order Entree #1)
Toppings YOUR Way
(Cheese/Sour Cream)
OR
Cup of Soup w/1/2 Quesadilla (Order Entree #2)
Brown Rice
Carrot Crunchers with Dip
More Salad Bar Veggie Sides
Raisin Box

An Exciting Day for Lunch!

Back in November, our students had a chance to try chili con kasha on sample day. Click here for the ingredients, recipe and pictures from that event.  The vast majority of students who tried it liked it, and they can choose their own toppings.

If they go for the second entree, 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 black beans are canned and the ingredients are "BLACK BEANS, WATER, SALT, AND CALCIUM CHLORIDE" with 140mg of sodium.

Brown rice is a whole grain but as Consumer Reports recently reported, needs to be rinsed repeatedly and boild in excess water to remove the excessive arsenic now in rice. Unfortunately, our cafeteria is not set up to take these steps.

Carrrots are fresh but not organic-  but the (full-fat) ranch dressing they are served with is,

Raisins are domestic.