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It may surprise to some people but there are high schools with good food. Maybe when schools have bad lunches people should blame the cooks instead of nutrition requirements. I some people who make school lunches and I have tried leftovers. It was good food.
Where I went to high school the food wasn't that good because the cooks kept under cooking some of the food. So I blame them instead of the government.
This. I'm a cook in a jr./sr. high school cafeteria. Food is still prepared on premises by a full prep staff. We take pride in the food we prepare and serve every day. If I have to send out something that I feel isn't "up to par" (be it due to equipment malfunction, ingredients that failed to come in on the truck, time restraints such as bad weather delays), it really bothers me. What really angers me is the "reduced fat" meat product we are now forced to use in our burritos, tacos, and nachos...it is full of soy. The kids aren't eating my schoolmade burritos the way they used to. I can tell by the reduced numbers. Ditto the "beef crumbles (again, soy) used mostly in our meat pasta sauce and sloppy joes.
Before we were forced to adhere to the "healthy" guidelines, we offered an awesome ala carte station where we served a varying (cash only) menu including sausage and peppers, pierogi amd onions, stuffed peppers, buttered noodles, a baked potato bar, taco bar, hot dog bar, etc. We were forced to discontinue it. The kids and teachers miss it, but one addition that is now popular (but it took the students a while to get used to) is the salad bar we replaced it with. We stopped "forcing" kids to take a piece of fruit with their lunch when all the fresh oranges, bananas and apples ended up thrown in the trash.
Our sandwich and dinner rolls are still baked "from scratch" on premises, but the students do not like the whole wheat flour we are now forced to use. One enterprising student used to pick up cheap white hamburger rolls at WalMart before school and sell them to students (and teachers) who threw their wheat sandwich bun in the trash. Some of the "rules", in my opinion are absolutely insane...for instance, on "pasta" days, we are not allowed to serve the lower grades both pasta and garlic bread (too much starch), or rice with their taco or burrito (ditto).
Last edited by Mrs. Skeffington; 05-03-2017 at 03:14 AM..
I always tease my husband and call him a Michelle Obama because he's such a health freak who's phobic of any fats or sodium in his diet, even more liberal than I am (!), and wants to tax all 'unhealthy' food heavily.
Here's the war crime he made a mess in our kitchen to commit... I present to you, his LENTIL LOAF:
Recipe: Boil lentils. Smush together. Add a few onions smushed in. Bake.
I invite anyone to make this and put it in front of any child that's not actually physically starving to death.
See if they actually eat it.
Eating something that's good, but maybe not perfect in terms of nutritional content, is better than students not eating at all.
The lentil loaf looks awful, and sounds awful. The thing is, lentils are delicious in some things, just not as a replacement for meatloaf. If you like lentils, eat lentils because they are good, not as a substitute for beef. That's part of why some health food is so awful: people are trying to make it into something it's not.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wintergirl80
I think this is also about offering children food that not only is more processed, but heavily subsidized. Our government subsidizes corn, soy and wheat. Imagine how much more affordable/healthier school lunches would cost if fruit and vegetables were the foods subsidized?
There was a show on years ago with Jamie Oliver that helped schools provide healthier school lunches. It was an interesting show-- most of the lunch ladies never cooked one item from scratch. Almost all the food was frozen and processed, just heat and serve. Jamie taught the schools cooking from scratch was not only more affordable but healthier.
The argument shouldn't be a whole grain corn dog or refined grain corn dog....It should be about homemade lentil soup, beans/rice, fresh fruit, vegetables etc...
Get each school a garden, have the kids participate in growing/ harvesting veggies. Kids will eat those veggies.
You have touched on an important issue, I think. The school lunches I disliked as a child were disliked not because of any nutritional guidelines, I disliked them because they were badly prepared. Soggy, greasy pizza, overcooked vegetables, etc. The problem today is the same. The meals are not unpalatable because of the guidelines. When they are nasty, it's because they are badly made. I guarantee that I could take the new guidelines and, using care, proper seasoning, and fresh ingredients, prepare a meal that would make anyone's mouth water.
The lentil loaf looks awful, and sounds awful. The thing is, lentils are delicious in some things, just not as a replacement for meatloaf. If you like lentils, eat lentils because they are good, not as a substitute for beef. That's part of why some health food is so awful: people are trying to make it into something it's not.
You have touched on an important issue, I think. The school lunches I disliked as a child were disliked not because of any nutritional guidelines, I disliked them because they were badly prepared. Soggy, greasy pizza, overcooked vegetables, etc. The problem today is the same. The meals are not unpalatable because of the guidelines. When they are nasty, it's because they are badly made. I guarantee that I could take the new guidelines and, using care, proper seasoning, and fresh ingredients, prepare a meal that would make anyone's mouth water.
Good luck with that one! No one wants to pay for that.
I have a hard time getting excited on this issue. Kids learn their eating habits at home. Part of adulting, as parents, is learning how to prepare and like healthy food and modelling that at home. Loads of parents make their eating choices based on what they "like" not even thinking that you can change habits around what you "like". A truly disadvantaged kid without access to hardly any food at home is going to eat at school. And privileged kids who eat french fries at home are going to throw out healthy food. And parents and legislators can holler, yay! We get our friolators back. There is nothing to be done for it.
This. I'm a cook in a jr./sr. high school cafeteria. Food is still prepared on premises by a full prep staff. We take pride in the food we prepare and serve every day. If I have to send out something that I feel isn't "up to par" (be it due to equipment malfunction, ingredients that failed to come in on the truck, time restraints such as bad weather delays), it really bothers me. What really angers me is the "reduced fat" meat product we are now forced to use in our burritos, tacos, and nachos...it is full of soy. The kids aren't eating my schoolmade burritos the way they used to. I can tell by the reduced numbers. Ditto the "beef crumbles (again, soy) used mostly in our meat pasta sauce and sloppy joes.
Before we were forced to adhere to the "healthy" guidelines, we offered an awesome ala carte station where we served a varying (cash only) menu including sausage and peppers, pierogi amd onions, stuffed peppers, buttered noodles, a baked potato bar, taco bar, hot dog bar, etc. We were forced to discontinue it. The kids and teachers miss it, but one addition that is now popular (but it took the students a while to get used to) is the salad bar we replaced it with. We stopped "forcing" kids to take a piece of fruit with their lunch when all the fresh oranges, bananas and apples ended up thrown in the trash.
Our sandwich and dinner rolls are still baked "from scratch" on premises, but the students do not like the whole wheat flour we are now forced to use. One enterprising student used to pick up cheap white hamburger rolls at WalMart before school and sell them to students (and teachers) who threw their wheat sandwich bun in the trash. Some of the "rules", in my opinion are absolutely insane...for instance, on "pasta" days, we are not allowed to serve the lower grades both pasta and garlic bread (too much starch), or rice with their taco or burrito (ditto).
I agree with you on some things, and disagree on others. Not a fan of using soy as a meat substitute - lots of kids are allergic to it. There are other ways to reduce the fat content of meat-based meals.
It's amazing to me that kids throw out apples, oranges, and bananas. Those were favorite snacks when I was a kid. The ones who throw them away are probably the ones most in need of them, as they have undoubtedly been raised to think of chips and candy, and not fresh fruit, as a "treat." Not sure how one deals with that.
When it comes to grains, there's a place for everything. I've tried whole wheat pasta. I didn't care for it. Whole wheat hamburger buns are okay, I wouldn't throw them out, and I would WAY rather eat whole-grain bread than white, regardless of whether it is in a sandwich or on its own. There are other ways to offer whole grains, as well. One of my favorite side dishes in the world is a blend of whole grains, steamed in chicken broth with herbs and a little butter.
You say that it took people a while to get used to the salad bar, but they did, right? I think it could be the same with some of these other foods. If people would give them a chance, they might end up liking them, too. I absolutely think kids should be encouraged to eat more vegetables.
Overall, I am more disturbed by over-processed foods than I am by whole milk, butter, or just about any other "real" food. Remember when people thought margarine was they key to health?
There's room for improvement on both sides of this argument.
Our school district is one of those few that have meals cooked from scratch. They are NOT cheap (lunch is 3.75 in middle and high school). However, that's because their meat is antibiotic free, bulk milk is organic (if you are wondering what's bulk milk - it's milk poured out of a jar, rather than served in single-serve cartons), they have salad bar with fresh vegetables every day. They have vegetarian and gluten-free options each day.
But of course it's in crazy liberal Boulder.
My younger child loves school food: he eats salad out of the salad bar every day plus whatever is the regular main course (past marinara is his favorite). I've been to school while they served lunch, and it looks pretty good - I would eat some.
There is some pretty cheap junk that you can feed the kids that will be cheaper than a meal cooked from scratch. Canned vegetables will always be cheaper than fresh ones. However, some healthy options can be pretty inexpensive (cole slaw, for example, as long as you put about 1/4 of the amount of mayo that regular recipe is calling for). But who wants to think about that when we have corn syrup. You have to eat a lot of vegetables to get the same amount of calories as one table spoon of corn syrup has. So out with that crazy healthy stuff.
I don't think k $3.75 Is expensive.
It is $3.45 here for lunch that is not good.
About 6 years ago some districts here tried to do what is sounds like yours is.
With the fresh items and such. It turned out to be to expensive.
Years ago after middle school gym was no longer a mandatory credit class. This burning less calories.
I agree with you on some things, and disagree on others. Not a fan of using soy as a meat substitute - lots of kids are allergic to it. There are other ways to reduce the fat content of meat-based meals.
It's amazing to me that kids throw out apples, oranges, and bananas.
My daughter reports they are sometimes rotten and never what you would call fresh.
My daughter reports they are sometimes rotten and never what you would call fresh.
Well, then, let's deal with that on its own, and make sure that they ARE fresh, rather than just not making them available at all. That is not a nutrition guideline issue, it's a quality issue.
This. I'm a cook in a jr./sr. high school cafeteria. Food is still prepared on premises by a full prep staff. We take pride in the food we prepare and serve every day. If I have to send out something that I feel isn't "up to par" (be it due to equipment malfunction, ingredients that failed to come in on the truck, time restraints such as bad weather delays), it really bothers me. What really angers me is the "reduced fat" meat product we are now forced to use in our burritos, tacos, and nachos...it is full of soy. The kids aren't eating my schoolmade burritos the way they used to. I can tell by the reduced numbers. Ditto the "beef crumbles (again, soy) used mostly in our meat pasta sauce and sloppy joes.
Before we were forced to adhere to the "healthy" guidelines, we offered an awesome ala carte station where we served a varying (cash only) menu including sausage and peppers, pierogi amd onions, stuffed peppers, buttered noodles, a baked potato bar, taco bar, hot dog bar, etc. We were forced to discontinue it. The kids and teachers miss it, but one addition that is now popular (but it took the students a while to get used to) is the salad bar we replaced it with. We stopped "forcing" kids to take a piece of fruit with their lunch when all the fresh oranges, bananas and apples ended up thrown in the trash.
Our sandwich and dinner rolls are still baked "from scratch" on premises, but the students do not like the whole wheat flour we are now forced to use. One enterprising student used to pick up cheap white hamburger rolls at WalMart before school and sell them to students (and teachers) who threw their wheat sandwich bun in the trash. Some of the "rules", in my opinion are absolutely insane...for instance, on "pasta" days, we are not allowed to serve the lower grades both pasta and garlic bread (too much starch), or rice with their taco or burrito (ditto).
Great insight and great post.
I agree with everything you have said due to my first hand experiences also.
It's hard when you have a passion for your job and you can't exercise it due to govt restrictions.
In this case Michelle Obama's plan
Well, then, let's deal with that on its own, and make sure that they ARE fresh, rather than just not making them available at all. That is not a nutrition guideline issue, it's a quality issue.
Yes and when I was in school THANKFULLY the food was good!! (In the 80s)
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