<p>There is quite a difference in nutritional value in the lunches.</p>
<p>[American</a> Lunchroom: What Our Kids Eat At School](<a href=“http://www.americanlunchroom.com%5DAmerican”>http://www.americanlunchroom.com)</p>
<p>If you think that is disturbing, check this out
[Old-hen</a> meat fed to pets and schoolkids - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-hen-meat-school-lunch_N.htm]Old-hen”>http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-hen-meat-school-lunch_N.htm)
[Fast-food</a> standards for meat top those for school lunches - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-school-lunch-standards_N.htm?obref=obinsite]Fast-food”>http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-school-lunch-standards_N.htm?obref=obinsite)</p>
<p>MamaLilly, those links are disturbing…</p>
<p>I’m just going to highlight one paragraph…</p>
<p>"For chicken, the USDA has supplied schools with thousands of tons of meat from old birds that might otherwise go to compost or pet food. Called “spent hens” because they’re past their egg-laying prime, the chickens don’t pass muster with Colonel Sanders KFC won’t buy them and they don’t pass the soup test, either. The Campbell Soup Company says it stopped using them a decade ago based on “quality considerations.”</p>
<p>That is why I insist my kids pack their lunches :(</p>
<p>That movie that was done about the guy who ate Mc Donalds for every meak —
in the scholastic version of the DVD there was a school that completely changed its meals–</p>
<p>no processed stuff…etc etc
It was a school for kids who had issues–and not surprisingly – the academics improved and so on…</p>
<p>When I substitute teach–I do not eat the food in the cafeteria–(public system) Its all salt, fat and empty processed carbs…
a typical meal is a small quesadillia with cheese, tater tots, canned corn…</p>
<p>Doesn’t this belong in the Cafe?</p>
<p>Food is very important for children’s educational needs. I don’t care which forum this thread ends up.</p>
<p>“no processed stuff…etc etc
It was a school for kids who had issues–and not surprisingly – the academics improved and so on…”</p>
<p>The following is disgusting…</p>
<p>"When I substitute teach–I do not eat the food in the cafeteria–(public system) Its all salt, fat and empty processed carbs…
a typical meal is a small quesadillia with cheese, tater tots, canned corn… "</p>
<p>dstark - I surmise that “Jessica” left some food off her tray. Certainly school lunch hamburgers don’t come with ketchup and mayo, she would have put that there.
As for the pear - a fresh one is better than canned.</p>
<p>School lunches are overseen by the dept of ag. All public schools are required to do a nutritional analysis of their lunch menu according to pretty strict guidelines.</p>
<p>Now, schools lunchs might not be the tastiest - it’s not gourmet. But it is nutritious and far more nutritious than what some kids pack.</p>
<p>Just anecdotal evidence here.</p>
<p>I’m a senior and I will say that the school “lunch” is very healthy. It is a milk, vegetables, a fruit, a small desert(normally pudding or graham crackers) and an entree. However, the majority of kids do not buy lunch, they buy “extras” instead. </p>
<p>These extras are literally French Fries, Tacos, Stuffed crust pizzza, etc…and some kids buy them every day…that’s where it gets really bad</p>
<p>Lunch today in the elementary school in my district is:
Chicken nuggets
mashed potatoes and gravy
Tomatoes, cucumbers and peaches (fresh)
Milk.</p>
<p>About 30% of calories are from fat, 20% of calories from protein and 50% of calories from carbs. No transfats allowed.
Kids in the high school have a wider menu selection and all kids have a salad bar available.</p>
<p>I applaud the effort that the dept of ag and schools are making to offer more fresh fruits and vegetables and decreasing the amount of fat. It is very challenging to feed kids en masse (some schools don’t have a kitchen) within the budget and nutritional guidelines of the federal free and reduced lunch program.</p>
<p>According to the links provided, the strict guidelines don’t seem that strict to me.</p>
<p>The quality of the food doesn’t look too good to me. Where does that chicken come from? The beef? And you’re right… Maybe healthy food choices exist, but do the kids choose those items?</p>
<p>The chicken comes from chicken. The beef comes from cows. </p>
<p>It is true that commodity foods are sometimes used. These foods may not be the tastiest but they are safe and nutritious. They allow millions of kids to receive two nutritious meals per day (breakfast and lunch).</p>
<p>Since when are chicken nuggets healthy?
And mashed potatoes and gravy? All from powder, loaded with salt.</p>
<p>The grilled cheese sandwich at my D’s MS is more than disgusting. It stinks in the whole cafeteria when they are getting it ready. It comes pre-packaged in foil, loaded with something not to make it soggy after re-heating.
When I went to school, many, many years ago, our lunch ladies were cooking from scratch. Nothing fancy, but potatoes were real boiled potatoes, stews were real stews. We were served soups every second day , also made from scratch.
I bet that the school would save money by buying fresh produce and cooking own meals, even after hiring extra personel needed to acomplish that.</p>
<p>For all of you nugget lovers, read on:
<a href=“http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/jul/08/bse.foodanddrink[/url]”>http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2002/jul/08/bse.foodanddrink</a></p>
<p>Bon appetit ;)</p>
<p>Some of the chicken in schools comes from chickens that Campbell’s Soup wouldn’t use.</p>
<p>Some of the beef comes from beef that Jack in the Box wouldn’t use.</p>
<p>I’m not a big fan of Jack in the Box…so if the beef used in schools isn’t good enough for Jack in the Box…</p>
<p>Some beef used in hamburgers in America is treated with ammonia. That doesn’t sound healthy to me either.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us/31meat.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/us/31meat.html</a></p>
<p>Chicken nuggets are baked not fried anymore. No fried foods in schools. They are made of chicken that is breaded. The breadcrumbs are enriched - same as bread.
The potatoes are made from potatoes. Same nutrients as a potato. </p>
<p>You are right that hardly any “cooking” is done in a school cafeteria anymore. It is far cheaper to buy foods that have been processed - i.e. pre-cooked and frozen. These foods were not available 40 years ago. The school lunch program has $$$ limitations. Parents don’t want to spend $5 for a school lunch for their kid.<br>
The goal is to feed a lot of kids for few $$$ and do it nutritionally.<br>
Commodity food is the same food that is offered at food banks and other institutions by the government. They don’t pick out the bad stuff for the kids.</p>
<p>If you are really concerned go to your local public school and visit their cafe. See what they serve and what the kids eat. Look on the website at the menus.
School cafeteria are generally not supported by tax dollars - ours are not. The kids who eat their plus the money from free/reduced lunch make up sole support of the cafe including the lunch “ladies”.</p>
<p>Some of the chicken in schools comes from chickens that Campbell’s Soup wouldn’t use.</p>
<p>So what? it was used when you were a kid and probably used in store brand soup. It is not nutritionally inferior.</p>
<p>Well, like I said, I would rather pack their lunches ;)</p>
<p>“It is not nutritionally inferior.”</p>
<p>Fine…I’m not into feeding my kids ammonia laced meat. Or food fit for dogs.</p>
<p>dstark, I would not worry about ammonia too much (it is as natural as it gets :)), what I would worry is the counterion of ammonium salts if those are used. Nitrites, anyone?</p>
<p>While to us CC gourmands this sounds horrible and inedible, the meals are way better than some stuff some of the schoolchildren would otherwise get for lunch and breakfast - hunger. I’m not saying that there is no room for improvement.</p>
<p>“While to us CC gourmands this sounds horrible and inedible, the meals are way better than some stuff some of the schoolchildren would otherwise get for lunch and breakfast - hunger.”</p>
<p>That is true.</p>
<p>I wonder…what is in the meat that Jack in the Box refuses to serve?</p>