School lunch (Full Version)

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JstAnotherSub -> School lunch (11/10/2012 3:53:57 PM)

With the new nutritional guidelines, it has been challenging coming up with menus that are affordable, students will eat, and that meet the guidelines.

Having finished the first semester, we are not trying to think of new ideas, and looking at the things that have been not so well received (picture ewwwwwwww yuckkkkkkk, I want my Otis Spunkmeyer cookies back!).

So, I am filling out the menu survey that was sent to all managers in my district, and I am coming up with a few ideas, but I need more.

Anyone? We need entrees and side dishes. We have access to many fresh fruits and veggies, but we need ideas that are kid friendly (I manage an elementary school).

So.......bring on the ideas that will make me look so great at the menu committee meetings!



DomKen -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:15:12 PM)

Apples and peanut butter
A green salad with nuts (maybe even candied nuts if the kids are extra relectant)
pizza w/ veggies (slice broccoli or zuchinni as thin as you can and put it under the cheese)
fresh fruit salad (slip in some nuts for protein and leave out the heavy syrup)

I guess the thing I'd do is keep in mind that kids tastes run toward what they need for their growing bodies and brains (sugars, fats and proteins). Getting them to eat bitter or sour flavors is usually the hard part so masking those flavors is likely the way to go. It probably doesn't help that it seems the day of the kid being told to clean his plate at home has ended.

Overall good luck and thank you for doing one of societies truly thankless tasks and trying to suceed at it.



OsideGirl -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:24:28 PM)

My grandmother made my lunches when I was kid. One of my favorites was a tomato stuffed with tuna salad....and just for me there were no onions or celery in the tuna salad.

I loved grilled cheese with ham or tomatoes with soup. Actually, I still do..but I'm not sure where that hit on the nutritional scale.



JstAnotherSub -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:34:01 PM)

We have kick ass entree salads, and the kids are eating more every day. One kindergarten class takes at least 10 per day. Their fav is grilled chicken, with a little fruit cup, usually grapes and a slice of orange, kiwi, and strawberry. We are trying to find a fruity vinaigrette that meets the guidelines to offer with that one.

We do have a grilled cheese sandwich, done on whole grain "Goldfish" bread, with tomato soup. It does better in cool weather, but they do eat it cause the bread is cool.

We are a nut free school, except for the wacko cafeteria manager, so that limits us. I hate it, because peanut butter is really a great protein for kids, and one that most will eat. We have a couple of serious nut allergies though, so the principal made that call.

We have been serving a squash salad, which is yellow and zucchini, sliced thinly, with cherry tomatoes and a homemade vinaigrette dressing. Not going over as well as we had hoped, so we tried adding just a bit of sugar to it. Time will tell.

We also got a bunch of butternut squash and baked it, using brown sugar, cinnamon and some white pepper. I handed out samples all during lunch that day, and it may make it to the menu.

Slicing the apples increases the number of kids who pick them up and eat them. Any tricks like that would be appreciated too.






Hillwilliam -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:42:50 PM)

It's getting that time of year. Orange wedges are usually popular with kids.



Aylee -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:45:41 PM)

Veggie fried brown rice?
WW quesaillas? Make your salsa (mild)
Apple slices and orange smiles.
Sweet potato fries.
Look at the boxes of hamburger helper for some ideas. But don't actually use HH.
Put cut up carrots in sauces for sloppy joes and s'ghetti instead of meat.
Go ask Aynne68, I think it is for some vegan recipies.
Carrot sticks.
Hashbrown cassarole.
Think of ways to make the food more fun.
Spinach quiche.
Slider sized sammies of all kinds.
Make your own beenie weenies with little smokies and kidney beans.
Can you bread and fry the veggies?
Carrot and zuchinni ww muffins.

I will try to think of a few more.



Toysinbabeland -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:47:52 PM)

How about whole wheat soft chicken tacos?



TheLilSquaw -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:57:40 PM)

ants on a log
baby carrots and or anything else that they can dip in a little ranch
tomato soup
chicken noodle soup
beans and rice that they can load with sour cream, olives, cheese and gauc
fruit salad w/ apples, oranges, grapes







Aylee -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 4:58:38 PM)

Rice bowls.
Nacho bowls.
Sweadish meatballs.



kitkat105 -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 5:12:52 PM)

Desserts: muffins (carrot/raisin; honeyoat; strawberry creamcheese); fruit salad; greek yoghurt/granola parfaits.

Stiryfry chicken or beef with honeysoy sauce - can jam pack this full of vegetables and can be large in a large quantities. Serve with brown rice.
Rainbow fried rice - all coloured peppers, brocoli, carrots, ham, egg - can also be made with brown rice.
Mini mixed vegetable & cheese calzones
Tempura vegetables





DeviantlyD -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 5:23:16 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: JstAnotherSub

<snip>

We have been serving a squash salad, which is yellow and zucchini, sliced thinly, with cherry tomatoes and a homemade vinaigrette dressing. Not going over as well as we had hoped, so we tried adding just a bit of sugar to it. Time will tell.

<snip>


Call it Brains and Zombie Eyes salad. Maybe stick in some tiny cheese wedges into the tomatoes to make them look like an iris?

Plus the stuff I sent you on the other side. :)



searching4mysir -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 5:28:41 PM)

quote:

We are a nut free school, except for the wacko cafeteria manager, so that limits us. I hate it, because peanut butter is really a great protein for kids, and one that most will eat. We have a couple of serious nut allergies though, so the principal made that call.


Can you do sunbutter as a peanut butter replacement? Sunflower seeds are neither nuts nor peanuts...



searching4mysir -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 5:30:06 PM)

FR

I have a carrot salad that is thinly sliced carrots and cucumbers with a dressing of honey, olive oil, lemon juice, and pumpkin pie spice



FelineFae -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 5:41:25 PM)

Fortified gruel ? i think Malt-O-Meal has impressive levels of folic acid and riboflavin. Cream of rice for the kids with wheat allergins ?
Also an onze of applesauce and a quarter of a multi-vit' tablet every 4 hours ?
Yes?[:)]



DarkSteven -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 6:07:37 PM)

Spaghetti. Using spaghetti squash.



DomKen -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 8:48:25 PM)

With nuts off limits what about cottage cheese as a protein? A scoop of cottage cheese and fruit is tasty and nutritious.

As to a fruity vinagrette, you could macerate strawberries or raspberries in white vinegar or use apple cider vinegar (I'm assuming there is no food service size raspberry vinegar).

You could make mashed potatoes but use parsnips or some other high starch veg in place of some or all of the potatoes (you can even puree cauliflower). Also roasted vegetables of all sorts are very tasty and quite different than other prepearations.



littlewonder -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 8:58:07 PM)

At the headstart that I volunteer at, for breakfast the kids get fruit and usually something like an energy bar or bagels. For lunch they get rice, fish sticks, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, breadsticks, baked boneless chicken, fruit again, fresh veggies, either steamed or baked. That's what i can think of off the top of my head. Yeah, the kids don't like everything they are served but they either eat it or starve until the parents pick them up. No breakfasts or lunches are allowed to be packed. If a child has an allergy, then the servers are told and that child is prepared something else.

ETA: No food is ever made to look "cute" or "fun". They are taught to eat what everyone eats so they don't become spoiled and then won't eat at home since most of them are from poor families. They also have to set up their own ware and serve themselves their own meals that are set on the table in big bowls or plates and must clean up their own messes all day long. You make a mess, you clean it. If you don't, you get to sit out until you do.





Silentrunner26 -> RE: School lunch (11/10/2012 9:35:13 PM)

Thank you for changing the menus . The last tuime I at at a shcool I took a bite of chicken nugget and almost got sick . My kids eat almost anything with ranch . The wheat chicken tacos made hungry so good luck .



AthenaSurrenders -> RE: School lunch (11/11/2012 1:21:53 AM)

All the kids I know love pasta bake. Just pasta shapes with a smooth tomato sauce (any kind of veggies can be blended into it) with cheese on top baked until brown. You could add tuna or ground beef if you wanted. A creamy risotto is nice and can have hidden vegetables in it. Cottage pie with carrot and swede mash. Mild curry?

Anything with a self-assembly element goes down well but I don't know if that would be practical. Like make your own wraps or something. Dipping platters of cut veggies, fruit, meat and crackers with a little pot of dip.



ShaharThorne -> RE: School lunch (11/11/2012 3:33:30 AM)

Some schools are going peanut butter free because of nut allergies of a few students. I no longer deal with the schools but my SIL does when she is not working and would have more info on it. When she gets a break, I would ask her.

I go for soft tacos myself. with flour tortillas. Corn tortillas and taco shells make me sick (must be because they are GMO or fried up in fat).



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