Food Fighters
We are the parents and teachers asking that our kids nutritional health be taken into consideration when meal planning for a whole school. Gut health is brain health. We understand that the USDA has their whole grain and dairy quota that we must meet in order for school lunches to be federally funded. However, we also know that whole grain doesn’t have to mean prepackaged bread that doesn’t go bad for months. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more that 25g of sugar a day, to avoid diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver and tooth decay. The packaged banana bread your kid is offered every morning before going to class has 24g of sugar, the blueberry muffin has 16g. This is all being served alongside Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Corn Pops and washed down with apple juice.
We want to state just how important free school lunch is for so many kids throughout Maine and how grateful we are for this State and Federal funding but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to ask that the bar be raised. A few fruits and vegetables offered doesn’t make up for the sugar content, preservatives, pesticides and inflammatory ingredients in all the other foods. These kids have spent the last 3 years avoiding a pandemic, their health matters. They deserve better and the parents and teachers do too.
And yes, most kids will choose chocolate milk over regular milk and fries over salad but there are ways to make whole food delicious and appealing. Make your own tacos for example.
Also, proper digestion requires slow eating, give these little kids time to practice good eating habits while they socialize. Both are super important!
Nothing is impossible with some creativity and effort.
Send us your ideas!! We think a lot is possible with a team of volunteers willing to help the food director and lunch ladies. Here’s a few of our ideas.
Breakfast ideas
GF waffles
GF oatmeal with toppings bar
GF cereal
Locally made muffins, bagels, breads
Freshly blended fruit/ veggie smoothies
Lunch ideas
Kids love autonomy, choice and getting to create and compare their food creations with friends. Any kind of buffet bar allows for that.
Make your own taco /salad bar (beef, chicken, rice, beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, onions, salsa, peas, sunflower seeds, salad dressing, tortillas.
Make your own mezze plate (hummus, tahini, rice, cucumbers, carrots, falafel, olives, naan, pitas).
Make your own Asian rice bowl (rice, quinoa, farro, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, onions, steak, chicken, rice, soy sauce, sesame oil).
Make your own Breakfast at lunch (GF waffles, GF pancakes, crepes, chicken sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, bagels, smoked salmon, cream cheese, oranges, berries).
Make your own sandwich (bread, bagels, pita pockets, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, avocado, onions, sliced ham, sliced turkey, sliced cheese, jam, sunflower butter, pesto, hummus, cream cheese).
Make your own pasta (hot fresh pasta, parm cheese, pesto, red sauce, red meat sauce, sautéed veggies).