tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post5533246944891870408..comments2024-02-13T17:18:33.498-05:00Comments on Better D.C. School Food: Serving Cheap Calories from SugarEd Bruskehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12217850970833353800noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-34829934072011969202010-09-05T08:13:58.155-04:002010-09-05T08:13:58.155-04:00Ed: This is why HISD is so reliant on animal and ...Ed: This is why HISD is so reliant on animal and graham crackers in our breakfast. COOKIES for breakfast! http://www.thelunchtray.com/the-end-of-graham-crackers-for-breakfast/Bettina at The Lunch Trayhttp://www.thelunchtray.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-28994863986644736152010-09-04T11:25:50.908-04:002010-09-04T11:25:50.908-04:00The USDA sets minimum calorie levels for school br...The USDA sets minimum calorie levels for school breakfast at 554 calories. Typically local entities are not allowed to usurp federal regulations (that is, a state or school district can't weaken federal regs, just strengthen them) and while mandating a lower minimum for calories seems like it would be "strengthening" the policy, currently it would be viewed as "weakening" it because the intent of the USDA was to ensure that students eating school meals received at least a certain minumum percentage of their daily caloric requirements for the day through school meals. All of this may change with the new child nutrition reauthorization, and the former minimums for calories may become maxiumums instead (currently there is no maximum level for calories in either school breakfast or lunch.) The 388 calories you mention is the federal minimum for preschool breakfast only; by Kindergarten the federal minimum is 554.<br /><br />However, I am not that familiar with the situation in DC - because of its unique status as not really being a "sate", perhapos they are allowed to circumvent USDA regs in this matter and establish their own minimum standards for calories?Dana Woldownoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-10461328792164402022010-09-03T14:24:01.258-04:002010-09-03T14:24:01.258-04:00Great reporting Ed. Seems like an opportunity to ...Great reporting Ed. Seems like an opportunity to add a banana, carrot, or something along those lines. I'm sure those would put it over budget. BTW great to hear you on Kojo. We're waiting in the wings!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269691281202105289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-51587692517207414332010-09-03T13:37:54.950-04:002010-09-03T13:37:54.950-04:00That plate sure could use some color! Maybe a smo...That plate sure could use some color! Maybe a smoothie? I don't know cost or calorie count or even if schools could do it. Blend the cottage cheese (or maybe yogurt) with oj, berries and even some greens (I do this with my kids and they don't mind them this way), add some whey and you would have a protein rich, colorful, drink to balance the lack of color on this plate. As an added bonus, the kids might even eat the cottage cheese (because my guess is that those calories went in the garbage anyway).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041351940135831902.post-88020902171252760902010-09-03T12:48:52.571-04:002010-09-03T12:48:52.571-04:00Let's see:
A hard boiled egg has 70 calories,...Let's see:<br /><br />A hard boiled egg has 70 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and 6 grams of protein. No appreciable sugar.<br /><br />Unfortunately, most kids probably won't eat the yolk but at least on paper that would work (and in practice the kids would at least get some protein from those egg whites)<br /><br />Apple with Peanut Butter (or sunbutter)<br />apple: 55 calories, 11 grams sugar (but better to get it from real fruit) 2.5 grams of fiber<br />2 tbsp peanut butter: 188 calories, 8 grams protein, 1.9 grams of fiber, 16 grams fat. My kids love this combination and can eat it pretty quickly if the apple is sliced. Maybe switch the peach for an apple to save on cost for duplicate fruit. (Can you get local apples?) Sunbutter nutrition is pretty similar, with 200 calories, 16 grams of fat, 4 grams of fiber.<br /><br />String cheese: 70 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein. (Perfect fit, really)<br /><br />Larger portion of cottage cheese, possibly offer with some kind of fruit topping to make up missing calories. Even if it's somewhat sugary at least it would have some fat and protein in the cheese to accompany it.Tacomamamahttp://www.tacomamama.comnoreply@blogger.com