Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project

[MissScripture]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='15 June 2010 - 11:44 PM' timestamp='1276659866' post='2129658']
Mmmmm... coagulated milk.

Switching to whole-wheat pasta was one of the easiest adjustments. The texture was a little different but otherwise...

I would love to use real maple syrup, but it costs a fortune. I still have not decided what to do about that. We've done fruit, applesauce, yogurt, etc on whole-wheat pancakes, but we all miss syrup. I'm looking for a brand that does not have HFCS or splenda (I don't like splenda)...
[/quote]
What brand of whole-wheat pasta do you buy? I've found some to have kind of a bitter aftertaste, but some are fantastic. Unfortunately, I can't remember which brands are which.

As far as maple syrup goes, I know my grandma used to always make it something like this: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/simple-maple-syrup/Detail.aspx
Not exactly HEALTHY, but better than who knows what that the processed stuff has in it. And pretty cheap, too.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='MissScripture' date='16 June 2010 - 12:54 AM' timestamp='1276660481' post='2129670']
What brand of whole-wheat pasta do you buy? I've found some to have kind of a bitter aftertaste, but some are fantastic. Unfortunately, I can't remember which brands are which.

As far as maple syrup goes, I know my grandma used to always make it something like this: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/simple-maple-syrup/Detail.aspx
Not exactly HEALTHY, but better than who knows what that the processed stuff has in it. And pretty cheap, too.
[/quote]
We buy almost all our food from Aldis, so we use their healthy fit and trim pasta. With two athletes, food is NOT cheap otherwise.

[ThePenciledOne]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='16 June 2010 - 12:36 AM' timestamp='1276659419' post='2129650']
Start with the whole wheat noodles. You can add tuna and soup and make a casserole, or broccoli- cauli-carrots and italian dressing to make pasta salad.

Throw out all the processed cereal and go back to oatmeal with fruit. Make the whole wheat pancakes and add fresh fruit or honey or REAL syrup.

Chop up fresh carrots and cook in butter and a spoonful of honey. Add coagulated milk to broccoli and cauliflower.
[/quote]

I am saving this.

I am going to eat like this when I am on my own......and maybe grow a garden

[XIX]

[quote name='homeschoolmom' date='15 June 2010 - 08:49 AM' timestamp='1276602577' post='2129196']
Interesting. "School lunch" has always confounded me. I'm really torn on the whole idea of it, honestly. It's waaaay over-regulated to the point that some of what they do just doesn't make sense. We watched "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" last spring and learned a little about some of the ridiculous regulations. Things like offering an "optional" salad (which NONE of the students took) qualified as a vegetable. French fries, of course being the second vegetable. Offering high calorie junk vs. lower calorie, quality food because if it doesn't hit the right calorie mark, the meal does not qualify as a reimbursable meal by the federal government. (Most kids in the US are not suffering from low caloric intake... )

I don't understand the whole idea of offering hot meals every day. If the idea is to keep low-income kids from going hungry, why not offer a sandwich on whole wheat (which can vary from tuna, turkey, ham, che[i][/i]ese, etc for variety), piece of fruit (rather than a cup of fruit in HFCS) small salad (or carrot sticks) on the side, and white milk.... every day. That's it! No spaghetti... no chicken nuggets... no french fries... If kids are hungry, they will eat it. They will learn to like it. If they don't, they can bring something from home.
[/quote]
I had a tuna sandwish, a banana and animal crackers every day for lunch. Sometimes I had a dry bagel or a ham sandwish instead of the tuna sandwich. Reason I didn't eat anything else during lunch was because I had track practice after school every day, which I took quite seriously. I didn't want to eat anything that I would be feeling later that day, and with only 2-3 hour to digest food before I started running, I was behooved to stick with simple foods. I tend to run best on an empty stomach.

I survived. I enjoyed the food because I was hungry.

Also, whole wheat pasta is great. After you get used to it it's really better than regular pasta. More texture, more substance, more excuses for your taste buds to get all happy.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='ThePenciledOne' date='16 June 2010 - 12:59 AM' timestamp='1276660756' post='2129676']
I am saving this.

I am going to eat like this when I am on my own......and maybe grow a garden
[/quote]


There are many ways to eat well on a budget. If you want a small garden in a very small space find a copy of "The Square Foot Gardener", you will be amazed what you can do in 4' x 4' ft.

[Sojourner]

HSmom: I get my maple syrup at Trader Joe, where you can buy large bottles for relatively cheap prices. I am now a syrup snob, and seriously dislike anything but maple syrup. There's not one particularly close to you (I think the closest is at 35E and Randolph), but maybe you can incorporate a visit with something else you're doing.

I have a husband who is a picky eater, and who doesn't like vegetables, so I've bought a couple of cookbooks with recipes that "sneak" veggies in in weird ways, or have healthier versions of things like chicken nuggets. I honestly haven't tried many of the recipes yet, though, partly because they seem like more work and partly because his preferences are so unpredictable right now. We are better off sticking with old standards for the moment but I really do want to try stepping it up a few notches.

I love to cook, but cooking healthily is kinda a chore because it requires more thought and planning since I'm not used to doing it. I think if I made myself do it for a couple of months, it would get easier. The real trick for me is making things that my husband will like and will eat, because I find it really hard to put a lot of effort into cooking food if I'm the only one who will eat or enjoy it.

[Archaeology cat]

Yeah, you use a lot less syrup when you get the real stuff.

You can always use sites like [url="http://www.recipepuppy.com/"]recipe puppy[/url] to find recipes using things you have on hand. [url="http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/SimpleMeals.do"]Publix[/url] has good recipes, too. I used to get a veg bag delivered to me, and that forced me to figure out various ways of preparing veg.

Oh, we've started making our own bread now, too. For the sandwich loaf I just use the bread machine, but I do rolls & such by hand. That was I'm in control of how much salt, sugar, etc is used.

I'll also take menu ideas. I have a 2-4 week rotation I generally use, and switch things up occasionally, but I'm always looking for new things to try.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' date='16 June 2010 - 07:10 AM' timestamp='1276686648' post='2129795']
Yeah, you use a lot less syrup when you get the real stuff.

You can always use sites like [url="http://www.recipepuppy.com/"]recipe puppy[/url] to find recipes using things you have on hand. [url="http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/SimpleMeals.do"]Publix[/url] has good recipes, too. I used to get a veg bag delivered to me, and that forced me to figure out various ways of preparing veg.

Oh, we've started making our own bread now, too. For the sandwich loaf I just use the bread machine, but I do rolls & such by hand. That was I'm in control of how much salt, sugar, etc is used.

I'll also take menu ideas. I have a 2-4 week rotation I generally use, and switch things up occasionally, but I'm always looking for new things to try.
[/quote]
I got a bread machine for mother's day and I love it. We haven't really used the bread for sandwiches, though... just pretty much eat it straight with butter or pb on top. I don't really have a good bread knife. I have a good "make ahead" recipe for muffin mix that I've really liked. I just store it in the fridge and when I want to make muffins, it's there. It's not over-the-top healthful, but I know what's in it. Here it is:


[b]Muffin Mix[/b]

8 cups flour (whatever combination of wheat and all-purpose you prefer-- I like 50/50)
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg

Combine all ingredients. Place in airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. Use within 6-8 months.


[b]Muffins[/b]

2 3/4 cups muffin mix
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/3 cup melted butter or oil

Combine wet ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Batter should be lumpy. If desired, fold in 1 cup dried fruit, diced peaches, blueberries, 1/2 cup banana, etc. Fill greased muffin pans. Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Makes 12 large muffins.

Optional topping: Mix some oatmeal, brown or white sugar and butter and sprinkle over tops before baking.

I love these. My kids like them to varying degrees.

[Archaeology cat]

Totally making those muffins. Thanks!

I end up making bread at least 3x/week. I should get a better bread knife, but I make do with what I have for now.