As we walked into our second school lunch advisory meeting last night, we were met with trays of breakfast items that are currently being served in our school district. In my eagerness to capture our entire journey of school food reform, I snapped a few photos, so that you can see the sugary, package-laden place that we are starting from.
Current school breakfast
I wondered if I should have hidden some boxing gloves in my purse, in case the battle over whether or not we would continue serving “Honey Buns” got heated… but was pleasantly surprised that it never got to that point. Instead, we were able to talk about the current nutrition guidelines and how we might like to see them changed. Our district staff encouraged us to set the bar higher for the nutrition standards of our food – and before our next meeting, we plan to consider how we would like them to place limits on sugar and sodium, two ingredients that were mysteriously missing from the guidelines.
Most of the parents and teachers on our committee are coming from the perspective that the school is an educational institution. As such, we need to set a good example of the types of foods that kids should be eating. The food service program should not model their choices on junk food because that sends the wrong message to students and their families. It would be a travesty if families focus their grocery dollars on donuts and sugar cereals, thinking that those “foods” must be okay, since they are served at school. It was with that logic that we nixed the Honey Buns, even though it had better nutrition than most of the other big-as-your-head muffins being offered. It would simply send the wrong message to families.
Disclaimer: We are not a bunch of radical Sweets-Haters. We believe…
- …in whole foods nutrition (aka – made from real ingredients that you recognize, with little processing).
- …treats should be eaten in moderation and not served as “the” main dish for breakfast.
- … that since most families provide more-than-ample supplies of sweets at home, they don’t need to be served as part of the school meal, as well.
Instead of promoting glorified junk food, we hope to promote some basic concepts about nutrition, similar to those that Michael Pollan wrote about in his newest book, Food Rules.
- Don’t serve foods if a 3rd grader can’t pronounce the ingredients
- Serve foods grown ON a plant, not those made or processed IN a plant
The nutrition standards that the school district is using are from what feels like the dark ages (2001). Fortunately, they are being modified – but we don’t know when the new ones will be available. In the meantime, we hope to set a higher standard. Currently, here are the minimum requirements for breakfast for children in the K-12 schools:
Minimum Requirements for breakfast: Grades K-12
It can only get better!
554 calories
Total Fat: not to exceed 30% in a week
Saturated Fat: less than 10% over a week
Protein: 10g
Calcium: 257 mg
Iron: 30 mg
Vitamin A: 197
Vitamin C: 12 mg
Notice that there are NO GUIDELINES for sugar, sodium or fiber.
Currently, the cereals that are being offered include Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes. Susannah, one of our parents, is a registered dietitian. She recommends that families buy cereals with under 5 grams of sugar and at least 3 grams of fiber. While Apple Jacks and Frosted Flakes are close to the sugar limit that she suggests, we couldn’t help but notice that sugar was the second ingredient listed. They also contained very little fiber, without which the cereals will not provide sustainable energy for our kids. We didn’t miss the irony that these uber-processed cereals post claims on their packaging to “reduced sugar” and “whole grains,” further misleading the students. She also pointed out that there are LOTS of other ingredients in these cereals, including food dyes and preservatives. We need to set an example for our students and their families that the fewer ingredients, the better!
And now for some amazing progress:
- Our food service director (Elena) says that she can get any cereal from Kelloggs or General Mills, so we encouraged her to switch to cereals containing more nutrition, such as: a corn or bran flake, shredded wheat and cheerios.
- After our last meeting, Elena noticed that we felt very strongly about offering several protein options for breakfast. She announced that her April breakfast menu will contain 3, yes THREE! protein choices: cheese sticks, sunflower seeds and a hard boiled egg.
- Now that we will be offering more protein choices, Elena no longer has to offer gigantic bread products (that count as 2 breads). She can now offer smaller bread servings and plans to order either a corn or bran muffin that is 1.8 ounces, instead of the sugar-laden 3 ounce (Costco-sized) behemoths that were offered before. I have never seen kids resist a mini-muffin! Hurray for progress!
- Other foods that will be part of the breakfast menu on a rotating basis: yogurt and granola, whole wheat bagels with cream cheese, and a smaller and healthier cereal bar, if we can find a good one.
- Oh, and one more thing. Say goodbye to chocolate milk at school! Don’t tell the kids that it’s my fault. (Did you know that each container of chocolate milk contains nearly as much sugar as the same sized serving of soda? Eeegads.)
Breakfast items we are currently happy with
On this positive note, I am turning in for the night. Tune in soon for further updates from tonight’s meeting.
Coming soon:
Our Central Kitchen Renovation + veggie bars. Plus High Tech Burritos may be on the horizon!
p.s.
We are making fantastic progress! Please share these posts on school lunch reform with anyone who is in our school district or with people who are interested in sparking change in their communities. It is my hope that we can collaborate and support each other, for the health of our children.
Here are related blog posts about our efforts:
- http://whatscookingblog.com/2010/03/05/san-rafael-school-district-task-force-on-school-lunch-1/
- http://whatscookingblog.com/2010/02/11/changing-school-lunches-its-not-an-option/
Thank you, Michelle, Excellent reporting!
There is sweet satisfaction in knowing our voices are being heard. We now need to observe how the kids are taking the changes and support and encourage the new protein choices. Breakfast is looking so much better. Lunch is next. What are thoughts on eliminating beef and pork in favor of hormone-free turkey and chicken?
Wow Michelle, this is truly amazing progress! You need your own tv show now
I am so proud, I know you are too!
Thanks Nicole! Our team is wondering if we are on candid camera – so many people before us have tried and failed. We hope our progress is real and not a joke!
I *love* that you’re taking this on (I keep forgetting to tell you). My sister and I can’t believe what they sell at the schools where we are, but don’t know how to do anything about it. Keep it up! It’s got to start somewhere and you are awesome!
I am truly excited about the progress already being made to our school food program. To see 3 protein choices everyday at breakfast is super. When I was telling my husband about it, my second grader piped in and said, “I want to eat an egg at school!”
Soon after our meeting I watched Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and was inspired at what work he is doing. It did hit home, however, his interest in having real cooked food for the kids and not just processed options. Unfortunately, cooking is not really an option for us (yet!) If you haven’t seen Food Revolution yet, you really should – on ABC.
http://abc.go.com/shows/jamie-olivers-food-revolution
Michelle,
You area doing a great job reporting on these meetings. And the pictures tell it all! It is a tedious process, but we all appreciate that you are taking such good notes and then letting everyone know how we are doing. The story needs to be told! And I agree, it is amazing that we have made some big changes in such a short period-ok it’s been a long time coming-but I guess the time is right. I am happily saying goodbye to the honeybun and Fruit loops.
I am encouraged that we can start turning our attention to lunch and fix some of the obvious issues…I am anxious to see the ingredient lists for the food that is being served right now. What is the meaning of “All Natural Chicken Nuggets”? All Natural has no legal meaning when it comes to food processing, and in my mind, chicken nuggets are chicken nuggets and don’t have a place on our menu. Let’s get some roasted chicken on the menu, maybe on a wheat bun? Is that too much to ask?
And yes, please watch Jamie Oliver if you get the chance. He is doing a lot of great work!!
Fabulous work Michele, and thanks to all the parents for your vision. I look forward to the new and improved breakfast options. Now for lunch.
What about a healthy bean/rice/cheese burrito- I know you’re all there!!
I made whole grain (1/2 corn 1/2 whole wheat) tortillas with sauteed sweet peppers (red and yellow) and low fat cheese- quesadillas in class with 2/3rd graders recently in one of my nutrition classes and they gobbled it all up. They actually assembled the quesadillas, I supervised and kept it safe. So easy and they loved the fresh veggies.
Karen H
I’ll take one, Karen! I saw something the kids were eating that resembled this. I think at least two days’ worth of protein should come from vegetarian sources. One from fish (?), the other two chicken or turkey. . . Tomorrow begins the new breakfast options–let’s all help the kids choose these new choices!
And I saw someone still drinking chocolate milk at school today…Let’s see what happens there.
Ok, I have posted a number of times, nothing is showing up. Cyperspace, cough it up!
Ok, one more time see if this will go through: I echo Jaime Oliver. Kids cannot identify a tomato, but they can identify tomato ketchup. They see how a chicken nugget is made, and THEY STILL WANT TO EAT IT. They do not know how to use a fork and knife, and the food stuff doesn’t require anything beyond a spork. We are raising a generation of morbidly obese, unskilled morons. On our tax money.
The guidelines do not have a requirement for sugar. Let that sink in.
Jaime Oliver went around asking the kids what they were eating at dinner. “Chicken” nuggets and “chicken” fingers. When I went skiing, the resort sold the school lunch to the kids: corn dogs, apples slices in a plastic bag, carrots nubs in a plastic bag, soda. This is the food people are eating, at home, at the slopes, at school, at the ballpark, at the fair, on the kids menu at any restaurant. I am glad we have support in recognizing the dangers of this diet. Does anyone remember what they ate in the movie, Soylent Green? I wonder if our kids would eat that if they saw how it was made.
Late to the table, as always, but you had me at Honey Buns, hon. Yowzer! That not-s0-happy snap of the morning treats at your school is something else.
Kudos to you for tackling school food reform in your community. But then I wouldn’t expect anything else from you. And good luck fighting the good food fight!
Exciting lunch news! Just stopped by our lunch room (Wednesday April 7) and saw that pizzas are no longer wrapped and heated in plastic! The hard boiled eggs are a huge hit and chocolate milk will be gone after spring break!
Michelle,
I am so happy you are there representing our children’s nutrition. No one I trust more than you on this subject. Thanks for all your hard work.
I actually ordered school lunch for my kids last week for the burritos!
Thanks everyone – your feedback means a lot to me! We are really excited with our progress!
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