Will Our School Lunches Be Swapped?

One of the highlights of the Obama administration was getting our school kids to eat healthier. Thanks to the President and the First lady , kids were subbing in fresh veggies for chips and spring water for soda.Will it change under the new Trump administration? That's what's worrying parents,

 Regular contributor Kim Severson, wrote about it in Wednesday's New York Times Food section. Many with schoolchildren are worried that their kids will be served unhealthy foods again and face the challenges of hypertension, obesity and diabetes at a young age. That may not be the case. The changes are supposed to be subtle. There are three areas of concern. The first is how much whole grain can be used in school lunches.Under Obama era rules, buns,pastas and other foods must be made from whole grain. This proves to be troublesome in the biscuit loving South and bagel loving New York metro area. Also truly whole wheat products can pose a problems. Whole wheat tortillas are impossible to fold and whole wheat pasta can get mushy and bland.Milk is another bone of contention. The Obama Administration allowed 1 percent fat milk but 0 per cent when it came to flavored. Under the new Secretary of the Agriculture, Sonny Perdue, 1% fat chocolate milk can now be served.The most important debate is the use of salt. Overuse of it is the cause of hypertension in kids as young as five.School districts will still have to watch the amount of sodium but not as aggressively as before.

Luckily kids are now savvy about what to choose thanks to regularly eating out with their parents.Gone are the slabs of mystery meat with roach studded mashed potatoes. A school cafeteria resembles a trendy Chipotle with  a build your own  meal approach.More progressive schools are experimenting with ordering food through apps while other serve customized subs, noodle bowls, and tacos. The days when prefab food being shipped in to cafeterias are waning. Many make their own pizza dough, salad dressings, and sauces.  When ingredients are shipped in , they are more natural, Beef and chicken are grass fed and antibiotic free. There are few to no artificial colors. Baked goods, long a staple in cafeterias, are being made with whole grains instead of the more traditional white flour.Sadly, though schools still can't rely on the federal government to improve food. Sure, there are more choices, thanks to kids being more multicultural and to their parents, yet the food is still bland. This may be due to to all the restrictions. School districts will have to take it upon themselves to come up with more flavorful breakfasts and lunches. However this is not the most important issue. Come next month there will be cuts to the Department of Agriculture's budget which means less funding for school meals.

School lunches have come a long way. Yet the Trump administration may bring them back to the days when they were unhealthy and bad for kids. Hopefully parents and kids will rebel against this.

Our Foodie Resolutions

Most New Year's resolution revolve around quitting vices and improving our lives.One of the best is modifying our diets.The benefits are legion and unlike smoking or drinking. Is surprisingly easy to do.It does take a will.Yet it also takes a way too and that way is just being a smirk eater and shopper. One of the easiest ways of amending your diet is just reading labels.Be aware of what is put into your food.Check not only how much calories and fat but also the percentages of vitamins and minerals that are in it.Also be familiar with natural and man made ingredients.The more the company uses whole grains and less preservatives ,the better the product.Another way to healthier living is buying organic.Most super markets now have extensive organically grown fruits and veggies .Start buying these and freely incorporate them into your daily diet.Choose whole grains breads and even flour.Seven grain breads actually taste better than just plain old white bread.Switch to these for sandwiches and morning toast.The same for rice.Nix the white kind and start giving your family brown wild rice.Again it's more flavorful and you and your family will actually like the switch. One of the biggest New Year's resolutions is forgoing snacks,both sweet and salty.Unfortunately this is broken by mid January.You don't have to give up snacking if you eat healthy.You can still have nibbles ,not just rich ones.Instead of potato chips ,try whole grain pretzels.Another idea is baked potato chips ,made without all that grease and oil.For dips sub in plain Greek yogurt and onion flakes for a healthy dip.Hummus is another great snack.It's high in protein and Vitamin B.Serve it with crudités or fresh made pita chips.Sweets are always on the must give up list.Instead of candy ,then re discover fruit.Enjoy oranges and tangerines right now and berries when summer comes.This is the year to discover the monk fruit which creates a natural sugar.You can buy it at any grocery and use it to sweeten teas and coffees.As for that bane of any diet, soda, get rid of it and sub in flavored seltzers. You have the bubble and taste but without all that sugary badness. Resolve to eat better in the new year.It's easier than you think , especially when you rediscover all the good basics like fruit and veggies.You'll not only rejoice but your body will too!

Start Them Young

Every little kid wants cupcakes and candy.It's hard to say no to a toddler or even a kindergartener who wants a treat.However most parents - and even grandparents are getting smart. The older folks are offering better snacks and rewards to the little ones. Hopefully that means a new generation who will have a healthier outlooks to both party foods and treats. One of the worst places for sugary snacks are birthday parties. Some school districts , especially in New Jersey have banned any kind of baked good and candy. most do this for allergies.Many kids do have milk and egg ones however some teachers believe that sugary birthday treats have no place in the classroom and just let the birthday boy or girl wear a crown or pick out the playground game of choice. as for your own you can organize a make your own pizza party using healthy toppings and whole wheat crusts. Another fun snack is kabobs, using free range chicken and small veggies like pearl onions and grape tomatoes. for sweets, try the ever popular banana chunks or orange slices (before serving , it's good to include an allergy list with the invite. you can plan accordingly then). At home, try to cut out colas and chips. If the kiss want soda think about getting a carbonator.This takes regular watervand carbonates it, giving it the desired fizz and bubble. Add fruit juice from your juicer as flavoring. also gets your tots and toddlers used to juiced fruits and veggies. There will be no unwelcome sugars and preservatives in their diets. Also ,instead of white flours , think about whole grains as lll. homemade nut butters which can be made are anotherbgood idea. Pepper strips and baby carrots are always a fun playground snack.As they get older think about giving them broccoli and cauliflower to nibble on as a snack.Sprinkle on herbs such as Rosemary or oregano for some spice. If you want healthy kids, then start them young on diets. good food ,healthy food is key to living well.The younger they know this, the better.