Four months down…
19 school lunches eaten:
(4 – pizza lunches)
(2 – burger-like lunches)
(4 – chicken lunches)
(2 – tex-mex lunches)
(1 – hot dog lunch)
(1 – pasta lunch)
(2 – cheese sandwiches)
(1 – bean burrito)
(1 – meatball sub)
(1 – chili)
…
(5 – carrots)
(3 – apples)
(3 – bananas)
(4 – beans)
(1 – orange)
(2 – green beans)
(2 – fruit jello)
(3 – tater tots)
(2 – corn)
(2 – fruit icee)
(1 – peas)
(0 – pears)
—
What I posted in April:
- Framing obesity – why it bothers me that “fat” has a spotlight when “nutrition” should be our focus
- I am anonymous -I wrote a little poem (for Poetry Month)
- Titanium Spork Awards
- “Here!” – discussion about school attendance
- Health update
- One vegetable breakthrough – what happened when I made a salad with my students
- Us AND Them – how we need to work together to do better for the kids at lunch
- Anonymity, ads and Mr. Q
- Feedback – I wanted your comments on the blog
- Summer plans
Guest bloggers:
- Janet Poppendieck from Free For All
- Lunchables
- Texan mothers: Part 2 – Daycare foods
- School food manufacturer
- Korean school lunches
- French school lunches
- Lunch lady Q and A
- Cafeteria noise
- Healthy beginnings for kids
- Food service director on “Thaw and Serve” lunches
- From a student’s perspective
- School composting programs
- A high school teacher steps up
- Homework and obesity
- Meatless Monday
- Chef Tim Cipriano
- Farming perspective
- Culinary science class
Open threads (where you can share your thoughts on a topic):
What I learned about myself:
I’m still in shock I’ve lasted this long (and that you are still reading all about it)!
In response to your comments, I have laid off the comments about my “paranoia” about being found out and losing my job. You know what? Doing that has actually made me feel less nervous. The danger is not less real, but I have loosened up and it feels less restrictive. It feels good.
I’m definitely not getting enough sleep. I’m working on the blog from 8pm to 11pm every weeknight and I’m really wiped out. I’m going to back off some of the posting (not the daily lunch post) and try to get more rest.
Coming in May: More school lunches, more guest bloggers (email me if you want to participate), more of the same (as long as I’m still employed — couldn’t resist adding that)!
http://www.momlogic.com/2010/05/cheese_sandwich_banned_from_uk_preschool.php#ixzz0mzq6EeJ9
I thought this might interest you.
I have been thinking about what a big job this has become for you and how overwhelming that might be. While I am very appreciative of your devotion to this project and greatly admire all that you have accomplished, I am really glad to see you are going to take time to rest. You deserve it. You totally rock, Mrs. Q! Thank you for all you've done and all you continue to do.
Mrs. Q,
Thanks for all you're doing, I'm a mom & a teacher too, and I just can't imagine how you're accomplishing all that you've done. Kudos!
With all of these conversations about food, I can't help but link these topics to genetically engineered crops,and the risks they pose for people, specifically our kidos. From what I'm understanding there are no regulations currently for genetically engineered crops and no requirements on packaging for foods that contain genetically engineered crops. I'm very interested to know what others think as well as information about this topic. I'm learning more about the seed industry and how these big corporations that control seeds, control our food as well. Round-up (a herbicide) resistant seeds are common on most farms and many corporations are going furthur in tweaking the genetic make-up of seeds – and patenting that as well! How can you own a living thing and it's offspring?! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Amber: check out Marion Nestle's blog this week on Round-Up resistance. She is a wealth of knowledge on this subject.
http://www.foodpolitics.com/2010/05/oops-weeds-are-developing-resistance-to-roundup/
food for thought on this topic: in the US there is no regulation for labeling GM foods. They exist in SO many foods without our knowledge The European Union will not allow any GM foods to be grow or imported . . .
I'm glad to see that more people in America are raising the awareness of the horrible diets that most people are consuming each day. I just started watching "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" on abc.com and it's amazing the kind of stuff that these schools try to sneak past the USDA food regulations for young children. Very laughable!
While I don't believe you're posting too much in addition to the lunch posts, I think you could really post less and not lose readers at all. It's awesome you are so driven and motivated to post so much stuff, but you have to keep it at a sustainable level!
I was just going through some of your older posts and it got me thinking…You mention that the children usually only eat the main meal, and the "goodies" but they throw out the rest, mainly the fruit and veggies.
This reminded me of one of the episodes from "Food Revolution" when Jamie asked the teachers to suggest to the children to at least try everything on their plates, and it seemed some of the children started enjoying eating the fruits and veggies…
It also reminded me of when one of the teachers asked her entire class to only grab the regular milk instead of the flavored milks, and they all listened.
Maybe you should suggest to your class to eat the fruit or veggie, or some such thing like that, and see what happens? The power of suggestion is very strong!