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Find Out Why Denver Gave Cafeteria Food a Gourmet Makeover

Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Image by my_amii via Flickr

Students walking into cafeterias across Denver may see a surprise when they return to school. Instead of mushy veggies and bread-battered chicken nuggets, students will have the choice of fresh-cut fruit and healthy entrees, including salads hold the wilted lettuce. Not only will the food have better nutritious value, Denver has brought in professional chefs to train cafeteria workers so the food will look appealing. Mixing a rainbow of colors into fun-looking treats will hopefully encourage kids to eat a serving of fruit with each meal. To match the gourmet makeover, 600 cafeteria staff members turned in aprons and hair nets for chef gear, including hats and coats.

While the school district is optimistic about the change, some workers are skeptical about whether the effort will increase the number of students choosing to eat cafeteria food. For many people, cafeteria food carries a negative connotation. School lunches became a topic of debate as a probable cause for the increase in childhood obesity affecting kids, but one worker points to the number of sack lunches she sees on a regular basis. The “homemade” lunches contain processed foods like Lunchables and chips. It’s also common to see desserts and pop. Few sack lunches have actual fruit in them.

With the new makeover, the school district hopes to convert some of the students from bringing their lunch to getting a more nutritional meal through the school. According to some cafeteria cooks, the new menus will take longer to prepare but will be closer to what they would make at home for their own families. While workers and the school district didn’t reveal how the makeover will affect the cost of lunch on a daily basis, some parents are excited about the change. One parent said, “I pay more for organic food, so why wouldn’t I pay more for a better meal for my child?” Another parent hopes the change will save him time. He said, “If the schools prepare better food, I won’t have to pack my son’s lunch every morning.” If the transition goes well, other school districts may follow suit.

Filed Under: Child Care, Health, Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

Food Management Magazine Honors Texas Children’s Hospital

The National Health Service Norfolk and Norwic...

Each year, Food Management magazine awards noncommercial foodservice providers for exceptional accomplishments or innovation in the industry. The competition considers a variety of areas within foodservice, such as planning for special events, wellness initiatives, convenience retailing, facility design, and new menu items. In 2010, the editorial staff at the magazine evaluated more than 150 entries according to predetermined criteria for the competition. Judges looked at the impact of the achievement, evaluated the effectiveness of it, considered its impact on other organizations or areas, and examined the innovation in comparison to standard practices. After judging the entries, the magazine award Texas Children’s Hospital with the 2010 Best Concept award for the hospital’s Beanie Club program.

The Beanie Club program helps staff members at the hospital teach patients about food nutrition and its relation to health. As part of its initiative, the program helps families and patients pick more nutritious items from the menu through a reward program. When families purchase seven Beanie Club selections from the menu, the hospital rewards their healthy decisions with a free meal. To advertise the program, the hospital designed a green bean mascot, featured on promotional materials throughout the facility. The judges felt the program was, “especially appropriate in a juvenile acute care setting.” The magazine recognized the hospital for offering better choices for patients who often have to stay at the hospital for long periods of time due to serious childhood health issues.

The latest award only helps to confirm Texas Children’s Hospital as the exceptional facility that it is. The nationally recognized hospital is one of the top 10 facilities for children’s medical needs, according to U.S. News and World Report. It offers one of the largest pediatric care networks in the nation and has branches throughout the Houston area. In 2010, the hospital embarked on a $1.5 billion project, called Vision 2010, through which the hospital will add a neurological research institute, a suburban-based hospital, and a high-risk-birth obstetrics facility.

Filed Under: Child Care, Health, Nutrition, Pediatrics Tagged With: , , ,

Discover Reasons to Meet With a Breastfeeding Consultant

AVENT isis breast pump breastfeeding breast mi...

Many new mothers receive information on the benefits of breastfeeding, which can include a reduction in the development of allergies, better emotional development later in life, and less illness due to antibodies in breast milk. For some mothers, breastfeeding is a natural choice. It cuts down on the expense of having a newborn because families won’t have to buy formula. For many mothers, nursing is a bonding experience. But what happens when nursing isn’t second nature?

Having a baby latch on incorrectly can be painful. It can cause the mother’s tissue to crack, causing further pain anytime the baby tries t eat. For some mother’s, the idea of feeding a baby through the breast can be difficult to reconcile. Even though thousands of mothers agree there is no sexual connotation in nursing, the idea can be difficult to get past. So what’s a new mother to do?

Meeting with a breastfeeding consultant can help eliminate some of the problems and hang-ups you might have about nursing. A breastfeeding consult on staff at a hospital was able to show a new mother ways to get the baby to attach correctly, reducing the pain involved in nursing. Some new moms need to know how to hold the baby properly during feeding times in order to prevent issues caused by uneven suction. Consultants can also help a new mother get past the weirdness of using their breasts as feeding instruments.

With all the talk about the bond between a mother and a child that breastfeeding can create, dads and other family members may feel left out of the experience. A nursing consultant can give your family tips so you can include anyone who wants to bond in the process. One common suggestion is to pump breast milk into a bottle and allow family members to feed the baby at bottle time. This might not work for all women, but a breastfeeding consultant can help with that too.

Filed Under: Child Care, Health, Nutrition Tagged With: , ,

Three Ways to Get Your Kids to Eat More Vegetables

Eat your vegetables!

A recent study published in Nutrition and Dietetics examined children before and after the study to determine the impact of three activities on childhood eating habits. At the end of the study, researchers with Bangkok’s Mahidol University saw children doubling the amount of vegetables they were eating at meals. The variety of vegetables also increased, with children picking four types of vegetables at a meal rather than two kinds. Parents involved in the study reported an increase in the amount of conversation centered around vegetables, and some parents said their children were proud to report the vegetables they had eaten at lunch.

Here are three things you can do to get your kids to eat more veggies.

1. Model good behavior for children. During the study, children watched Popeye cartoons, featuring a sailor who gets buff by eating spinach. Students also ate lunch with teachers who picked nutritious meals, including the recommended number of vegetables. Researchers asked parents to get involved and to model healthy eating habits at home, as well.

2. Get kids involved with growing and cooking vegetables. Over the eight-week study, 26 kindergartners helped plant vegetable seeds. They also helped prepare meals like vegetable soup. At home, kids can be junior cooks. Let them help with measuring and pouring. Older kids can even assist with chopping and peeling vegetables as long as an adult is there to supervise.

3. Expose children to a variety of vegetables. During the study, researchers hosted tasting parties. This is something you can do at home, too. Incorporate a new vegetable or use choices your children already like in a new way. This can be as simple as cutting a cucumber into a fun shape and serving it with a new dip. You can have kids pick less common vegetables, like okra, and try it cooked in different ways.

By combining multimedia, positive role models, and personal connection with vegetables, parents can promote healthy food choices that will last a child’s lifetime.

Filed Under: Child Care, Health, Nutrition Tagged With: , ,