No more lettuce in school lunches? School lunches reform

[NHdisneylover]

I have to wonder if the new rule is really that iceberg is not allowed to be served. My GUESS is that iceberg lettuce is no longer allowed to be counted as a vegetable towards meeting guidelines of how many vegetables are served--which DOES make sense as it has basically no nutrients.

With tight budgets and it then basically being a condiment, I can imagine many districts getting rid of it all together, because then they still have to provide a vegetable which provides nutrition--but that is not the same as insisting it goes, IMO.

Personally, I think switching is a good idea. If teachers are sending the message that it is a bad idea and bringing their own nutritionally void lettuce for THEIR lunches, it isn't going to encourage the kids to expand their pallets though

 

[pat fan]

Also, the other types are more expensive. I wish they could use some iceberg mixed in with the others but that is not allowed. I also hear that it is getting very difficult to stay on budget with the new guidelines.

Stay within budget???? Try thousands OVER and deeply in the red.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

But it also has virtually no calories or sugar, so while it isn't a huge nutritional plus it isn't a minus either. At worst, it is giving kids a lot of water content - something few of them drink often enough to fulfill recommended intake. And it is appealing and familiar even to most picky children. Why force it off the menu? An iceberg lettuce salad that the kids eat is better for them than a spinach salad they throw away...

I'm all for tighter guidelines when it comes to fried chicken patties as a mainstay and ketchup counting as a vegetable, but regulating which lettuces can be served is getting ridiculous.

I absolutely agree!

 

[disney1990]

This isn't a rule where we live. I agree that Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value; we gave it up years ago for that reason.

 

[ICF]

An iceberg lettuce salad that the kids eat is better for them than a spinach salad they throw away...

Exactly, my middle school aged daughter would get a salad a decent amount of the time for lunch. If they try replacing iceberg lettuce with spinach, that's going to stop immediately. There is no way she would eat that, and I'd guess that she's not the only 6th grader that feels that way.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Yes, I just asked a teacher friend and it is no iceberg lettuce. While I understand the dark lettuces are healthier, some types of salads are just better with iceberg.

Also, the other types are more expensive. I wish they could use some iceberg mixed in with the others but that is not allowed. I also hear that it is getting very difficult to stay on budget with the new guidelines.

Thanks for your comments.

This exactly. Our school system could definitely not afford to replace iceberg with spinach. The number of free lunch kids and the woefully inadequate amount they are given to feed them means they cannot afford high quality fresh produce. That coupled with the new guidelines have sent our lunches spiraling downward. The "whole wheat" everything rule has led to the cheapest possible whole wheat pastas that taste like paste, tortillas that taste line cardboard, and the total elimation of and baked goods because they are too expensive. No rolls, buns, or breads that don't come frozen and prepackaged. Even those are rare. They are using canned vegetables that frankly taste like the can and are not allowed to add anything to make them taste better. (Low sodium low fat ect) nothing is fresh. Meats are low quality processed products full of fillers because that hasn't been legislated yet and it is really all they can afford to buy. I wouldn't eat the lunches at our school, and I don't expect my child to either. I feel for the kids whose parents can't or don't spend the money to pack them a lunch.

 

[Nancy]

Iceberg is great as a base for other things. Romaine would be better though.

I see some saying spinach but I've always detested raw spinach and it would have gone straight into the trash can if I'd been served it.

I do not like spinach whether raw or cooked so it would be going right into the trash for me too. I like romaine so that is what I buy most of the time.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

NOT a political comment, so please tread lightly!

Our school started last week and the hot topic is the new school lunch guidelines. According to the head of our cafeteria, the guidelines identify lettuce as having no nutritional value and cannot be on the menus anymore.

We have a very good school system with great administration and this is not an unfounded rumor. The cafeteria told the teachers "no lettuce" for taco salads or chef salads. The staff is planning on bring in their own lettuce every day.

Any body else have this at their school?

Have not heard that yet. I guess we will find out soon enough. DD starts school on the 11th.

That being said, the "School Store" which is run by the PTO and carried snacks, is no longer able to sell them to fund our PTO at the HS. I mean really?

Idiocracy, I say.

 

[scrapquitler]

If they switch iceburg lettuce for mixed greens or baby spinach, that sounds like a fantastic change.

They are probably just eliminating iceberg lettuce. Something like spinach, mixed greens, kale or escarole would still work in most 'lettuce' situations with more fiber and more nutrition.

 

[Sparkly]

Personally I hate iceberg lettuce. Bland or too bitter.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Our cafeteria went into the red last year with the new regs. Can't imagine it getting any better going forward. The majority of the kids just quit buying a lunch.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I have to wonder if the new rule is really that iceberg is not allowed to be served. My GUESS is that iceberg lettuce is no longer allowed to be counted as a vegetable towards meeting guidelines of how many vegetables are served--which DOES make sense as it has basically no nutrients.

With tight budgets and it then basically being a condiment, I can imagine many districts getting rid of it all together, because then they still have to provide a vegetable which provides nutrition--but that is not the same as insisting it goes, IMO.

Personally, I think switching is a good idea. If teachers are sending the message that it is a bad idea and bringing their own nutritionally void lettuce for THEIR lunches, it isn't going to encourage the kids to expand their pallets though

Ding, ding, ding . . . you are a winner! Did you read the rules? Iceberg lettuce is not prohibited. Rather, as you guessed, it does not count as a dark green veggie. Romaine on the other hand does count as a dark green veggie.

Really, what's the big deal? Can you imagine a dish that some would serve with iceberg where substituting romaine would even be noticed by most school kids?

Which makes better use of our tax money? Paying $1.00 a pound for iceberg with no nutritional value or $1.45 a pound for romaine which does have nutritional value?

 

[Planogirl]

Ding, ding, ding . . . you are a winner! Did you read the rules? Iceberg lettuce is not prohibited. Rather, as you guessed, it does not count as a dark green veggie. Romaine on the other hand does count as a dark green veggie.

Really, what's the big deal? Can you imagine a dish that some would serve with iceberg where substituting romaine would even be noticed by most school kids?

Which makes better use of our tax money? Paying $1.00 a pound for iceberg with no nutritional value or $1.45 a pound for romaine which does have nutritional value?

I doubt that lettuce itself is much of a problem. However the extra costs of lettuce added to the other items that cost more are making it difficult for the schools.

 

[ICF]

Which makes better use of our tax money? Paying $1.00 a pound for iceberg with no nutritional value or $1.45 a pound for romaine which does have nutritional value?

probably the $1 iceberg....vs paying 45% more for romaine.

 

[EMode]

probably the $1 iceberg....vs paying 45% more for romaine.

Exactly. As a tax payer I am perfectly okay with school lunches using iceberg lettuce instead of romaine to save money. There are penty of places that savings could go in schools IMO, like needed classroom supplies so that teachers don't have to buy them using their own money, or we taxpayers don't have to continue to supply them year after year on top of paying our taxes.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Exactly. As a tax payer I am perfectly okay with school lunches using icebetg lettuce instead of romaine to save money. There are penty of places that savings could go in schools IMO, like needed classroom supplies so that teachets don't have to buy them using their own honey, or we taxpayers don't have to continue to supply them year after year on top of paying our taxes.

By that reasoning, why even feed school kids at all? Iceberg has no nutritional value, the options such as romaine do.

 

[EMode]

By that reasoning, why even feed school kids at all? Iceberg has no nutritional value, the options such as romaine do.

I might agree with you if the only thing we served kids for lunch was iceberg lettuce but since they are actually fed a variety of foods I'm not going to worry about the choice of iceberg over romaine and their nutrtional values. There are more important things to spend more money on IMO If you feel its more important to spend more money on romaine lettuce instead of putting that money to good use in the classrooms by that reasonijng id ask you why bother educating them at all, let's just feed them.

 

[tvguy]

Stay within budget???? Try thousands OVER and deeply in the red.

The cafeterias are the profit center for the public schools here. Primary reason is we have a lot of kids who qualify for free breakfast and lunch, and the schools market it hard because only about half the eligible kids are signed up.
Because they also qualify for reduced or no cost USDA commodities, it costs them less to provide the lunch than the program pays.

I think schools should offer healthy options for meals. But how many news stories do we have to do on all that healthy food going uneaten and in the trash to realize that you can't legislate nutrition if parents won't force their kids to eat healthy? Many just cater to their kids likes and send them with a brown bag lunch with chips, twinkies and a coke.

 

[kacaju]

Ding, ding, ding . . . you are a winner! Did you read the rules? Iceberg lettuce is not prohibited. Rather, as you guessed, it does not count as a dark green veggie. Romaine on the other hand does count as a dark green veggie.

Really, what's the big deal? Can you imagine a dish that some would serve with iceberg where substituting romaine would even be noticed by most school kids?

here is when it becomes a big deal....when the State comes in and inspects your kitchen.. you have to follow the guides to a T. So if iceberg is not a dark green veggie (and is not counted as having nutritional value) and a kid comes through the line with chicken nuggets, (his protein) white milk (his dairy) and a 1/2 cup of iceberg..it is not counted as a *complete* lunch because he has no *dark green veggie* on his tray.
he needs at least 3 components and that is only 2 if we cannot count the iceberg

 

[spacemountainmom]

Have not heard that yet. I guess we will find out soon enough. DD starts school on the 11th.

That being said, the "School Store" which is run by the PTO and carried snacks, is no longer able to sell them to fund our PTO at the HS. I mean really?

Idiocracy, I say.

That's happening at our high school as well. We have two stores: One run by the DECA program that funds their activities and one run by the Parent's Group to fund raise. I also understand that the pop and snack machines will be taken out as well. I don't know how these groups are going to do with their main fund raising avenue removed. It's ridiculous!

It's not going to stop the kids from getting sodas or snacks. They will just go to one of the nearby convenience stores or the grocery store that is within walking distance and they will get all of the money that should be funding school activities.

As for my son (and likely many of his friends) he will be asking mom to get him something out of the machines in the staff lounge! As far as I know those are still going to be there.