Supermom Soapbox: What are We Feeding Our Children?? (Alternative Recipes Included)

I have been inspired.  Jamie Oliver has always been one of my favorite chefs in the world, and now he has just been upped a notch in my book.  I recently watched the premier episode of his new show "Food Revolution" and I am in shock and amazement.  So much so, that I decided to do my own bout of research into the food and nutritional system of our country.  If you visit the school guidelines (section 210) of the FDA regulations you will see that they appear to be pretty standard.  At first glance.  But further inspection reveals something almost sinister.  According to the FDA, a student age 14 or older is allowed up to 846 calories per meal! And the fat allowances are up to three grams.  What concerns ME is this.  I just took a peek at the school meal plan for my kindergarten.  What's on the menu? Frito chili pie.  Chicken fried steak.  Steak fingers. Pizza, hamburgers, lasagna . . . And the vegetables? Almost non-existent.  Corn, potatoes, beans, peas (all starches, BTW), MAYBE carrots or green beans.  And salad?  It's OFFERED (as a substitute) but is STILL loaded with fat and calories from the meats, cheeses, and dressings added to it!

This is a problem in my child's school, obviously. But what about across America?  Not much different.  The problem IS, not only the food and nutrition guidelines written by the nation, but the food budgets.  Schools would rather spend less money for a box of cheap chicken nuggets then shell out the extra cash for fresh meats, fruits, and veggies.

This is a problem that needs to be solved at the root.  The FDA.  The FDA needs to have stricter guidelines, first of all, on fat and calorie consumption.  They also need to add in their guidelines that at least one fresh, raw fruit/veggie should be served with each meal. Not to mention whole grains - which right now are NOT even mentioned in the guidelines. Second, the FDA needs to crack down on schools and do more investigations and checks on what is being served.  I can almost guarantee that the meal being served today at my child's school is NOT well within those guidelines.  They also seem to be under the misconception that JELLO is a FRUIT.  Uh, REALLY??

So, what can WE do about it, as parents?  Well, first and foremost, don't spend your hard earned money on that junk. Send your kids with good wholesome meals from home in their lunch bags.  My daughter today chose her own lunch - peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat with carrots and apples. She DID chose to carry cheetoes with her, but I only gave her about 1/4 of the typical serving size (serving size 26 puffs, I gave her 8 puffs). I can guarantee she's getting more fiber, more nutrients, and less fat and calories than what she would have eaten at school. So, boycott your school lunch!  Encourage other parents to do so as well! Perhaps, if no one is letting their kids eat the school lunch, the "powers that be" will take notice.

Second, write your school board.  Tell them you're unhappy with the current nutritional status of your districts lunch program.  Give specifics.

Third, write your congressman.  Sometimes change needs to be made at the top.

At home, teach your children how to eat.  Offer them fresh fruits and veggies.  Don't give them unhealthy alternatives.  The more they see the "good stuff" the more likely they are to at least try it.  When they DO try it, reward them! Kids THRIVE on praise and recognition for a "job well done". Look for healthier alternatives to their favorites - make home made chicken nuggets, add a whole grain crust to your pizza and throw some mushrooms and peppers on top while your at it.  Put a salad in front of your child once or twice a week.

The bottom line is this.  Our kids, our schools, our COUNTRY is UNHEALTHY.  We have a higher percentage rate of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes than ANY OTHER NATION IN THE WORLD!  There is a reason for this.  Let's make the change!

ALTERNATIVE RECIPES:

Home Made Chicken Nuggets
Serves 4


1 lb Chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking spray

Spray a baking sheet well with cooking spray.  Cut the tenders in half, then half again to get bite size pieces.  Put the flour and salt and pepper into a large baggie and drop the chicken in. Shake the bag to coat well.  Dredge the chicken pieces in the egg, then in the bread crumbs, and lay them on the baking sheet in a single layer.  Spray the tops with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, turn and bake for another 5-6 minutes, until crispy.


Better Sloppy Joes
Serves Four


1 lb ground chicken or turkey breast
1 can sloppy joe sauce of choice
4 whole wheat hamburger buns

Brown the meat in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add sauce and stir to combine. Serve over hamburger buns.


Whole Wheat Pizza Crust


1 package yeast
1 C warm (91-102 degrees) water
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 1/4-2 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch salt

Combine yeast and water in a bowl and allow to sit for five minutes.  Add all-purpose flour and oil and mix well to combine.  Allow to sit for another five minutes.  Add salt. Add wheat flour 1/2 cup at a time until you can no longer mix in any more flour. (If using standing mixer, add flour until it forms a sticky ball on paddle attachment). Remove from bowl.  Coat bowl with cooking spray or 1 tsp olive oil. Return dough to bowl and turn to coat (will be sticky).  Top with moistened kitchen towel or paper towel.  Allow to rise one hour, or put in fridge and allow to sit up to 24 hours.  When ready to make pizza, divide dough in half, roll out to fit sheet pan and par bake five minutes in pre heated 375 oven. Add toppings as desired and bake at 375 10-15 minutes.

Recipe!!

Okay so you would think that after yesterday's ramblings I would have something really healthful and low-cal. Well, let me tell you - once a month I really really need something sweet and gooey and fattening and yummy. That time frame started yesterday. So, I made cookies!! Yes, I know. They go against everything I spoke about yesterday, but darnit, I am woman! I need sweets when my hormones are raging! So, anyway, I developed this recipe not thinking it would actually work, LOL, but it did. These things are sweet, caramelly, buttery, lacy, thin . . . okay I need one for breakfast now . . .

Supermom's Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cookies

Yeild:

A ton. I made about 20 cookies and only used about 1/3 of the batter, so I'm going to guess around 60 total.

2 sticks softened butter (I actually used Smart Balance's blend that has 50% heart healthy spread and Omega 3's added)
1/2 c white sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T milk

2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnimon (my secret - shhhhh!)

1 bag simi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bag toffee bits (Heath bar makes some - find them right next to the mini-m&m's and the mini reeses pieces)
1 c walnuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until well blended. Add eggs and mix until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and milk and blend thoroughly.

In another bowl, whisk or sift together all dry ingredients. (I put them in the bowl and whisk them) Add dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and mix by hand until blended well. Add chocolate, toffee, and nuts. Mix well. BATTER WILL BE SORT OF LOOSE. DON'T FREAK OUT.

Drop by the spoonful (about a T for each cookie) on to a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 until slightly golden on top (about 5-7 minutes). If you find the bottoms burn, drop the heat to 325.

Diet Ramblings

Okay so, the diet is going . . . well, not as well as I had hoped. I have a ton of excuses, but none of them are relevent. Fact is, i WANT to eat better. I LOVE to eat well. I feel better, I look better . . . but I don't want to get anyone burned out. That's when "diets" fail. You get burned out eating the same thing over and over again. And that's where we're going to be at, culinarily, b/c that's where we're at, financially. We have enough to get by - our bills are paid, we have clothes on our back and food on our table. But unfortunatly, to eat the way I WANT to eat - mostly organic and vegitarian - well, that's a little out of our price range. We're lucky enough to be on WIC - without it, we'd be in trouble.

Another issue is I keep getting conflicting things from outside sources. Soy milk, for example. One source says to keep it away from children. One says to just keep it away from men. Others say it's good for EVERYONE, and still others say it's not good for ANYONE. So who do I believe? Which source is correct and which one is wrong? Another example is grains vs protien. One source believes high-fiber grains with limited amounts of lean protein is the way to go. Another says that high amounts of lean protein is ideal, and tiny amounts of whole grains are best.

I've done YEARS of research on nutrition. I know what's good and what's bad. I can tell you the top ten "super foods" and why their super. I can give you the lowdown on anti-oxidents and vitamins. I know what I should eat, and what I should give my kids . . . So . . . Maybe I'm worrying TOO much about it . . . Maybe I should just do what I think is best and smile at everyone and say "thanks for the advice" and go about my business . . .

I look every day at what people are feeding their kids. I see myself poisoning my children on a daily basis. Hot dogs, cold cuts, red meat, white bread and rice and pastas, pizza, fried foods. Why do I do this? Is it because it's easier than confrontation with a four-year-old? I try to teach her good eating, but she won't eat the good stuff. I'm lucky if I can get an apple or a carrot down her on occasion - forget about anything green. She won't even eat a potato that's not in french fry form. It's not for lack of trying. i've been giving it too her ALL HER LIFE - she STILL won't eat it. All those "experts" that say it takes 13 tries for a child to like a new food have never met MY child. If I give her the good stuff every meal, she won't eat. I can't stand to starve my child, and essentially that's what I feel like I'd be doing. Of course my parents don't help - giving her chicken nuggets, corn dogs, chips, and mac and cheese at their home. She asked for a salad the other day, and I thought my jaw would drop. Then she got mad b/c I wouldn't put crutons or bacos on it. That's all she wanted. Not the salad. The crutons and bacos.

And then there's my hubby. Bless him, I know for a fact he wants to get as healthy as I do. He will eat whatever I put in front of him. But then, I know what he desires from the kitchen. He likes shrimp. Fried. He likes chicken. Fried. He likes fish. Fried . . . well I can get him to eat roasted or grilled chicken. Dark meat chicken. He doesn't like white meat.

So where does that leave me? I am so tired of looking at myself in the mirror. All I see is fat. I disgust myself. And I refuse to make two meals. So . . . now what?