Rethinking Our School Meal Programs

In the US, we count on schools to provide accessible, nutritious meals for our kids. In many cases, the meals children eat at school account for half of their caloric intake each day. For children living in income households that face food insecurity, school meals are seen as “a nutritional safety net.”  This underscores two critical things: the role school lunches play in a child’s health and development, and our need—as parents and guardians—to ensure the food served is nutritious and accessible.

We can do better with our children. I believe there is a healthier approach within reach, if we’re willing to move away from the entrenched norms, buck the system, and start from scratch.

The Healthiest Head Start

Before looking at the solutions, it’s important to see school lunches for what they are. Many see the meals provided to children as a given in exchange for paying taxes or tuition. But what is the quality? Research over the past two decades shows that cafeteria meals to be high in sodium and processed foods, which means they fall short of feeding our children in the most life-affirming ways possible. It’s important to note that children are in an unfair position. Obesity affects approximately 13.7 million children and adolescents ages 2-19 in the US, and its prevalence is greatly affected by socioeconomic status. 

While various pieces of legislation have passed to ensure children receive higher quality meals with more vegetables (a great deal of effort was made by First Lady Michelle Obama), these intentions still fall short, which means it can’t be left to our government to solve the issue. We need to step in.

A High-Profile Advocate Kick-Starts the Conversation

You may remember Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, the series that chronicled the celebrity British chef’s campaign to take on heart disease, diabetes, and other weight-related diseases in the US and UK by starting with the way our kids eat. In Season 1, which aired in 2010, Oliver focused his efforts on Huntington, West Virginia, statistically one of the unhealthiest cities in the US. The popular chef and health campaigner sought to make strides in the school meal systems in West Virginia, changing minds and transforming menus in a predominantly feel-good experiment in rural America. 

In its second season in 2011, Oliver brought his crusade to Los Angeles, home to the second largest school system in the country. Unlike In West Virginia, here he faced pushback. The Los Angeles Unified School District board of education refused to allow Oliver to film in schools and his subsequent attempts to circumvent their decisions in creative ways. The Los Angeles Times reported the drama centered around school district officials’ fears that the series wouldn’t paint the districts’ prior efforts in a positive light. As quoted in the article, “There certainly was drama and conflict in Huntington as Oliver cajoled cafeteria workers and met with families to try to reform eating habits.,” said district spokesman Jedd Flowers.”

After two episodes, the second season ended abruptly, as did the chance to expose viewers to the changes that could be made possible in our country’s school systems’ meal programs.

Setting the Table for Future Generations’ Success

While Food Revolution fell short of its promises, what lessons can public school systems learn from these game-changing attempts? I believe a lot—as well as a great deal of inspiration.

Here are a few promising case studies that represent programs enacted in schools across the nation, both private and public. Each of these programs has committed to changes ranging from small updates to complete overhauls, but all are headed in the right direction to make a real difference in a child’s health and success.

Hilary Boynton at Manzanita School

One of my most important missions with PrimaFoodie is helping parents educate their children about the food they eat. Kids are powerful advocates; by involving them in these daily decisions, they become more engaged and empowered. Hilary Boynton, a certified holistic health counselor, cook, and author, believes this. A mother of five, Boynton was dissatisfied with the quality of lunches her kids received at their local school in Southern California. She refused to accept the status quo and eventually took over the lunch program at Manzanita School, working hand-in-hand with local farmers and food producers to create affordable, nutrient-rich meals every day. Boynton shares her extensive nutritional knowledge with parents, educators, and home chefs through her Lunch Leader Training Academy, a week-long intensive retreat that offers hands-on strategies for cultivating a healthier approach to nourishing families and communities.

Food2You

Starting with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, the Chicago-based catering and food service management company Food2You feeds children in daycare centers throughout the city and suburbs. Founded by Chicago native Gregory Ingles in 2005, Food2You specializes in nutritionist-approved breakfast, lunch, and snack meal plans that exceed all Federal and Illinois State Board of Education guidelines, as well as those in the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. Executive Chef Charles Jones and his team craft delicious dishes that kids actually enjoy eating. Food2You works in tandem with the Partnership for a Healthier America, supporting the organization’s Shaping Early Palates initiative. The goal of this ambitious program is to create options to help parents raise veggie lovers by cultivating healthy palates and creating a lifelong desire for nutrient-rich foods — especially vegetables — among children. 

Project Bread’s Chefs in Schools  

Project Bread is an anti-hunger organization that connects communities to stable food sources and advocates for policies that make food more accessible. The program’s innovative Chefs in Schools initiative highlights the importance of food education.  The program, which launched in 2006, partners chef educators with school cafeteria staff to boost menus and provide food choices that are more nutritious, appealing, and culturally appropriate.

Corry Area Primary School

In a dynamic demonstration of what is possible when school administrations collaborate with private health-focused organizations, Corry Area Primary School in Erie, Pennsylvania, was named one of the nation’s first Blue Zones Project Approved schools. Stemming from the influential New York Times bestseller The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner, the Blue Zones Project aims to improve health and wellbeing by making healthier choices easier and more accessible for everyone.  As part of a larger, community-wide initiative, school officials collaborated with Blue Zones Project experts to implement the essential elements that make up a Blue Zone: nutrition education, increased physical activity, and more mindful choices incorporated into each day.  

The Case for Doing Better

Revamping school meal programs can seem like an overwhelming (perhaps impossible) task, especially during a time of great need in our nation. But it is one of the most critical issues we need to face. Research conducted by the School Nutrition Association summarizes what’s at stake: “Balanced nutrition throughout the day contributes to student success in and out of the classroom. Research demonstrates that school meal programs play an important role in supporting obesity prevention, overall student health and academic achievement by improving children’s diets and combating hunger.”

Here are ways you can make a difference in your children’s food choices and your area’s school meal programs: 

• Start early at home. Create connections between your children and the foods they eat. You can make this fun—bring your kids to your local farmers’ market and grocery store, have them help you with meal preparation in the kitchen, and encourage the development of their palates as soon as they start eating solids (and even sooner through the mother’s in utero diet) with a wide variety of healthy options. 

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions of your school’s administration. Short of complete overhauls, what easy, affordable solutions exist to make the meal programs at your children’s school healthier? Can you, as a parent, become more involved in proactive, productive ways? 

• Think outside the (lunch) box: What resources are available in your community? Are there like-minded local chefs, farmers, food producers, and food service organizations whose products and services you could tap into? Are there government programs or other grants that could help improve the quality of your school’s meal programs? 

The chances of schools adopting changes are much higher if you make it easy for them to adapt. Start by demonstrating the problem, then present them with viable solutions. As parents and community members, we can all do better, and those steps start with us. Our kids are counting on us.

10 Games to Play With Your Child in 10 Minutes

On the days when there is no time to have an elaborate tea party or take out all the blankets to make a magical fort, here are ten simple games that will help foster connection with your child - all in under 10 minutes. 

1. Build an Obstacle Course 

Use your furniture to create a series of fun challenges. (You may need to bring in some extra chairs from another room.). Tell your child to climb over, crawl under, do jumping jacks, make funny faces, sing a song, or whatever fun obstacle you can create together. 

Time it! Children love to show adults how fast they are. Timing it really gets them excited and motivated. After the first time, tell them “I think you can do it faster than that!” Encourage them to try it faster and faster. It builds their confidence and shows them how they can measure success based on their own performance and not their peers. 

2. Play Hug Tag

A fun and cuddly spin on the traditional game of tag. Chase your kid around the house trying to hug them. If you catch them, you get to hug and kiss them for ten seconds. My daughter loves this game. 

3. Journal 

This one is great for first grade and above when kids are  starting to read and write. I love the Five Minute Journals for Kids. Set a ten minute timer and spend that time quietly playing soft music and sitting next to each other as you write. It is helpful to give a writing topic, such as everything you are grateful for or what were each of your favorite parts of the day. 

4. Color

Another quiet activity that is great for connection. I love adult coloring books and tombow watercolor markers. My daughter loves them, but I only let her use them when we color together because they can easily stain fabrics. She feels so special when we get to use them together and she loves picking out her color palette. It’s also a wonderful way for her to learn about primary and secondary colors and how colors fit together. 

5. Produce “Pretend TV” 

My daughter has a stencil pad that lights up and one day she turned it into an “iPad.”. She said she was watching Netflix so I joined her and started making over-the-top emotions. She thought it was hysterical. As she pretended to change channels, I would switch up my emotions. Now she asks if I want to watch Netflix on her “iPad” and it is a hilarious ten minute game. 

6. Create a Surprise Bath

I’m not sure how this started but it’s become a regular ask. My daughter will want me to make her a surprise bath. I get out my salts, essential oils, and candles and make her a bath fit for a princess. She will soak in it for quite awhile and I will read her a story. A few times I even picked a rose from outside and sprinkled the petals in her bath. Talk about luxury!

7. Have a Dance Party

This is a great way to change up the mood in the house, especially during quarantine. We take turns picking songs and blasting them through the sound system. It is a great break from work and an impromptu way to create connection with her in the middle of the day. It also stimulates creativity. We come up with some pretty amazing dance moves.

8. Conduct Science Experiments

This is not your typical science experiment but it is a good way to use up expired products. I get out old baking soda, baking powder, anything that has gone rancid, and let my daughter go wild with mixing and stirring. She has a science kit with test tubes, droppers and microscope slides and we have lots of fun making a gooey mess pretending we are discovering new products to help save the world. When I don’t have expired products, we go out in nature and collect dirt, leaves, and grass. The trick to cleanup is to contain this in one tray or the sink.

9. Avoid the “Snake”

This game is another great way to connect while getting out some of your child’s pent up energy. Grab a jump rope or string and tie one end to a chair leg then stand far apart holding the other end. Wiggle it like a snake on the floor and tell your child to run and jump over it. If they touch the rope, it’s a snake bite and you have to tickle them to get the venom out. Make the snake smaller or bigger making them jump higher and longer. It’s another great way to challenge them and allow them to show you their strength.

10. Play Cards

I taught my daughter how to play cards at a very young age. In the beginning it was Go Fish and Old Maid. Now she has progressed to games like Uno, crazy eights, kings and rummy 500. She is quite the card shark. I always tell her I should take her to vegas with her card luck. We can have a quick card game at lunch or after dinner. It’s quick, fun and interactive. 

Kids and Cooking: Safety Essentials

I love cooking with my daughter. It is a wonderful way to bond, and the experience allows me to teach her important life skills and instill in her a passion for healthy food. 

The kitchen is a place to learn, grow, and build self-esteem. It is also a place filled with possible hazards, considering the sharp knives, hot pans, and other potential harmful tools. That is why  it’s important to alter your cooking habits to keep your children safe from accidents. The following simple guidelines can help to ensure  that  cooking with your children is safe, fun, and rewarding. 

Everything In Its Place

Creating dedicated and separate workstations for you and your children is important. This allows your child the space to work away from sharp objects. Keep the areas clean and organized so you don’t risk knocking something over. Children also feel empowered when they have their own space. I love this toddler tower, or you can use a chair with the chair back against the counter. 

Heat Safety

Heat is one of the most dangerous things for children in the kitchen, and it’s one of the easiest things to safeguard against. Get in the habit of turning pot and pan handles in and away from other burners on your stove so your child can’t accidentally knock them over. Always test handles before grabbing them with an oven mitt or a folded thick towel. When using the oven, never stick your arms inside to remove pans. Always pull the rack out first, then retrieve your dish (unless you have elbow-length oven mitts). Children need to be strong enough to pull out the rack before they can use the oven by themselves; my six-year-old still struggles with this, so she knows to ask for help. If you have a gas oven, open it very slowly after turning on the broil function, as heat can pool and cause flames to erupt when exposed to more air. 

Sharp Matters 

There are several precautions you can take to keep your children safe from  knives. 

Most importantly, keep knives out of reach at all times, even if you are just turning around to grab something. Always set the knife down flat on a cutting board placed at least six inches from the edge of the counter. Even an adult can accidentally knock off a knife if they brush too closely to a counter. Always set a knife down when you’re not using it. Never turn around or gesture while holding a knife. This sets a good example, as kids tend to talk while waving around their utensils. Use two hands to cut, one hand holding the knife and the other holding the food. The hand holding the food should be in a claw position, so fingers don’t end up under the blade. Hands should never rest on the cutting board. 

When washing knives, dry them immediately and put them away. The proper way to hand someone a knife is by the handle with the blade pointing towards you, so they can grab the handle. Keep your knives in top shape by regularly honing them to even out nicks and sharpening them as needed. All knives can be dangerous, but a dull knife even more so because it requires more pressure to cut, which gives you less control over the knife, increasing the chance for it to slip. I am not a melodramatic person, but I do not take unnecessary risks in the kitchen. Making these habits a part of your everyday behavior keeps everyone safe. 

Knife Rules for Children

Allowing children to use knives in the kitchen is a personal decision based on your own comfort level. I believe that if you can provide proper and close supervision, you can teach your children to use knives safely, so don’t immediately dismiss them as irresponsible or not ready. When given the opportunity, kids can learn to do a lot, especially if you are patient.

I began gradually introducing my daughter to knives and knife safety when she was a toddler. She began cutting with a wavy chopper more independently when she was four and graduated to using a kids’ steak knife around five. More recently, at six, she started practicing with a paring knife. Older children can use knives more safely with less supervision, but you need to give them the tools to succeed. I recommend Montessori knives. Start young children with nylon knives, and from there, you can move to a stainless-steel wavy chopper. I actually skipped nylon knives and started with the wavy chopper. There is another wavy chopper with a handle, but I find it to be a little difficult for small children to use because they lack the motor skills and manual dexterity to grasp it. By the time they can properly use it, they are likely ready to use a paring knife with close supervision. 

Every parent knows their child best, but here are some general guidelines for what kids of all ages can do: Very young children around three can use dull knives to slice soft foods like strawberries and spread nut butter onto toast. Around five they can slice harder foods with crinkle-cut knives, and around six they can use a small paring knife to help prepare ingredients. By eight, most children are ready to use a chef’s knife under close supervision, putting them in the running to become your little sous chef.

No matter how old your children are when you start cooking with them, or how far along they are in their kitchen savviness, all children need the same things: to have emotional and physical readiness, be able to follow instructions, and have an interest in learning. When kids really want to do something, they are more likely to focus and to follow safety directions. Have fun with them in the kitchen. Let them choose a delicious recipe they want to eat, pick a time when you aren’t rushed to cook together, and expect imperfection. It’s okay that the cookies are misshapen and different sizes. Your kids will be so proud of their own creations.

With Love,
PrimaFoodie

Important Life Skills Kids Learn in the Kitchen

Since she was an infant, my daughter, Dagny, has been watching me cook. I would set the Babybjörn on the kitchen counter, giving her a clear view as I chopped and prepped. I’d hand her vegetables and cups to play with. When she was old enough to stand, I would set up her workstation where she’d “help” me wash produce, sort things, and pull off stems. Sure, it made things take a little longer, but all of this was building her confidence. She felt useful.

Kids learn essential life skills in the kitchen. They see firsthand what whole vegetables look, feel, and taste like. They also understand the energy, intention, and love that is needed to properly care for themselves. It is for these lessons, as well as the following, that time spent learning to cook can embolden children, giving them confidence for the rest of their lives.

 1.) It boosts self-sufficiency.

I resolved early on that my daughter will know how to cook for herself. She can choose to eat out or buy packaged foods, but she will know HOW to cook real food when she chooses to do so. When children have the skills to make their own food, it empowers them to be self-reliant. 

So often, we reach for the easiest thing, even when the more nutritious option requires only a few minutes of preparation. But if we are not accustomed to putting in the work, the task can seem much bigger than it is. The practice of preparing healthy foods becomes easier after spending time in the kitchen. Teaching kids these skills allows them to learn to prepare the healthier options. They start to conjure the images, smells, textures, and flavors of the dishes they crave. It takes time, but it steadily sets them up for success. 

2.) It inspires healthy habits and patience. 

Having the wisdom to cook teaches kids to sit with their desires and cravings before binging on processed treats. They learn to consider what goes into the food rather than quickly stifling an emotion with a packaged snack. Sometimes, we are just bored, thirsty, or dealing with uncomfortable feelings and we seek immediate relief. By having to wait and put in the work to make something, it teaches kids to take a pause. Often that’s all it takes to move through an emotion and move on.

This is also linked to empowerment. Babies and small children show their power through eating—or not eating. This stems from our innate human need for control. Inviting children to take part and invest in the process of making healthy dishes often motivates them to eat better. When a child feels that something is their idea, they are more likely to support it all the way through. This significantly reduces resistance at the dining table, something every parent can appreciate. 

3.) It builds reading comprehension and problem solving.

Oftentimes, I’ll have Dagny look through my cookbooks and pick something out to make. Learning to cook provides an effective way for children to build their reading and math skills. Cookbook material is fun and inspiring. It’s often technical and involves words that aren’t often used in everyday conversation, which helps to broaden children’s vocabulary.

 4.) It increases safety.

Kids learn by watching. I started showing Dagny the importance of taking care around sharp knives (saying “ouch!” as I pointed to the blade), hot stoves, and pan handles (sucking in my breath as I pointed to the flame). Rather than telling kids what not to do, this approach teaches children what they need to do to stay safe. Just like looking both ways before crossing the street, they’ll know to place a knife away from the counter’s edge to avoid accidentally bumping into it and knocking it on the floor (and onto their foot). Ultimately, grown-ups are responsible for their children’s safety. I never take this for granted. I do believe, however, that these moments in the kitchen teach children basic safety skills.

 5.) It encourages smart judgement.

When children know how fresh cilantro smells, and what brussels sprouts on the stalk look like, they will naturally make wiser decisions when it comes to ingredients. They develop a better appreciation for real foods. For instance, if your little one knows the basic ingredients in chicken soup, they’ll be more apt to question why there are twenty-five convoluted ingredients in Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. What is soy protein isolate for? What IS “flavoring?” This is not to say that children still won’t reach for the brownies and cakes. We all do. But they’ll be keen to follow a diet with more whole fruits and vegetables and few processed items.

 6.) It creates memories and honors traditions.

Cooking is how my late mother-on-law showed her son that she loved him. They often light-heartedly argued in the kitchen because of their competitive nature. Regardless, he appreciated those moments. As we chop and measure with children, we bond. We also create memories, as these multi-sensory experiences stay with us. The song playing in the background. The scent of fresh rosemary. The rainbow of colors on the cutting board. All of these tangible things create memories from which children learn and grow.

My hope is that you can create a space with your children, or perhaps your nieces and nephews and the children in your life, for cooking, for being that mentor and creating special memories while helping kids build life skills.

Love,
PrimaFoodie

How to Meal Plan: Meal Planning Basics

Meal planning will save you time and help minimize food waste, but even more than that, it’s the first small step you can take to alter your food journey and change your life for the better. If you’ve been wanting to change your eating habits, to eat real, whole food, to have the greatest health possible and give your body the best chance possible to heal or just feel good, this is where to start!

I’m going to break down the powerful impact that small, consistent daily disciplines can have on your overall physical health and mental wellbeing. But before I launch into the details, I want to take a moment to encourage you - you have what it takes to do this no matter where you are now.

The small disciplines and actionable steps below may seem insignificant on their own, but when you apply them consistently over time and celebrate the “small wins” of making each choice, they’ll compound over time to transform your body and your mind. You can achieve real, wholistic health that makes you feel good, energetic, and free of foggy brain and daily exhaustion. And the empowerment that comes from making these choices transforms every aspect of our lives, contributing to harmony and balance in life.

You can do this, and as you start to make these small changes, you too will feel the missing pieces of your health start to fall into place in the most natural of ways.

DINNER

When I start planning, I like to start with dinners and fill in the rest of the week’s meals around those.

Choose 3-4 dinners for the week. Start with your protein, or entrée, and build sides around it. Sometimes, I build my sides based on the specific plants I want to work into our diet that week.

I recommend starting with just 1 new entrée a week and keep building on that. Trying to cook something different every night while you’re overhauling your diet and learning to cook with new ingredients can quickly cause burnout.

Refine 2-3 sauces/dressings. Start with one recipe a week and then try different versions of the same thing (pesto, green goddess dressing, cilantro lime, barbeque sauce, etc) until you land on the perfect version. I store mine in mason jars and label them with the name and “made on” date. Since the labels change constantly, I prefer these easily removable adhesive rolls. Many dressings will last 7-10 days in the refrigerator.

*Tip - If you make a sauce for a particular recipe, double the sauce and save the extra for the rest of the week. That sauce can transform bland vegetables into a delicious side dish or dipping sauce for your kids’ lunch.

Take into account leftovers. Think ahead about the viability of working the leftovers for a particular meal into your breakfast or lunch for the next day. For example, an egg over easy on top of leftover roasted pumpkin or butternut squash with vegetables is delicious, nutritious, and gives you steady, slow-burning energy until lunchtime.

BREAKFAST

When you’re thinking about how to meal plan for your family, it’s all about finding ways to save time and minimize waste, and finding creative ways to use leftovers throughout the week is one of my favorite ways to do just that! So once I’ve decided what’s for dinner, I plan breakfast for the week based on the leftovers I know I’m going to have.

Making breakfast from leftovers makes our mornings run more smoothly – and it can do the same for you!

No prep work. You don’t have to think about what to make every morning or worry about whether it’s a balanced, healthy meal because you’ve already put the time into planning for it ahead of time.

*Tip - enlist the help of your kids! My daughter loves to be a part of our meal planning. It’s amazing how much more cooperative kids are when they get to be involved! Here’s an example of a list she’s made:

Monday – oatmeal (soaked overnight)

Tuesday – hash (with leftover veggies and bacon, sausage, or a leftover dinner protein)

Wednesday – cereal (there are one or two brands I buy with only 4-8 grams of unrefined sugar that are organic and made with only 5 ingredients – to be eaten in moderation)

Thursday – omelette

Friday – porridge

My daughter knows I have the final stamp of approval, but when she’s been part of the decision-making process, then it’s her list. She can look at it throughout the week and not be surprised or disappointed, which has cut down our morning arguments about what’s for breakfast to almost none.

Mix it up and plan for variety. If she had her way, my daughter would have toast for breakfast every morning! By creating a plan and allowing her to help, I can make sure we aren’t eating the same thing every day. When we eat the same thing every day, our bodies start to develop food sensitivities, and we minimize and narrow down the amount of nutrients we take in.

LUNCH

The last step in my meal planning process is lunch. I used to plan the whole week in detail but, because I’ve been doing this for a while and can throw my daughter’s lunch together with “nothing” now, I don’t plan it out at all.

However, if you’re just getting started, planning out every meal for the week is the best way to go. It’ll be helpful in letting you know what to fill in from the grocery store.

When I shop, I usually hit the farmer’s market and place a small Instacart order on Sunday, and then one more small Instacart order later in the week.

As for my lunches, I often make salad out of the remaining dinner leftovers, so no additional planning is required.

Keep it Simple

This sounds like a lot when you’re first learning how to meal plan, and it may seem overwhelming or time-consuming. It is more work up front, but that time is concentrated – as you go through the rest of your week, you’ll find that you’re saving a lot more time overall.

And, as with anything, the more you meal plan, the better and more efficient you’ll get at it! I used to spend a lot more time planning out detailed weekly menus. Now, I spend about 10 minutes between breakfast and leaving for the farmer’s market on Sunday morning writing our weekly meal plan on a large yellow sticky note.

It doesn’t have to be pretty, and it’s okay to make mistakes! Learning how to meal plan doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect. Stick to the principle of simplicity, remember the power of making small, consistent changes, and you will be amazed at how something as simple as meal planning can start to change everything.

With Love,
PrimaFoodie