Meatless Mondays to Come to New York City Schools?

This week, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer released a report titled "A Blueprint for a Sustainable Food System," in which he proposed several health-promoting measures for New York City schools. As ways of addressing the fact that one in five NYC kindergarten children is obese, Stringer suggested the following measures:

• Require Food Curriculum in Public Schools
• Expose City Students to Farms and Gardens
• Institute Meatless Mondays in City Schools

For more info, check out NYU's Wagner Food Policy Alliance blog.

There have been both positive and negative responses to the "Meatless Mondays" proposal, in particular. I, for one, am in favor of it—as long as the food being served includes real vegetables and whole grains rather than just pizza, french fries, and ketchup. For example, vegan chili is incredibly easy to make in large quantities for cheap and is packed with nutrients.

One of the main concerns of people unfamiliar with vegetarian eating is protein. Nine times out of ten, the first question is, "WHAT ABOUT PROTEIN?" Contrary to popular belief, once you know what to do (key word: nutrition education), it's incredibly easy. And anyway, as a country, Americans get much more protein than we technically need. One meal without animal protein is not going to cause your kids to shrivel up and die.

On Functional Ingredients

In an earlier post, I mentioned a class project in which we have to produce a cookie with a functional ingredient: Omega 3. In general, I'm very much opposed to the ways food companies try to make junk food sound like health food and suggest that their products are a superior source of xyz nutrients to the actual food sources.

However, I think this assignment will be useful in that it might help me and my group get a glimpse into the mindset of a food manufacturer trying to produce and sell a product that will make them a lot of money. I'm a little too jaded to honestly believe that any of them could really be in it to promote good health...I think having a little taste of what goes into that process might give me some good ammunition for talking clients into eating real foods instead of getting all their vitamin C from, say, fortified soda.

Check out this article from Consumer Reports for more on functional foods.

It Begins Again

Today was my first day back to class after a month-long break. I know I don't post much about my classes—I don't want to sound like a high schooler talking about her day on Live Journal 'cause I've, uh, been there, done that—but I wanted to share this really cool assignment we have in my Food Science and Technology lab.

Each of four groups had to choose a "theme" for a product to develop in class: reduced sodium, reduced fat, reduced sugar, or the inclusion of a functional ingredient. We have to identify current products on the market and create a version that tastes, looks, and feels as close as possible while staying within the constraints of our requirements.

My group was assigned to work with a functional ingredient. While I have mixed feelings about fortified snack foods, my interest was piqued when our professor shared a story about a doctor at another university who's been researching the effects of omega-3-fortified cookies on colitis patients. Only problem is, the cookies don't taste so great. My professor is encouraging us to make a product that tastes good but also delivers a good dose of the desired nutrient.

So we're thinking ginger snaps. Now we just have to locate several commercially-available brands to taste test and mimic. At first, I was really against making sweet stuff because I hate to bake (so f-ing tedious!), but I'm really curious to see how this is going to go. I love playing around with recipe modification.

Fed Up With School Lunch

You guys should check out this great blog, Fed Up: School Lunch Project.

One teacher sets out on an experiment to eat what the kids eat in 2010. Could you eat school lunch every day for a year? Stay tuned!

General Mills to Reduce Sugar in Cereal

About time! General Mills announced Wednesday that it plans to reduce the amount of sugar in 10 of their kids' cereals.

For example, the added sugars in Cocoa Puffs could reportedly be reduced by 25% of the original level and 18% off the current level along with an increase in whole grains and nutrients. Some other cereals that are said to be getting the same treatment are Trix and Lucky Charms.

Last year, Kellogg's reduced the sugars in some of their cereals such as Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, and Corn Pops, and Post also plans to retune some of their cereals this year as well. Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles are due for a makeover, apparently.

I can't help wondering just how they plan to reduce the sugar while retaining their token sweet flavor. While it's possible they can probably get by using less and counting on kids not to notice too much, I wouldn't be surprised to learn they're using some other kind of sweetener.

While sugary, low-fiber cereals aren't necessarily the best choices, they're better than a lot of other ready-to-eat foods kids might grab on their way out the door (aka, pop tarts, donuts), especially when consumed with milk. Unlike sugar, kids' and teenagers' diets are much lower in milk than they used to be.

Anyone hear about how the dairy industry's "Raise Your Hand For Chocolate Milk" campaign? I have mixed feelings about it. While it's true that some kids probably wouldn't drink pre-sweetened milk and any milk may be better than none, I don't think we should ascribe that belief to all children. I think this practice of marketing sugary products and other "kid" foods to children should stop. Kids are allowed to drink milk and eat real, whole foods that adults do.

That said, I did just make myself a soy-milk hot chocolate...Once in a while, a treat like that is nice—just a tablespoon of a high-quality organic mix that actually has real cocoa powder in it is all you really need to add. It's the artificial stuff we're telling our kids they like better than everything else is what I have a problem with.

On the other hand, I think that if schools get rid of chocolate milk, then maybe they should also get rid of sodas and sugary juices. While chocolate milk may not be as great a choice as regular milk, I think it's usually a better option than a drink that won't even give you any nutrients (aside from calories) with all that sugar.

Teaching Schools to Care

Today on her blog, Food Politics, Marion Nestle described a recent tour she took of a few schools in the New York area

Her conclusion: "School food can be really good, even in poor neighborhoods, if everyone involved cares about it. Can we teach schools to care? Of course we can."

She also references an article that ran in the Times on October 2nd about how local schools are banning bake sales as part of a new wellness policy that also limits what can be sold in vending machines.

I think that in some ways, children are the most susceptible to the intense marketing of unhealthy foods. I'm in favor of these restrictions. Doritos and Snickers bars are not going to give students the fuel they need to perform. Plus, eating a real meal makes it easier to stay awake during class. Schools are a really great place to begin reinforcing the importance—and benefits–of making positive choices.

Maybe if people stopped talking so much in terms of enforcing restrictions and instead using language that emphasizes the inclusion of more healthy foods it might foster a more upbeat attitude. Rather than focus on what you're giving up, focus on the good things you're embracing.

Pulling a Chris

Chris has this amusing habit of putting foods and other kitchen items back in strange places when he's distracted. I think my favorite is still the tortilla chips in the freezer—I laugh out loud whenever I remember that. Just did now.

Anyway, I was on my own for dinner tonight, and when I got home from class, I was super-tired and not exactly in the best frame of mind. As I was getting ready to cook, I poured myself a glass of water and then put the pitcher back in the fridge.

When I turned around, I couldn't find my glass of cold water anywhere—not on the counter, not in the fridge. What the hell?

Naturally, I'd put the glass back in the cupboard, full of water. Clearly, I'm having a genius day...

Do any of you guys do silly stuff when you're tired or preoccupied?

quote of the day

"...I mean, you get people taking a taxi to the gym! Only in America. You know, it's not like you need to even join a gym to get exercise. Just find the nicest, most expensive gym you wish you could afford and walk to it–and then walk back..."

–instructor during a class discussion about "engage in physical activity" as part of the dietary guidelines put out by the USDA/HHS.

I was amused. She's got a point. Living in New York, especially, it's pretty easy to get exercise just walking around. Sometimes you get places faster that way. And besides, with all this swine flu hype still in the media, walking to where you've got to go is all the more appealing.

Sober in the Animal House

A recent post on Tara Parker-Pope's New York Times blog, Well, featured an essay by Dartmouth sophomore Owen Jennings. Because of a liver disease, Jennings does not drink alcohol, which is somewhat ironic, given that he lives in the frat house that the movie Animal House was based upon. 

I found his piece very insightful, especially in that he refers to alcohol as "the only drug that everyone is expected to use," a drug which can have very damaging effects in large doses. Yet it is assumed that all college students drink, basically because they can (in most cases). 

From Jennings' sober position, the drinking habits of his friends seem "mindless."  He suggests, "The question shouldn’t be, 'Why aren’t you drunk?' Rather, we need to start asking, 'Why are you drunk?'"

While I appreciate articles about how to drink responsibly and fit alcohol into a healthy diet (here's a cute post from a Self intern), it is also important to keep the notion of balance in mind. There's a line that gets crossed from one's drinking being, like, too many extra calories to a serious problem. 

And it's not just college kids—when I was in college, most of my friends were a bit older (mid-twenties to early-thirties). What my college friends would call a night was like milk to these guys. Whatever happened to slowly savoring a drink?

While I like a good glass of wine or the occasional cocktail, the few times I've attempted to keep up with the group did not end well...Being four-foot-eleven definitely limits your options in that respect. What the "experts" tell you about sipping water in between drinks and not drinking on an empty stomach is true. 

Just last night, I watched the HBO Addiction project, which provided another perspective on drug and alcohol use. In addition to introducing the viewer to individuals with engrossing, often heartbreaking stories, it explores some of the new ways in which addiction is being treated. Definitely worth watching.

Colleges Ditch Trays

Here's an interesting article from today's New York Times about how many colleges are beginning to get rid of trays in their dining halls. They're finding that it saves money and food waste, and it's caused students and other people who regularly take their meals in the cafeteria to eat less. I guess that's one way to control portion sizes. 

That just reminded me of when I was in college and ate in the dining hall. I always tried to avoid putting more than I could balance on my tray because I was afraid of dropping the damn thing. I wish I'd kept that same fear in mind when I was a waitress at a fancy country club and attempted to carry a tray piled high with half-full red wine and port glasses across the ballroom (with its brand-spanking new carpet). 

Welcome!

So it looks like this blog is a Taurus! I suppose it's fitting that a blog about food, nutrition, and general wellness should be an earth sign...

This blog was created to act as a space in which I can post thoughts, observations, along with articles and other media I encounter during my course of study for a Masters in Nutrition & Dietetics.

There's a lot of info out there about what to eat and why. It can be hard to tune out the noise, but it's not impossible to tune in to yourself and your body and learn what your personal needs are and how to meet them. I have a lot to learn myself, and much to ponder along the way. This should be interesting, if nothing else...