Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

[Guest guest]

Although I love my children's daycare, the snacks they serve are very poor

nutritionally. They tend to be things like Ritz crackers, Lorna Doone cookies,

vanilla pudding, other cookies. I am on the war path this year along with some

other parents to get things changed. We realize that the center is not going to

do this, so we want to enlist as many parents as possible to form a co-op, where

we take turns brining in healthy snacks. Right now the staff is saying that

they will put out our snacks out with the snacks on the menu and let the

children choose. Hmmm, I wonder which one they will pick???

 

Anyway, I am trying to put together a list of recipes to try. Can anyone

suggest a good source - either a cookbook or a website - with recipes that

contain whole grains, and no refined sugars. Most of these kids do not eat that

way, so the finished product has to look and taste similar to what they are used

to in order for them to eat it.

 

Thanks.

 

Karen

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

try using the site -- www.vegweb.com

I have used it often. Tracy

[Guest guest]

Thanks. We met with the administration this morning and although they are going

to see what changes can be made to the menu I doubt that little will change and

we cannot have parents take turns bringing in healthier snacks. It appears that

they get reimbursed for the food through some government program and have to

follow their guidelines and order off of some approved list. According to this

list, Lorna Doone cookies, vanilla wafers, and Ritz crackers count as an

enriched bread product. Vanilla pudding is dairy. If the inspectors were to

come in and see that the kids were not eating something off the list - like a

healthy snack - they could forfeit the reimbursement. And everyone wonders why

there are so many overweight children in the U.S.!! I pointed out that these

guidelines are not made with the best interests of the childre at heart, but

with the best interests of the dairy and junk food market. They agreed, but

it's a financial issue for them.

 

 

They also do not want parents bringing in substitute snacks for the whole class

every day because they could not be sure that the food was prepared under the

conditions that the guidelines require. They are even unsure about a subset of

parents sending in healthier snacks to be shared just among their children.

 

I also ran into the soy milk issue. My son only gets soy milk. They did not

push it, but said that technically they need a note from his doctor saying that

he is allowed to have it because they are supposed to be giving him whole milk.

 

I know that none of these issues are new to us, but I'm just really hot under

the collar right now. The directors were very nice about it, but I suspect

little will change. I can just imagine the alternatives to Lorna Doones -

Oreos, perhaps.

 

Karen

-

tracyinfo

Monday, August 19, 2002 12:10 PM

Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

 

 

try using the site -- www.vegweb.com

I have used it often. Tracy

 

 

[Guest guest]

Karen

 

Sorry to hear it didn't go well for you. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

sometimes feels like an uphill battle. My 29 month old son is about to start

daycare next week and I'm facing a similar problem. They'll happily

accomodate his veg diet (not sure about the vegan thing as we're in the

process of becoming vegan and are more dairy minimalists at this point

though he has never had cow milk-I may claim allergies) but they'll fill him

up on white bread, white pasta, Ritz crackers, etc. I have no idea how to

explain that this is equally unacceptable to me. I don't want to offend

anyone or come across as critical of other people's choices because I really

want the staff working with me. There is no alternative daycare in the

area-this one is right beside the University so it is the most 'open' of all

daycares in this rural area. Having said that, I cannot stand the idea of

him eating snacks from the 'recommended diet'. I get the impression that the

staff is open to working with me on meals but not snacks... They've agreed

to let me supply my own prepared and ready to go lunch although I'll still

pay for lunch. So, I'm wondering where to go from here. I don't think I can

let the snack thing slide but, I don't want to make enemies with them before

we even start! any ideas?

Madeline

 

 

>Karen Detling <kdetling

>

>

>Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

>Tue, 20 Aug 2002 18:13:48 -0400

>

>Thanks. We met with the administration this morning and although they are

>going to see what changes can be made to the menu I doubt that little will

>change and we cannot have parents take turns bringing in healthier snacks.

>It appears that they get reimbursed for the food through some government

>program and have to follow their guidelines and order off of some approved

>list. According to this list, Lorna Doone cookies, vanilla wafers, and

>Ritz crackers count as an enriched bread product. Vanilla pudding is

>dairy. If the inspectors were to come in and see that the kids were not

>eating something off the list - like a healthy snack - they could forfeit

>the reimbursement. And everyone wonders why there are so many overweight

>children in the U.S.!! I pointed out that these guidelines are not made

>with the best interests of the childre at heart, but with the best

>interests of the dairy and junk food market. They agreed, but it's a

>financial issue for them.

>

>

>They also do not want parents bringing in substitute snacks for the whole

>class every day because they could not be sure that the food was prepared

>under the conditions that the guidelines require. They are even unsure

>about a subset of parents sending in healthier snacks to be shared just

>among their children.

>

>I also ran into the soy milk issue. My son only gets soy milk. They did

>not push it, but said that technically they need a note from his doctor

>saying that he is allowed to have it because they are supposed to be giving

>him whole milk.

>

>I know that none of these issues are new to us, but I'm just really hot

>under the collar right now. The directors were very nice about it, but I

>suspect little will change. I can just imagine the alternatives to Lorna

>Doones - Oreos, perhaps.

>

>Karen

> -

> tracyinfo

>

> Monday, August 19, 2002 12:10 PM

> Re: Recommendations on whole foods

>cookbooks/recipes

>

>

> try using the site -- www.vegweb.com

> I have used it often. Tracy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

can you bring snack alternatives? we (thank god) have that option at our day

care.

Madeline White wrote:Karen

 

Sorry to hear it didn't go well for you. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

sometimes feels like an uphill battle. My 29 month old son is about to start

daycare next week and I'm facing a similar problem. They'll happily

accomodate his veg diet (not sure about the vegan thing as we're in the

process of becoming vegan and are more dairy minimalists at this point

though he has never had cow milk-I may claim allergies) but they'll fill him

up on white bread, white pasta, Ritz crackers, etc. I have no idea how to

explain that this is equally unacceptable to me. I don't want to offend

anyone or come across as critical of other people's choices because I really

want the staff working with me. There is no alternative daycare in the

area-this one is right beside the University so it is the most 'open' of all

daycares in this rural area. Having said that, I cannot stand the idea of

him eating snacks from the 'recommended diet'. I get the impression that the

staff is open to working with me on meals but not snacks... They've agreed

to let me supply my own prepared and ready to go lunch although I'll still

pay for lunch. So, I'm wondering where to go from here. I don't think I can

let the snack thing slide but, I don't want to make enemies with them before

we even start! any ideas?

Madeline

 

 

>Karen Detling <kdetling

>

>

>Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

>Tue, 20 Aug 2002 18:13:48 -0400

>

>Thanks. We met with the administration this morning and although they are

>going to see what changes can be made to the menu I doubt that little will

>change and we cannot have parents take turns bringing in healthier snacks.

>It appears that they get reimbursed for the food through some government

>program and have to follow their guidelines and order off of some approved

>list. According to this list, Lorna Doone cookies, vanilla wafers, and

>Ritz crackers count as an enriched bread product. Vanilla pudding is

>dairy. If the inspectors were to come in and see that the kids were not

>eating something off the list - like a healthy snack - they could forfeit

>the reimbursement. And everyone wonders why there are so many overweight

>children in the U.S.!! I pointed out that these guidelines are not made

>with the best interests of the childre at heart, but with the best

>interests of the dairy and junk food market. They agreed, but it's a

>financial issue for them.

>

>

>They also do not want parents bringing in substitute snacks for the whole

>class every day because they could not be sure that the food was prepared

>under the conditions that the guidelines require. They are even unsure

>about a subset of parents sending in healthier snacks to be shared just

>among their children.

>

>I also ran into the soy milk issue. My son only gets soy milk. They did

>not push it, but said that technically they need a note from his doctor

>saying that he is allowed to have it because they are supposed to be giving

>him whole milk.

>

>I know that none of these issues are new to us, but I'm just really hot

>under the collar right now. The directors were very nice about it, but I

>suspect little will change. I can just imagine the alternatives to Lorna

>Doones - Oreos, perhaps.

>

>Karen

> -

> tracyinfo

>

> Monday, August 19, 2002 12:10 PM

> Re: Recommendations on whole foods

>cookbooks/recipes

>

>

> try using the site -- www.vegweb.com

> I have used it often. Tracy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Madeline - In some ways it was a victory for us. The same day we met with the

directors, they called a meeting of the food committee. Although some of the

teachers on the committee thought that the snacks were just fine, more agreed

with us. I spoke with one of the directors today to thank her for acting on our

request with a meeting, and she said that they looked at the list of alternative

snacks and it was disappointing, as we suspected. They have decided to keep the

vanilla wafers because they are soft (I'm still figuring that one out), but are

going to scrap the vanilla pudding and the Lorna Doones. They are thinking

tortillas, apple butter. The teachers are supposed to give suggestions. I've

seen how they eat, however, so I'm not too hopeful about that. Anyway, even if

the end result is not much of a change, we at least feel that they listened to

us. Also, we might go back to them if we are unhappy with the results.

 

As far as approach, we are in a different position because our children have

been at this daycare for a while. We've been there for going on 4 years. So,

we already have a relationship with them and they know that we are pretty

easygoing parents. It's not like we are in there every week complaining about

something. When we met with them we were not confrontational at all and tried

to present it as, " we have these concerns, and we know you all have a lot on

your plates, but is there some way we can work together on this. " We also

picked out battles in terms of what foods we wanted out. We said puddings,

lorna doones, vanilla wafers, but didn't object to the fig newtons (at least

there's fruit) and graham crackers.

 

We have to supply lunch, so we can control that. They give them breakfast, but

it's usually cheerios or rice crispies, maybe some fruit salad, or bagels (which

I saw today looked like wheat).

 

The funny thing was that we had this meeting on Tuesday. Last night there was a

fundraiser at a local Pizza Hut restaurant. If you presented a special coupon a

certain percentage of the profits went to the daycare. We went and one of the

directors I had spoken to was there. DH ordered a bunch of appetiziers - all

fried, cheesy things. I went over to the director and told her that she was to

ignore what she saw at our table. LOL.

 

My next issue is to put an end to bug squishing. I have seen teachers squashing

bugs a lot. We are not talking cockroaches or something like that, just

harmless little bugs. I don't think that is the right message to be sending to

the children. At home we escort them outside, but I'd be happy if they just

left them alone there. LOL.

 

Good luck.

 

Karen

-

Madeline White

Wednesday, August 21, 2002 1:45 PM

Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

 

 

Karen

 

Sorry to hear it didn't go well for you. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle

sometimes feels like an uphill battle. My 29 month old son is about to start

daycare next week and I'm facing a similar problem. They'll happily

accomodate his veg diet (not sure about the vegan thing as we're in the

process of becoming vegan and are more dairy minimalists at this point

though he has never had cow milk-I may claim allergies) but they'll fill him

up on white bread, white pasta, Ritz crackers, etc. I have no idea how to

explain that this is equally unacceptable to me. I don't want to offend

anyone or come across as critical of other people's choices because I really

want the staff working with me. There is no alternative daycare in the

area-this one is right beside the University so it is the most 'open' of all

daycares in this rural area. Having said that, I cannot stand the idea of

him eating snacks from the 'recommended diet'. I get the impression that the

staff is open to working with me on meals but not snacks... They've agreed

to let me supply my own prepared and ready to go lunch although I'll still

pay for lunch. So, I'm wondering where to go from here. I don't think I can

let the snack thing slide but, I don't want to make enemies with them before

we even start! any ideas?

Madeline

 

 

>Karen Detling <kdetling

>

>

>Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

>Tue, 20 Aug 2002 18:13:48 -0400

>

>Thanks. We met with the administration this morning and although they are

>going to see what changes can be made to the menu I doubt that little will

>change and we cannot have parents take turns bringing in healthier snacks.

>It appears that they get reimbursed for the food through some government

>program and have to follow their guidelines and order off of some approved

>list. According to this list, Lorna Doone cookies, vanilla wafers, and

>Ritz crackers count as an enriched bread product. Vanilla pudding is

>dairy. If the inspectors were to come in and see that the kids were not

>eating something off the list - like a healthy snack - they could forfeit

>the reimbursement. And everyone wonders why there are so many overweight

>children in the U.S.!! I pointed out that these guidelines are not made

>with the best interests of the childre at heart, but with the best

>interests of the dairy and junk food market. They agreed, but it's a

>financial issue for them.

>

>

>They also do not want parents bringing in substitute snacks for the whole

>class every day because they could not be sure that the food was prepared

>under the conditions that the guidelines require. They are even unsure

>about a subset of parents sending in healthier snacks to be shared just

>among their children.

>

>I also ran into the soy milk issue. My son only gets soy milk. They did

>not push it, but said that technically they need a note from his doctor

>saying that he is allowed to have it because they are supposed to be giving

>him whole milk.

>

>I know that none of these issues are new to us, but I'm just really hot

>under the collar right now. The directors were very nice about it, but I

>suspect little will change. I can just imagine the alternatives to Lorna

>Doones - Oreos, perhaps.

>

>Karen

> -

> tracyinfo

>

> Monday, August 19, 2002 12:10 PM

> Re: Recommendations on whole foods

>cookbooks/recipes

>

>

> try using the site -- www.vegweb.com

> I have used it often. Tracy

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

On Thu, 22 Aug 2002, Karen Detling wrote:

 

> Madeline - In some ways it was a victory for us. The same day we met

> with the directors, they called a meeting of the food committee.

> Although some of the teachers on the committee thought that the snacks

> were just fine, more agreed with us. I spoke with one of the directors

> today to thank her for acting on our request with a meeting, and she

> said that they looked at the list of alternative snacks and it was

> disappointing, as we suspected. They have decided to keep the vanilla

> wafers because they are soft (I'm still figuring that one out), but are

> going to scrap the vanilla pudding and the Lorna Doones. They are

> thinking tortillas, apple butter. The teachers are supposed to give

> suggestions. I've seen how they eat, however, so I'm not too hopeful

> about that. Anyway, even if the end result is not much of a change, we

> at least feel that they listened to us. Also, we might go back to them

> if we are unhappy with the results.

 

If the teachers are going to be making suggestions, perhaps you could

contact them directly. They may appreciate a few more ideas, especially

if they know those ideas are already approved by the parents who

instituted the review.

 

 

----

Patricia Bullington-McGuire <patricia

President, The Arlington Cooperative Organization

 

The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered

three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the

purely hypothetical. They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each

nonexisted in an entirely different way ...

-- Stanislaw Lem, " Cyberiad "

[Guest guest]

Madeline, well, you could claim a gluten intolerance. Wouldn't

that rule out most flour products like white bread, crackers and

such? It sounds like a sticky situation. Is your doctor in favor of

your family's diet? You could bring in a list of acceptable foods

from her/him and it might have more clout and keep you from looking

like the bad guy.

 

Some religions mandate a vegetarian or vegan diet, and I'd think

they'd be respectful of anything you said was part of your religion.

Being vegan is a part of my spirituality because it's so tied up in

what I believe in, even if it's not in the strictest sense. Dunno!

 

--

Alicia

 

A Magical Childhood

http://www.magicalchildhood.com

 

" The best way to make children good is to make them happy. "

- Oscar Wilde

[Guest guest]

Karen, I've seen bug savers in Montessori catalogs. They're like a

little clear cup that you pop over the bug and then you slide a little

door shut and you can take them outside. If I find a catalog I'll

post it. They're sold specifically for preschools so maybe something

like that would go over?

 

--

Alicia

 

A Magical Childhood

http://www.magicalchildhood.com

 

" The best way to make children good is to make them happy. "

- Oscar Wilde

[Guest guest]

Alicia

 

I'll use any reason out there if it means my son will have 'healthy' food!

All's fair in love and vegetarianism! I'm going there tomorrow to drop off

all the forms and discuss his 'special' diet. I also have to explain my

vaccination decisions! You'd think I'd have thick skin by now but I'm

nervous! I'll let you know!

 

Glad you mentionned those bug catchers. My relatives encouraged my son to

step on bugs this summer and it really bothered me but I didn't say too much

because I feel like I'm always asking them to NOT do things with Killian

(ie: feed him meat, allow him to watch TV, give him violent toys, buy him

sweets, buy him overly commercial toys/clothes, etc). I'll try to find those

bug catchers...

 

Madeline

 

 

>Alicia Bayer <abayer

>

>

>Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

>Fri, 23 Aug 2002 12:53:28 -0700

>

>Madeline, well, you could claim a gluten intolerance. Wouldn't

>that rule out most flour products like white bread, crackers and

>such? It sounds like a sticky situation. Is your doctor in favor of

>your family's diet? You could bring in a list of acceptable foods

>from her/him and it might have more clout and keep you from looking

>like the bad guy.

>

>Some religions mandate a vegetarian or vegan diet, and I'd think

>they'd be respectful of anything you said was part of your religion.

>Being vegan is a part of my spirituality because it's so tied up in

>what I believe in, even if it's not in the strictest sense. Dunno!

>

>

>--

> Alicia

>

>A Magical Childhood

>http://www.magicalchildhood.com

>

> " The best way to make children good is to make them happy. "

>- Oscar Wilde

>

>

>

 

 

 

 

_______________

Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com

[Guest guest]

Alicia - that would be great if you could find that catalog. Thanks.

 

Karen

-

Alicia Bayer

Friday, August 23, 2002 7:30 PM

Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

 

 

Karen, I've seen bug savers in Montessori catalogs. They're like a

little clear cup that you pop over the bug and then you slide a little

door shut and you can take them outside. If I find a catalog I'll

post it. They're sold specifically for preschools so maybe something

like that would go over?

 

--

Alicia

 

A Magical Childhood

http://www.magicalchildhood.com

 

" The best way to make children good is to make them happy. "

- Oscar Wilde

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

That's a good idea. We have been away for a few days, so I don't know the status

of things right now. The teachers eat a lot of fried foods, always drink sodas,

etc., so I'm not sure they are the ones to be suggesting healthy snacks.

 

Karen

-

Patricia Bullington-McGuire

Friday, August 23, 2002 1:34 PM

Re: Recommendations on whole foods cookbooks/recipes

 

 

On Thu, 22 Aug 2002, Karen Detling wrote:

 

> Madeline - In some ways it was a victory for us. The same day we met

> with the directors, they called a meeting of the food committee.

> Although some of the teachers on the committee thought that the snacks

> were just fine, more agreed with us. I spoke with one of the directors

> today to thank her for acting on our request with a meeting, and she

> said that they looked at the list of alternative snacks and it was

> disappointing, as we suspected. They have decided to keep the vanilla

> wafers because they are soft (I'm still figuring that one out), but are

> going to scrap the vanilla pudding and the Lorna Doones. They are

> thinking tortillas, apple butter. The teachers are supposed to give

> suggestions. I've seen how they eat, however, so I'm not too hopeful

> about that. Anyway, even if the end result is not much of a change, we

> at least feel that they listened to us. Also, we might go back to them

> if we are unhappy with the results.

 

If the teachers are going to be making suggestions, perhaps you could

contact them directly. They may appreciate a few more ideas, especially

if they know those ideas are already approved by the parents who

instituted the review.

 

 

----

Patricia Bullington-McGuire <patricia

President, The Arlington Cooperative Organization

 

The brilliant Cerebron, attacking the problem analytically, discovered

three distinct kinds of dragon: the mythical, the chimerical, and the

purely hypothetical. They were all, one might say, nonexistent, but each

nonexisted in an entirely different way ...

-- Stanislaw Lem, " Cyberiad "

 

 

 

 

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.