"Healthy" Food

Most of us, at least some of the time, make conscious food choices. There are times when we eat "what is there" but I bet you put some thought into what you put into your body, as well you should.

I'm sipping on my Green Smoothie (click here for basic recipe), getting ready to go head to the elementary school because today is my day to be "Lunch Parent". Fun times.

This got me to thinking about nutrition in schools specifically and nutrition in general. The choices at the school today are:
Pizza
Chicken Noodle Soup and Grilled Cheese

The pizza is coded RED as in don't eat red choices every day. The soup and sandwich is GREEN meaning you could eat this every day. There are yellow foods as well but they aren't on the menu today. Yellow foods are things like Chicken nuggets or pasta and garlic bread.

Here's my dilemma: From a nutritional standpoint I'd rather my kids eat the pizza. I think that whoever makes these decisions labeled pizza red because it's commonly accepted as a "bad" food. I just don't see how canned, high sodium, high fat, highly processed soup and processed fatty american cheese on processed nutritionally defunct white bread fried in butter is better. I'll wait while you think about that for a second. Okay welcome back! Did you come to the same conclusion? Yes the pizza has fatty cheese and a doughy defunct crust but unlike the other meal it has an almost redeeming quality in the form of a quasi-vegetable (tomato sauce).

A parent's job is a big one, the scope is limitless so far as I can tell. There are so many outside influences and they don't always jive with the core values and beliefs we want to instill in our children. Today's case in point I am appalled by the nutritional message being sent to my children by the school. The school I teach them to have pride in, the teachers I ask them to trust and respect. One of the best things we can do is lead by example.

So I ask: What's in YOUR lunch box? Can you opt for a whole grain bread or pita? Can you opt for healthier fats like olive oil, coconut oil and flax oil in your dressings? Where is your fruit? Veggies? You can make Hummus (recipe here) for dipping, or dip into nut butters.

On this Wednesday, 9/30/09 I urge you to take a pledge to pack better lunches for you and the ones you love!