Tuesday, Dec 22 - Chicken or Cold Cut

This will be the last post for a while during the Holiday. I will be back in California and return to school on January 6th.

Happy Holidays!

-Chicken Breast with sauce (appeared not to be the usual "sticky" sauce

-Bun

-1/2 Cup Sweet Potatoes with sauce (sugar glaze?)

-"Cold Cut"I am really unsure of what kind of meat this was, Turkey perhaps?

-2 small chunks of pineapple

-Bun

-1/2 Cup Glazed sweet potatoes

Monday, Dec 21 - Chicken Fingers or Saucy Burger Mess

-5 Chicken Fingers

-1/2 Cup potato wedges/fries - about 5

-1/2 Cup greens (unsure of variety, but it was a nice change)

-1 Cup saucy burger mess (the kids were practically sorting through and throwing these out without even trying it. It appeared to be burger meat, red/tomato sauce and onion)

-1/2 Cup potato wedges

-1/2 Cup greens

Friday, Dec 18 - Cheese Burger, Chick Patty or Lasagna

Three options today. The students don't know what is inside until they open the top of the lunch, and I saw students going through lunches and throwing away lasagna until they got a cheese burger or otherwise had to settle for a chick patty. Elsi, who brings the lunches from the cafeteria said the students won't eat things that don't have meat and "don't look appetizing". The Lasagna is only filled with ricotta cheese, apparently.

That said, another student asked me if we could get salads for lunch, but she is definitely in the minority.

-Fried Chicken Patty

-Bun

-1 small potato, peeled and seasoned

-Cheese burger (meat, slice of american style cheese)

-Bun

-2 small potatoes, peeled and seasoned

-1 cup Lasagna (lasagna, red pasta sauce, ricotta filling, melted cheese on top)

-1 medium potato, peeled and seasoned

Thursday, Dec 17 - BBQ Chicken Again

I had my Health Fair today and it went pretty well. Unfortunately this shot was the only chance I had at getting a picture of lunch, so I apologize for its blurriness.

-BBQ Chicken (it is usually about 2 servings worth)

-1/2 cup corn

-1/2 cup rice

Wednesday, Dec 16, Pork?

-1/2 Cup Pork (as reported by a student - stewed in something, I think)

-1/2 cup cooked greens with a few small chunks of red bell pepper

-4 slices of seasoned flatbread

Tuesday, Dec 15 - Fried Cheese Sticks

-5 Fried Cheese Sticks (this student wanted to eat these so badly he couldn't wait for my pic)

-1/2 cup veggies (corn, peas, green beans)

-1/2 cup dipping sauce (pasta like sauce, I believe)

Monday, Dec 14 - Ravioili

-1 Cup ravioli, meat filled with pasta sauce and cheese on top

-1/2 cup Veggies (corn and peas)

-1 Bun, looks like it is at least part whole wheat

Several students told me this is the definitive "best" school lunch that is served. They were lamenting that they don't get it more often.

Friday, Dec 11 - Sticky Chicken Again

First, I wanted to show what the trays look like when the students first grab them, because it may not have been clear. They come in insulation soft cooler like boxes stacked on on top of the other. You peel back the metal edge and take off the metal coated cardboard piece to reveal the food.

Today's Lunch:

-"sticky chicken" Large Chicken Breast (some lunches have wings or legs) with sticky sauce on it (is it bbq?)

-1/2 Cup Yellow Rice

-1/2 Cup Mixed Veggies - Green beans, carrots, peas, corn

Thursday, Dec 10 - Cheese Burger

Today some trays came with fries and some didn't.

- Cheese Burger (Burger, bun, cheese)

- Mixed Veggies (carrots, greens, zucchini?) Honestly, I end up throwing away the vegetables 90% of the time because the kids won't eat them. Today they looked pretty appetizing to me.

- Fries (limited trays only)

Wednesday, Dec 9 - Chili

I went on another field trip on Tuesday and didn't get a picture. Here is Wednesday:

- Chili

- Cheese

- Potato, seasoned

- Bun

Monday, Dec 7 - "Mystery Meat"

-2 pieces of meat
-Sauce (red, possibly barbecue?)
-1/2 cup mixed vegetables (Peas, carrots, cauliflower)
-Tortilla

Students adamantly refused to eat today's lunch. They all agreed it was made from "Mystery Meat" (personally, I think it is some kind of ground beef). They claimed it would make them sick. A couple of them just ate the tortilla.

Thursday, Dec 3 - Chicken Fingers

-4 Chicken Fingers (they seem to be making more and more appearances)
-Dipping sauce (I do not know what it was or how it tasted)
-1/2 cup mixed veggies (carrots, corn, peas)

I am kind of surprised there was no bread/grains, usually they include something.

Wednesday, Dec 2 - Cheese Lasagna

I was Gone Tuesday on a field trip and unable to get a picture. Here is Wednesday's lunch:



-1/2 cup green beans
-Cheese lasagna with red sauce

This meal looked pretty decent to me, but because it is a half day Wednesdays and the students take off very quickly, most of the meals were thrown in the trash.

Monday 11/30/09 - Chicken fingers

-4 Chicken Fingers (I have to appreciate their yin-yang quality...)
-1/2 Cup Corn
-1/2 Cup Potato Wedges

Wednesday, Nov 25 - Beef Pocket

-Beef Pocket / Empanada (the filing is 100% ground meat)

-Fries, about a half cup

-Veggies (green beans, peas)

I see kids bring these beef pockets back for lunch when they go out sometimes. It appears to be a popular NYC item but I don't know what they call it. Also, my cell phone camera doesn't do justice to the bright orange color of the shell...)

Tuesday, Nov 24 - Thanskgiving Turkey and Mashed Potatoes

-turkey, 2 slices
-gravy
-mashed potatoes ~1/2 cup

A couple of people commented that it was good.

Monday, Nov 23 - Cheese Burger or Grilled Chicken sandwich

I was gone last Friday for Katie's Health fair and missed lunch. Today students had a choice, though I found out we get sent 50 meals (at one of my schools) which include 40 hot meals and 10 PB&Js. The PB&Js do not come with vegetables but are considered a full lunch for kids.



-Grilled Chicken with red(barbeque?) sauce ~1.5 card packs
-Bun
-Corn ~1/2 cup




-Burger ~1.5 car packs
-Slice of cheese (american)
-Bun
-Corn ~1/2 cup

Wednesday, Nov 18 - Spaghetti and Meatballs

I found out today that because Wednesdays are a half day at both my schools, we only get half the number of lunches as usual. That means a lot of kids were left without one when school let out. One student that did get a hold of one told me it looked good.



-Spaghetti ~ 1/2-3/4 of a cup
-5 Meatballs
-Bun

Tuesday, Nov 17 - Lamb(?) and Rice

-Yellow Rice (~1/4 - 1/2 cup)
-Meat ~2 card packs, variety unknown (looked like lamb but I bet it was cow meat)
-Onion Bell Pepper medley (~1/4 cup)

Monday, Nov 16 - Grilled Cheese or Chicken Patty

Back from my week long outward bound trip. Ready for a new week of lunch pictures

Today the early students had a choice:



-Grilled Cheese Sandwich
-Fries
-~1/2 Cup vegetables (peas and green beans)


OR



-Fried Chicken Patty Sandwich (just the patty and bun, no condiments)
-~1/2 Cup vegetables (peas and green beans)

Friday, Nov 6 - Chicken strips and fries

-4 Fried Chicken strips (some trays had 5)
-1/2 Cup French Fries (~10)
-Dipping Sauce (some trays did not have the dipping sauce, not sure what it was)

P.S. I will be gone all next week on the Outward Bound camping trip and not be able to photograph the lunches.

Thursday, Nov 5 - Chilly wrap?

-1/2 Cup chilly
-2 or 3 Tablespoons of shredded american cheese
-1/2 Cup Corn
-Medium wrap, looked like wheat (not pictured)

Not really sure what the chilly looking item was today. Also, I failed to get a photo of the "wrap" (tortilla) that came separately. The idea was to make a wrap with your chilly, I believe. One student told me it tasted bad but he ate it anyone because he was hungry. The PB&Js seemed to be a popular item for once.

Wednesday, Nov 4 - Sticky Chicken Again

There was no school yesterday, Tuesday, as it was election day and therefore I did not take a picture.

Here is Today's:




- ~1/2 Cup Corn
- ~1/2 Cup "Spanish rice" (a variation of last week's "yellow" rice - looked more appetizing too)
-1 Large "sticky" Chicken Breast (1.5-2 card packs), the same as last week. Some trays had a pair of chicken wings or thighs instead.

Monday, Nov 2 - A Choice! Fried Fish, Burger or Sandwich

Today the lucky first students were presented with a choice. They had an option of burger, fries and veggies; fried fish, fries and veggies; or a sandwich(only half is pictured as students ate the other half before I was able to photograph). For full disclosure, they send peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday, but the kids never eat them even when they are starving - I don't know why. A PB&J certainly isn't a full meal though. I wasn't early enough to lunch to capture the burger, but it was the same as last Friday, just meat, bun and cheese along with the fries and veggies from the fish tray.






-5 Deep fried fish cubes - One student said they were gross, the Hamburgers were definitely preferred.
-French Fries (about 12 again)
-1/2 Cup Veggies - Carrots, Green Beans and Yellow Squash





-Two slices of bread (whole wheat)
-Lettuce
-Cheese (yellow american cheese style slice)
-Meat (Unknown variety - Ham?)
-Mayonaise (uncofirmed, but the sandwich had something saucy on it)



Beverage Selection



These are the typical and only beverages served each day. Sometimes there are multiple varieties of chocolate milk, like today.

-Fat Free Milk
-Fat Free Chocolate Milk
-Lactose Free Fat Free Chocolate milk (with fun Halloween theme!)

October 30 - Burger and Fries

-1 Bun, did not appear to be whole wheat
-1 Burger, looked like 1.5-2 packs of cards worth
-1 Cheese square, yellow, melting off the burger into the pan
-3/4 cup of Fries, (approximately 12 or 13 large fries)
-EXTRA: Ketchup packets (students had to request them from staff who save some)


This list is exhaustive. There was no onion, tomato or other garnish on the burger though you can't tell from the picture.

Oct 29 - Sticky Chicken

-1 Chicken breast chunk, might have be grilled, with sticky sauce on it. I saw other students had variations of chicken parts including wings and thighs. All of the lunches had very large servings of meat
-Rice ~1/2 cup, Strangely yellow, not sure why
-Corn ~1/2 cup, technically a grain, I guess it qualifies as a vegetable

Wednesday, Oct 28 - Sloppy Joes ?

-Large amount of "sloppy joe" meat (not sure what kind of meat)
-Medium Sized whole wheat looking bun
-1/4 cup(approximate) Vegetables (steamed?). Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrots.

Tuesday, Oct 27 - "Cubic" Meatballs

-1 Bun, appears to have at least some whole grains
-Pasta
-Red sauce
-4 Meatballs (Strangely cube shaped)

Monday, Oct 26 - "Chicken Fingers"

-5 "Chicken fingers" Breaded and deep fried, purportedly real chicken
-3 Plantain Chunks, deep fried and overcooked
-8 slices of carrot, various diameters, cooking method unkown

Surprisingly, there was a lot left over, meaning the students did not like it.

Inaugural Post - Friday, Oct 23 - "Gyro"

I am debating whether to give commentary. I think for now I will let the pictures make their own statements. Todays lunch consisted of

-1 very large piece of white looking flatbread
-4 strips of unknown meat (approximately 1 card pack)
-2 very small strips of red bell pepper
-1 very small strip of green bell pepper.