pizza

TODAY WE SERVED CHEESE PIZZA.  PESTO VEGGIES WERE OFFERED AS WELL.
TANGERINES AND GRAPES WERE OFFERED ON THE FRUIT BAR.
COTTAGE CHEESE WAS A HIT ON THE SALAD BAR.

BEEF STEW OR LENTIL SOUP

Today we served beef stew or lentil soup. The beef stew is a two day recipe, but it is worth the extra work.  Lots of carrots and potatoes  and onions make up the stew.

 The lentil soup is really good as well. The lentils are a bit fancy.  They are French green lentils.
Lots of tarragon and thyme as well as smoked paprika. It was surprising how many students chose lentil soup.  
 Of course bacci rolls were served and wow they are popular.   Apples and tangerines were served on the fruit bar.  Artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes were popular on the salad bar.

macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and cheese was served today. Perfectly steamed broccoli was offered as a side dish.
Bananas and apple slices were on the fruit bar.
Sun dried tomatoes artichoke hearts were hits on the salad bar.

turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches

So once again I did not get a picture. The sandwiches were all eaten. Turkey bacon is very lean and the students love it.    We  try to serve lean meats and everything is baked and never fried.

I have had many conversations lately about the national school lunch program and the hard work of Michelle Obama to change what our children eat.  What important work it is.  I think it is so vital to the health of our nations children to make a healthy lunch part of every child's day.  Here at McGillis we try so hard to serve fresh healthy food.  Most importantly that food must taste good as well or it will go straight to the trash.
 Please know that I put a lot of energy and thought into the food that is served to your children. Please feel free to stop by and chat with me if you have questions or concerns.
The main reason that I do this blog is so that you might have a clear picture and description of what your child was offered at lunch.

Today we served sloppy joe sandwiches.  We served brussel sprouts and roasted potatoes as side dishes. This is a very popular entree and the students have no idea they are eating so much celery, green bell peppers and onions. Truly, the ratio is almost 50/50 meat to veggies.

Cheese enchiladas were served today. The enchiladas are hand rolled. The filing is comprised of cheddar cheese, low fat cottage cheese  and a bit of low fat sour cream. The students have a choice of red or green enchilada sauce. The side dish was spanish rice.

pasta with marinara sauce

Today we served spaghetti with marinara sauce. This is from scratch sauce and it is yummy.

Roasted carrots or steamed broccoli were served as a side dishes. The salad bar items that are well liked are sun dried tomatoes, Spanish olives and banana peppers.

Today we served potato cheese soup. A bit of broccoli is added as well.  The soup was served with bacci rolls. This is a very popular lunch day and of course we limit the helpings of bacci rolls because the students would eat ten if they were allowed.

greek chicken wrap

Today for family group lunch we served Greek chicken wraps.
These wraps were a new creation and were well received.
Lemon rice, marinated chicken and Greek salad were bundled in a tomato basil wrap.
Kosher rules kept us from adding feta cheese on these, but they were really good anyway.

Hot dogs

Hot dogs were served today. These hot dogs are all beef with no added fillers.  Vegetarian hot dogs were offered as well.
Perfectly steamed green beans were offered as a side vegetable.  Honeycrisp apples and grapes were offered on the fruit bar.
Salad bar offerings are popular.  Mandarin oranges and craisins are well liked.  Cusabi is the new favorite dressing, its cucumber wasabi ranch dressing.

Bean and cheese burritos were offered today. Spanish rice and baked tortilla chips were offered as side dishes.
 

Garlic spaghetti

Garlic spaghetti

I have had parents comment on their child's breath and ask me how I persuaded children to try something with so much garlic. The answer is that fresh garlic is very potent.

This dish is basically olive oil and lots of fresh chopped garlic, parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

A bit of fresh lemon juice finishes the dish.

Perfectly steamed broccoli is served with this. The broccoli is steamed for just 8 minutes.

I will always do my best to get the veggies just right . It is my goal in life to leave a good impression of veggies on these young children.  I recall some of my childhood food memories and most involve disgusting soggy veggies.

Tomato soup

Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. The students really like this soup and tell me that its best eaten by dipping the grilled cheese into the soup. That is feta cheese sprinkled on the soup.
Honeycrisp apples are very popular on the salad bar. These apples are from the farmers market.
Grown locally in Alpine, Utah.   The farmer that sells them to me thinks they are the best apple around.

caprese sandwich

Caprese sandwich

Today's family group sandwich is a caprese sandwich.

This is a popular lunch and I think that McGillis students  have been exposed to a large variety of foods and the popularity of this sandwich is a perfect example.

gaden burgers

                                Today the sign read,   Cheese "Burgers."

 This was  half true.  They were veggie burgers. We did not advertise the fact that they were veggie burgers. The cheddar cheese also masked the fact that they were not beef, but in fact vegetarian burgers.
The students did not seem to despise the veggie burgers but did not love them either.
We do serve beef hamburgers twice a year and students expressed to me that they prefer real meat for this entree.
 I gave veggie burgers a try and then monitored the waste and decided that this menu item did not work.  Oh well, try, try again.

BAKED POTATO BAR

BAKED POTATO BAR IS AN INTERESTING DAY TO WATCH ALL OF THE VARIED CHOICES THAT STUDENTS AND FACULTY MAKE WHILE TOPPING THEIR POTATO.

ON THE SERVING LINE WE OFFER SWEET POTATO OR REGULAR POTATO.
NEXT COMES CARMELIZED ONIONS, SAUTEED MUSHROOMS, STEAMED BROCCOLI, AND CHEDAR CHEESE SAUCE.
SOUR CREAM, FRESH CHIVES, SALSA, AND GRATED CHEDAR CHEESE ARE OFFERED AT THE FRUIT BAR.

THE QUOTE OF THE DAY...... " I WANT EVERYTHING ON MY ORANGE POTATO."

THIS FROM A FIRST GRADER WHO RESPONDED TO OUR QUESTION OF WHICH TOPPINGS SHE WANTED. SHE ACTUALLY CAME BACK FOR MORE BROCCOLI.
 I REALLY LOVE THESE PRECIOUS INTERACTIONS.