Food Program Changes

[PitterPatter]

This won't hurt me until the summer months but as of Oct 2012 I guess the USDA made a change that we are no longer permitted to serve processed meat. Once every 2 weeks we can do so for a meal but the rest of the time it has to be fresh. The class was gasping I guess people do a lot of nuggets. What will hurt me is the turkey, roast beef and honey ham from the deli. We eat deli sammies on wheat bread a lot during summer so I don't have to turn on the oven. I don't think of deli meat the same as nuggets but I guess the USDA does. This is going to cost more in the long run as well.

There are a few other changes also they say may not stick. Has anyone else had this new class? Our monitor said this is brand new here and was her 1st class. Sure would be nice if there was a mistake!

[Abigail]

That sounds interesting, I want to learn more. I know you can make your own chicken nuggets though that are healthier, but I agree I don't see deli meat as a processed meat.....what else would I use for a sandwich protein?

[Rachel]

You can do turkey breast in the crock pot and slice it thin for sandwiches. I'm not allowed to serve deli meat at all here. Have to serve meat or chicken 4x a week (5th day can be fish), and no hot dogs or processes meat at all.

[melskids]

Well, I always assumed deli meats were processed. I mean, who's ever seen a ham or turkey breast come from an animal looking like a perfect square 30 pound chunk of boneless meat?! LOL

I know deli meats are way higher in sodium, and most contain nitrates and MSG, just like hot dogs.

I agree though...who wants to cook a hot meal when its so hot out already?!

But usually what I do is roast a piece of meat at night when its not so hot in the house, use the crock pot, or even grill the meat outside, then use that for sandwiches throughout the week.

[Meyou]

You can do egg or tuna for easy sandwiches with protein. OR do a hard boiled egg on the side and do a veggie sandwich (cheese and veggies). My crew loves tomato or cucumber sandwiches.

When you make a roast cut off slices and freeze them in meal sizes. Then you can easily have meat sandwiches without the cooking. I do whole hams this way too. I cooked one least week and froze 4 DC portions and 4 meal sized portions for my family and we ate the rest for 3 days. The ham was only $8 on sale a couple of months ago.

For nuggets I buy chicken breasts or thighs on sale, cut them into nugget pieces and make my own in batches. It doesn't take that long and they freeze well. You just heat them up from frozen in the oven like processed ones. A child serving of protein is so small that it doesn't take much chicken to fulfill the requirements.

I don't do any processed meats because we try and avoid nitrates and MSG as much as humanly possible here.

[countrymom]

funny how they don't want kids in daycares to eat processed foods but kids that go to school eat sandwiches everyday. I think its a dumb that you can't serve processes meat. I can't serve egg because we have a egg allergy, peanut butter can't be served till they are a certain age and I dont' know how many kids eat tuna. I can see if you eat processed meat everyday but once a week doesn't hurt anyone.

[bice99]

Also - Costco has the chicken strips that my girls love. They are actual tenderloins, so they should count. Anyone know?

[PitterPatter]

funny how they don't want kids in daycares to eat processed foods but kids that go to school eat sandwiches everyday. I think its a dumb that you can't serve processes meat. I can't serve egg because we have a egg allergy, peanut butter can't be served till they are a certain age and I dont' know how many kids eat tuna. I can see if you eat processed meat everyday but once a week doesn't hurt anyone.

Right and who controls the school food? USDA!! I better see them making the proper changes as well come October!

We have it pounded into our heads that a lot of kids don't get the proper nutrition at home and we may be their only hot meals. I totally agree with that so I try but to force us to make drastic changes that exclude summer sammies is just much. They need to go after the parents and check their food. They should be just as reponsible as we are. Especially those who use govt food stamps. It would be nice to see them only permitted to buy healthy food instead of the chips and soda.

I digress...

[KBCsMommy]

[ Especially those who use govt food stamps. It would be nice to see them only permitted to buy healthy food instead of the chips and soda.

I digress... [/QUOTE]

Agreed!! Im struggling to feed my kids let alone daycare kids. I was shopping this weekend and say someone with 2 carts full of pizzas, soda, sugary cereal, ramen, chips........they paid with their food stamp card.


Anyways...So what are the other changes coming did they say??

[melskids]

But you know....around here, even the cheapest deli meat is 6.99 to 8.99 a pound.

I can get beef roasts on sale for 3.89, chicken breast for 1.99, and right now, turkey is right around .98 cents a pound.

So even with the food program changing, I've always made our own sandwich meat (and chicken nuggets, oven fries, etc) It may be more work, but its way more cost effective.

I cook alot ahead of time, on weekends, etc, and freeze everything. (like meyou said)

I hate the kitchen heating up in the summer too, but like I said, I do most of my cooking in the crock pot or the grill in the hotter months.

And I totally agree with the school lunches. Ours are pretty horrible. The schools should definetly be held to the same standards as us.

[countrymom]

I don't grill when dck's are here--last summer another provider made burgers for her daycare kids, she shut the gas down and everything, but her bbque was near her house, and it was windy outside. Some how the wind re egnited the flames and set her house on fire, she had a new house too. So I dont use the grill.

our school board is becoming crazy too with lunch rules. Did you know that you can serve chicken burgers with out mayo but the minute you put mayo on it, the schools can't serve it. My kids tell me what children bring to school for lunch, I'm sorry but some of those parents should be shot. Who sends a can of pop with a 7 yr old, or a bag of junk food and call it lunch. We have a milk program and there are kids who get 3 cartons of choco milk to fill up on, and you wonder why kids are gaining weight.

[snbauser]

We haven't heard of any of the new rules coming through yet. Even though we are out of my home, we are licensed as a center so our food preperation is even more strict. I can't make a roast the night before and slice it up because it would be considered a leftover and we can't serve leftovers.

[melskids]

We haven't heard of any of the new rules coming through yet. Even though we are out of my home, we are licensed as a center so our food preperation is even more strict. I can't make a roast the night before and slice it up because it would be considered a leftover and we can't serve leftovers.

well, I do grill the night before..never when DC kids are here...

but to not be allowed to precook meals or reheat leftovers? wow. i would never be able to comply with that.

[frgsonmysox]

You can't serve leftovers?! I cook ahead and freeze for my family all the time. I'm planning to do the same with my daycare kids when I open. I couldn't imagine not being able to pull from my freezer to reheat up for them

[Blackcat31]

Processed meats have never been credible. All meats are required to have the CN label or be free of binders and additives. Luncheon meat is credible if it is whole such as real turkey breast or roast beef and not the pressed type like melskids mentioned.

Chicken nuggets are credible if they are homemade with real chicken or if they have the CN label on them.

http://www.childcaregroup.org/images/Misc/Creditable_Non-_Foods.pdf

(scroll down to page 7)