Food Program - What?!

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

Here you can serve brownies, but not whole milk. How does that work? No meat that is not bought at a store. Once when I had a visit, the kids were picking strawberries, the monitor lady said, " Oh cool, that will count for part of their snack." Before that I was told that all food had to be store bought. I almost think it just depends on the person.

We can have a garden here! We can not serve home canned items.

[Meyou]

My doctor recommended I keep my kids on whole milk indefinitely. We eat a whole food diet and I have athletic, HUNGRY kids. My 15 year old was literally unable to eat enough calories last year to stay full and maintain her weight. I buy full fat unhomogenized pasteurized local milk. Good fats are not evil. We need them.

I know this is a little off topic but I am REALLY bothered by the reduction in milk fat that is now required as a result of childhood obesity. We are basically taking the only good fat many children receive away and replacing it with more empty carbs, bad fats and foods with little nutritional value. It's making the problem worse, not better.

[Cradle2crayons]

My doctor recommended I keep my kids on whole milk indefinitely. We eat a whole food diet and I have athletic, HUNGRY kids. My 15 year old was literally unable to eat enough calories last year to stay full and maintain her weight. I buy full fat unhomogenized pasteurized local milk. Good fats are not evil. We need them.

I know this is a little off topic but I am REALLY bothered by the reduction in milk fat that is now required as a result of childhood obesity. We are basically taking the only good fat many children receive away and replacing it with more empty carbs, bad fats and foods with little nutritional value. It's making the problem worse, not better.

I agree. My doc says whole milk should be the priority fat.

[Christina72684]

I don't get the breakfast requirement either. I can see having to serve a grain on the side, but not to have some kind of protein? That's just odd.

That drives me nuts! There are only so many grains to serve. I wish it was grain OR protein so we could do eggs or sausage or bacon. It just doesn't seem like a meal without protein.

[Denise]

The milk thing isn't new. When I had my first baby over 20 years ago they told me when he turned 2 to change his milk to 1%. I did. He ate healthy and was active. The only treat he had was one donut hole per week when he and hubby went to the coffee shop on Sunday mornings. My daughter drank whole milk until she was 4 then refused any milk at all. She snacked, refused fruits and veggies and her diet consisted of grilled cheese, peanutbutter, bagels and hotdogs. We labelled her the carb moster. My son, who's 22 is now about 290 pounds. My daughter, who's 18 is very slim. My point is, a healthy, active childhood doesn't necessarily determine what you will turn out to be as an adult. My son went hog wild when he was old enough to drive and have a job. He bought sodas and snacks and unhealthy things because he was always denied them. My daughter still eats horribly but she takes suppliments and doesn't overindulge.

If you look at the elementary school lunch menu's you'll notice they are carb heavy as well.

My pediatricians always said when you give a carb, give a protein. They like to work together.

Just a friendly aside ... I know many of you are stating you're feeding the kids Pomegranate seeds but please be careful. I know of a child who inhaled one and ended up with a severe lung infection. He eventually needed surgery.

[Heidi]

I second the motion. For the record, you CAN take your food off of your taxes, so you do get reimbursed in a way. It just is not in the form of a monthly check.

Yes, but on the food program, you still can take it off, AND you get a monthly check (which counts as income).

[gracepatiencelove]

Just a friendly aside ... I know many of you are stating you're feeding the kids Pomegranate seeds but please be careful. I know of a child who inhaled one and ended up with a severe lung infection. He eventually needed surgery.

That is so scary. I've taken them off the menu since I posted this originally and just don't serve them to DCK anymore.

[gracepatiencelove]

Yes, but on the food program, you still can take it off, AND you get a monthly check (which counts as income).

Wait, my tax person said I couldn't deduct food as an expense if I was on the food program.

[Blackcat31]

Wait, my tax person said I couldn't deduct food as an expense if I was on the food program.

Well, you count the checks you get from the food program as income.

Then you automatically deduct that amount as food costs. Even Steven.

Then, you can ALSO deduct additional foods that you served as well as meals/snacks that are above and beyond the allotted 3 you can claim on the food program.

HTH

[gracepatiencelove]

Well, you count the checks you get from the food program as income.

Then you automatically deduct that amount as food costs. Even Steven.

Then, you can ALSO deduct additional foods that you served as well as meals/snacks that are above and beyond the allotted 3 you can claim on the food program.

HTH

Okay, that makes sense

Thanks! It does. Filing away for future reference!

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My doctor recommended I keep my kids on whole milk indefinitely. We eat a whole food diet and I have athletic, HUNGRY kids. My 15 year old was literally unable to eat enough calories last year to stay full and maintain her weight. I buy full fat unhomogenized pasteurized local milk. Good fats are not evil. We need them.

I know this is a little off topic but I am REALLY bothered by the reduction in milk fat that is now required as a result of childhood obesity. We are basically taking the only good fat many children receive away and replacing it with more empty carbs, bad fats and foods with little nutritional value. It's making the problem worse, not better.

Completely agree! happyface

[Heidi]

Completely agree! happyface

I agree! I'm not ******** about milk myself (I like it but don't drink it often), but to say our obesity problem has ANYTHING to do with high-fat milk is just plain ridiculous.

[Unregistered]

I read some where that its not the whole milk that is making our kids fat, its all the fast food and junk food. You can always withdraw from the food program. Why cant you serve home grown veges?

[nannyde]

I agree! I'm not ******** about milk myself (I like it but don't drink it often), but to say our obesity problem has ANYTHING to do with high-fat milk is just plain ridiculous.

The whole milk thing doesn't have anything to do with nutrition. It's all about money. The only cut to the food program that wouldn't be fought with millions of dollars of lobby money. Milk manufacturers WANT their fat back. They make money off of the fat products. As long as they can add HFCS to the milk they would rather do that then keep the fat in. Corn sugar is WAY cheaper to add than the loss of the fat.

[SilverSabre25]

That drives me nuts! There are only so many grains to serve. I wish it was grain OR protein so we could do eggs or sausage or bacon. It just doesn't seem like a meal without protein.

You CAN serve protein. You just don't HAVE to.

Remember that dairy products are proteiny too.