USDA Proposes Changes to Food Program

[Annalee]

Our fp does not allow homemade mac and cheese (or box) unless another protein is also served.

I know of daycares here who cut up hotdogs in their mac/cheese for this reason. :confused:

[Rockgirl]

Infants shouldn't start solids until they are 6 months. It leads to food allergies. All my daughters had up until 6 months was my milk. That's all they need until then.

It's always interesting to me when this point is brought up. The generation I grew up in--babies were routinely given rice cereal in their bottles of formula starting at about 10 days to two weeks old. Hardly any kids I knew growing up we're allergic to any foods. Now, many kids are allergic, and even deathly allergic to a long list of foods.

Of course I'm not saying this is all due to giving or not giving solids as newborns. I believe there are other factors involved, but I'm just not sure I believe that starting solids early absolutely causes food allergies.

[Unregistered]

I know of daycares here who cut up hotdogs in their mac/cheese for this reason. :confused:

Don't even know what to say to that
I think it's silly because it's easy to make mac n cheese swimming in cheese, served with broccoli to use up any overflow.
We can't do any nut butters w/o another protein either. But my kids would each eat by the spoonful if I let them. So weird, some of the rules lately.

[Play Care]

It's always interesting to me when this point is brought up. The generation I grew up in--babies were routinely given rice cereal in their bottles of formula starting at about 10 days to two weeks old. Hardly any kids I knew growing up we're allergic to any foods. Now, many kids are allergic, and even deathly allergic to a long list of foods.

Of course I'm not saying this is all due to giving or not giving solids as newborns. I believe there are other factors involved, but I'm just not sure I believe that starting solids early absolutely causes food allergies.

This.
Somewhat related was an interesting article about how holding off on exposing kids to peanuts may be causing the steep rise in peanut allergies. I don't think a six week old baby needs food, but I wonder if this holding off on introducing food until 6,8,12 months has more to do with serious allergies then feeding too early.

[LadyBugHugs]

some changes are good -- like allowing protein at breakfast. Eggs, YAY!!
some are ok -- like parent notes, not doctors. what a PITA to get an appt, etc just for a milk note.
some are stupid -- like the ambiguity of "fry". I take it to mean 1/2" or more of oil but could be wrong. obviously DEEP fried anything should be out, but total no-fry would include many chicken dishes, fajitas, potato pancakes, eggrolls & many other ethnic foods, but they want us to serve a variety of ethnic foods and celebrate ethnic holidays. they need to make up their minds.
I do babies/toddlers only and it is already a pain to have different formulas & breast milks, there really has to be some kind of moderation in all this. and definitely a raise in reimb rates to compensate for the extra fridge, etc... otherwise everyone will drop the FP and have parents brown bag it, which means capri-sun, chips and a lunchable. that's certainly heading in the right direction!!!
but one change that does NEED to be made is consistency across the board, not each state having their own take on the rules. some require 2 hot meals a week, others no minimum. some consider granola bars a dessert, and others not, just a regular bread alternative.

:::::: This has nothing to do with the post but your photo next to your name regarding the espresso and free cat...I can't stop laughing!!!

[Unregistered]

Food changes

My biggest problem with the food program is the loose interpretation by the monitors. Different FP people have different interpretations, and it can vary from state to state. I had to argue using organic clif z-bars because the first ingredient is rolled oats but does not specifically state "whole grain" rolled oats, event though oats are, by definition, a whole grain. They gave me a list of other foods I could serve instead, like poptarts. These food count because they have vitamin and mineral powder or whatever mixed in to them to same them "healthier". Are you kidding me? Our state is even talking about requiring homes to keep a written record of how much of each food item is being used in the meal, based on the number of children in attendance. The food production record who have to state how many in each age group, times the amount of the required item, so if I came out with needing 1.75 pounds of ground beef (after cooking of course, not raw weight!) they that's what I have to use. No estimating, or if I buy a package that is 2 pounds raw but cooks down to 1.7 pounds, that won't work either. I don't have time during my day to weigh meat after I've cooked it!
I also don't like the no dairy before 12 months change. Most kids won't eat meat before a year (they don't have teeth!). Or I have had a number of vegetarian families. So the only food I can give them is egg yolk or beans. The little ones love yogurt and cheese.
I don't get it, and sometimes I wonder why I even bother with the food program.