After making pumpkin bread and pumpkin cookies for our Halloween festivities, I was left with about a half of a cup of canned pumpkin--not pumpkin pie mix but 100% pumpkin. I didn't want to throw it away, but I couldn't think of a good use for it. Then it hit me: baby food! It's the perfect consistency for Helen right now. If she were younger, I would run it through the food processor with a little water. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, so if you've already been doing this for years be kind in your comments.
Katherine's most recent issue of Scholastic News is about a pumpkin festival. One of the activities asks you to circle the festival foods you would try. Katherine circled pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin pancakes. She did not circle macaroni and cheese with pumpkin seeds. Good job! (We'll just assume the other items were made with soymilk.)
Even though we pack K's lunch every day, we still get a copy of the cafeteria menu. November's sidebar column is about the importance of milk: "Milk provides calcium, vitamins, and nutrients that kids need. Encourage your [child] to drink three cups a day. Keep the milk fat free, but it is okay to add chocolate and strawberry flavoring. If your child is allergic to milk, try calcium enriched soy or rice milk. If your child is lactose intolerant, get lactose free milk."
Thank you for these wise words, School Cafeteria Menu! Too bad the school doesn't provide soy or rice milk or lactose-free milk in the cafeteria! Or dairy-free meal choices, for that matter!
Sigh. I guess they're trying, sort of, right?
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At least they acknowledge the fact that some kids are allergic. It's odd that they would offer soy milk - it seems like such a common thing these days, even for the non-allergic. But then, our elementary schools don't even have cafeterias, so who am I to judge?
ReplyDeletewouldn't offer soy milk, that is
ReplyDeleteI agree that maybe that should start offering soy milk because it is so popular. Do they make it in little cartoons like the regular milk? My only thoughts as to why the don't are the availability in the cartoons and the cost...
ReplyDeleteMiss A loved pumpkin when she was a baby. I bought some sugar pumpkins to bake for baby L too. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea for the leftover pumpkin. I would never have thought of that.
ReplyDeleteIt is too bad that the school doesn't offer those options there.
Hey... at least they're trying something.. Information is good too...
ReplyDeleteDon't get me started on pumpkin... I just found a full tupperware of it (hidden in the fridge), with mold... ewww... :x
I used to use the school lunch menu as a focal point for sarcastic commentary to my husband. Ever since my son asked me if he could have ice cream on Friday like the other kids, I've started to pay a little more attention and try to send in an extra treat on days the rest of the kids get a treat. It's never easy, is it?
ReplyDeleteFirst - you must be proud of Katherine for picking the safe foods in her picture (I, like you are assuming they were made dairy-free). :) I'm impressed with the school listing the alternatives, but you're right - um...they may want to practice what they preach and offer some.
ReplyDelete