Healthy Bones Means More Than Just Milk

Milk and milk products are high in calcium, which is important for strong bones, says MyPyramid for Kids. Milk isn't the only source of calcium, it is also found in soy milk and fortified juices, says the Vegetarian Resource group. Some vegetables, such as broccoli and Chinese cabbage, also contain calcium. Shellfish, salmon and sardines eaten with the bones, almonds and dried beans are also good sources of calcium, according to the National Institutes of Health Medline Plus.

The menu has been posted.  Have a wonderful week!

Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is a time of great celebration that lasts for 2 weeks, and starts on the first day of the Chinese calendar. It is the time of family reunion and thanksgiving for the past year. During this celebration time, marketplaces are bursting with the colors that symbolize prosperity and blessings for a great start of a new year. These foods can help you and your family be healthy:

• Red colored foods bring you blessings throughout the year, so red foods such as apples, pomegranates, and blood oranges are a must in Chinese New Year!

• Golden/yellow colored foods such as apricots, candied tangerines, peaches, yellow peppers, pumpkin, and yellow squash bring you great fortune!

• Nuts and foods with seeds such as pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds, peanuts, walnuts, pine nuts, hazelnuts, chestnuts, pine nuts, and pecans are symbols of wishes for a good harvest!

Based on Chinese Zodiac, 2012 is the Year of the Dragon! Dragons are active, passionate, confident, brave, and energetic.  Encourage your children to start out the Chinese New Year eating lucky-healthy foods so they can be as strong and active as a Chinese Dragons!

This week's fruits

MANGO VERDE

WATERMELON AND CANTELOUPE

PINEAPPLE

  

 PINK GRAPEFRUIT IS A FAVORITE OF THE SCHOOL!

MANDARINAS

Menu has been posted

Think About What You Drink

• Drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated
• 6-10 cups a day varies with age
• Children get dehydrated faster than adults
• Milk contains calcium, which is needed for growing strong bones.
• Juice
• Mix ½ 100% fruit juice with ½ water
• *Do not use powder juice or add sugar to juice mixes –these drinks contribute to too much weight gain and are not good for your family’s health
• Avoid artificial sweeteners –see http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm
• Limit juice to no more than 6 ounces a day.
• Never put juice or soda in baby’s bottle
• Agua frescas – homemade without added sugar is a nice treat
• Jamaica (hibiscus tea) or herbal tea (caffeine free) without added sugar is a good alternative
• Try sparking water or club soda with sliced lemons, limes, or oranges for a fun alternative to water or soda.
• Water with cucumber slices is refreshing.

Water Tasting

• Make 4 different varieties of water with the kids for them to try
• Water with Orange slices
• Mint water
• Raspberries in ice cubes placed in water
• Cucumber or Jicama water

This week's fruits, veggies and dessert

Monday is MLK Holiday

The Cafeteria uses lots of onions, garlic, red bell peppers, green peppers and tomatoes as flavor enhancing to most of our foods. 


The menu for the week has been posted.  Until Tuesday...........

Eat a Rainbow

Fruits and vegetables come in a variety of different colors. These colors represent different nutritional components, such as beta carotene in carrots and the anthocyanins in strawberries.

MyPyramid for Kids recommends kids eat more dark green and orange vegetables.
Kids should try to eat a different colored fruit and vegetable every day and make it goal to eat a rainbow of colors each week.

The menu for the week has been posted. 
Have a great week!

Breakfast Makes Kids Smarter

Breakfast is an important meal. Kids who eat breakfast do better in school because they are better behaved and perform better, the American Dietetic Association explains. They also have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

For parents who struggle with getting their kids to eat in the morning, the cafeteria offer breakfast items at first recess.

Did you Know?

Different parts of the world have their own local cuisine. The diets and general food habits of various cultures depend on social, religious, economic and safety factors as well as the availability of different foods.

Examples of food and cuisine that are popular or famous in certain areas of the world include hummus in the Middle East, apple pie in the USA, raw fish in Japan, cheese in France, roast meat and vegetables in England, curry in India and tortillas in Mexico. Of course Baleadas in Honduras!

Happy 2012!

Hoping 2012 brings unity, peace, love and prosperity to all!

The Menu for the week has been posted.

From the Cafeteria family to yours: 
have a safe and Merry Christmas
and of course 
buen provecho!




Menu for the week has been posted

Christmas in Honduras - time for food, family, fireworks, and fun.

This article is from Honduras This Week and was published in three parts last year. We are running an edited version.  

Christmas is an all-important annual festivity for Hondurans, as much so as in any other country. Not only because the majority of the population are devout Catholics, but also because, as in Western society, it is an intrinsic part of traditional family life. Few things bring families closer together than a shared meal around the table, especially in this festive period which is all about celebrating with those near and dear.

The following are a little more than a handful of the most popular Christmastime traditions Hondurans observe this time of year.

Honduras has adopted its ‘Ronpopo’ tradition from Western countries but it is now very much the Honduran Christmas beverage of choice. The drink, which can be drunk hot or cold, is typically prepared with milk, egg yolks, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and a liquor of choice acting as preservative and giving a warming, little kick.

Now the drink is popular across the Americas with the alcoholic component changing country by country. The Honduran way is to add ‘guaro’, a local rum. Ronpopo can be found in most Honduran supermarkets or made at home.

The predominantly Catholic celebration of the Posadas is a more local tradition having come over from Spain with the original Spanish settlers and is most popular in Central America. In smaller rural communities (as well as in parts of Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula) you’ll see groups of friends and family going around their neighborhood during the nine evenings before Christmas, carrying a homemade replica of the nativity scene. This ritual is to remember the biblical story of Joseph and Mary finding no room at the inn in Bethlehem.

Each evening the group visits three different homes in the area, symbolically requesting a room for the night. The first two will refuse and the third will accept, welcoming the group inside for the celebrations. This is all done through the traditional Posada song that tells the story of Mary and Joseph. This third home will keep the nativity scene for the night until it is taken onto the next place the following day. In return, the hosts will provide Ronpopo or Ponche Infernal, coffee, biscuits and sweets.

Aside from the main Christmas dinner, Nacatamales are an important part of Honduran Christmas gastronomy and are eaten throughout the festive period. The nacatamal is described as the king of Honduran tamales. And tamales, eaten on every corner of the country by pretty much everyone even now, are the oldest form of Honduran food that we know of (corn grinding stones used to make these were found at the Copan Ruins from 1300 BC).

Developed as a portable ration for use in war (much like the sandwich), tamales are a popular tradition eaten throughout Latin America which means recipes are naturally varied. But opinions on origins of this particular type are mixed. Some say that the ‘nacatamal´ is the Nicaraguan tamal, others claim it is purely a giant one. Either way it plays a big part of Honduran Christmas culture.

‘Estrenos de Navidad,’ or new Christmas clothes, is a Latin American tradition basically means wearing new clothes for the first time. Many locals go out and buy new outfits on the 24th (and also on the 31st), translating into booming business at clothing stores at the malls in the larger cities of Honduras. We don’t know where the tradition comes from, but it is an integral part of the family Christmas here in Honduras.

Cohetes, or fireworks, have long been a significant feature of Honduran Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Around midnight on the 24th and 31st of December, in any town in the country, you can see (and hear!) firework displays. Things have changed a little in recent years though, with a law against the more traditional fireworks, meaning families can no longer buy fireworks themselves (unless they go out of town or buy them illegally) or arrange their own displays, but watch those put on by the local officials.

The National Congress prohibited the sale of fireworks in 2001 because of the huge number of resulting burn injuries. Hospitals would see a huge increase in children with gunpowder burns over the Christmas period due to the popular use of fireworks and their wide availability. Now, the festive displays are generally saved for organized events but, even so, remain a favorite among Hondurans at Christmas.

The nacimiento, or nativity scene, is a feature of virtually every Catholic or Protestant Christmas celebration across the world. We’re all familiar with the scene of Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus, surrounded by three kings, shepherds, farm animals, angels and the Star of Bethlehem.  Here in Tegucigalpa, Nacimientos are on nearly every corner and in nearly every home. The most famous is undoubtedly that by architect Fernando Martinez. Also known as Menando, Martinez is a well-known public figure, having run for mayor twice in the capital. Despite an unsuccessful bid to become mayor, he is known for sharing his views on the current political and social status within the country through his annual Nacimiento.

The Christmas dinner, however, tops the list as the most widely celebrated holiday tradition in Honduras. Christmas night or ¨Noche Buena¨ is celebrated on the 24th in Honduras and the feast begins at midnight! Since personal firecrackers are prohibited and midnight mass is held in the early evening, a family gathering at home is how most Hondurans celebrate the season. Families get together, usually wearing their new clothes, catch up on each others’ lives, dance, drink ronpopo or ponche infernal and eat, eat, eat!

The traditional Honduran Christmas dinner usually includes roasted pork leg and a sweet dessert called ¨torrejas,¨ which is a biscuit bread that we make, with an egg glaze, fried and boiled with cinnamon and brown sugar.

The feast continues until the early morning. After wishing each other a merry Christmas, the young adults or young at heart, go out and spread the cheer. Christmas day is more laid back and quiet. Most Hondurans take this opportunity to visit relatives and friends, eat leftovers or go to restaurants.

Three phrases that sum up Christmas are:  Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men, and Batteries not Included.  ~Author Unknown

Menu items swapped

Due to reasons beyond my control 2 menu items will be swapped from the OPTIONAL Lunches:

On MONDAY instead of Sushi Rolls we’ll have the COUSCOUS SALAD

On TUESDAY we will have the California Rolls

Everything else remains the same.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you 

Its the season to be jolly

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.  ~Norman Vincent Peale

The menu has been posted.

Nacatamales

Last Nacatamales of 2011

We'll be making our last Nacatamales of the year on Saturday 10 and 17 only so reserve yours now. 3 days notice minimum.