Celebrating the Power of Kids...
Meals
They say "you are what you eat". At Kid Power we are healthy, all natural, fresh, and unique! We provide hot lunch every day chopped, seasoned, and cooked in our own kitchen. (Sometimes grown in our very own organic vegetable garden!) We love to cook and nutrition is very important to us--we need the energy just as much as the kids do!
It is important to start children on a well balanced and varied diet early in life. We ensure that the nutritional needs of children are met by offering multiple food groups throughout the day. Our menus include some twists on traditional favorites as well as some not-so-traditional items. Exposing kids to new and interesting foods encourages them to try new things, to be interested in other cultures, to be open minded, and to think out of the box.
A note about meat:
More and more, research is finding that the amount of meat consumed by Americans is not only unhealthy, it's also unsustainable for the environment. Nearly 70% of the farmland in the world is used to feed and raise livestock. Livestock create more greenhouse gas emissions than those created by transportation.* We consider ourselves "conscious meat eaters:" we occasionally eat small amounts of meat as part of a larger dish; the rest of the time we choose beans, nuts, soy, and other sources of protein. The USDA advises that children 4-8 years old need 3-4 ounces of protein a day. This need is easily met by a cup of lentil soup and a peanut butter sandwich. Kids at Kid Power get their nutritional needs met without the added health and environmental risks that come from eating a diet rich in meat.
Sample Homemade Menu Items:
It is important to start children on a well balanced and varied diet early in life. We ensure that the nutritional needs of children are met by offering multiple food groups throughout the day. Our menus include some twists on traditional favorites as well as some not-so-traditional items. Exposing kids to new and interesting foods encourages them to try new things, to be interested in other cultures, to be open minded, and to think out of the box.
A note about meat:
More and more, research is finding that the amount of meat consumed by Americans is not only unhealthy, it's also unsustainable for the environment. Nearly 70% of the farmland in the world is used to feed and raise livestock. Livestock create more greenhouse gas emissions than those created by transportation.* We consider ourselves "conscious meat eaters:" we occasionally eat small amounts of meat as part of a larger dish; the rest of the time we choose beans, nuts, soy, and other sources of protein. The USDA advises that children 4-8 years old need 3-4 ounces of protein a day. This need is easily met by a cup of lentil soup and a peanut butter sandwich. Kids at Kid Power get their nutritional needs met without the added health and environmental risks that come from eating a diet rich in meat.
Sample Homemade Menu Items:
- Spinach lasagna roll-ups
- Nacho Average Nachos
- Broccoli and sun-dried tomato penne topped with breaded chicken
- Vegetable samosas with brown rice
- Turkey chili with corn crisps
- Chick pea curry with brown rice
- Pancakes with berry and yogurt topping
- Turkey meat balls with whole wheat penne
- Broccoli and fresh garlic pizza
- Veggie omelet with hand cut fries
- Stuffed Pepper Boats
- Corn fritters
*Statistics takes from Food Matters by Mark Bittman, a book we highly recommend!
