Prince George's County Public Schools Lunch Menu: March

What's for lunch in March 2013 in the county's public schools.

Lunch Lessons: New Calorie Limits Add Healthier Items, Higher Costs to School Cafeterias

Montgomery and Prince George’s county schools serve more fruits and vegetables, but students may not be eating them.

Every day at lunch, children across Prince George’s and Montgomery counties may be facing what conventional wisdom says is one of their worst nightmares. No, it’s not monsters hiding under their beds or behind their closet doors. It’s not zombies chasing after them, either. It’s fruits and vegetables. After Congress passed a nationwide law limiting the amount of calories schools are allowed to serve at lunch, schools in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties are adhering to the rules and serving up more healthy options for students. “Before this year, each student had to select three out of five items,” said Marla Caplon, Director of the Division of Food and Nutrition Services at Montgomery County public schools. “This year, the student …

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Packing Healthy, Easy School Lunches

Tips from local moms on kid-friendly, healthy and easy school lunches.

School is about to start, and one big decision other than what the first-day outfit will be is whether or not your child will eat a packed lunch or buy lunch from school. The great thing about packing lunch is that you know what your kids will be eating, and you can cater the meal to their allergies and preferences. Patch spoke to some local moms—and Patch contributors—and came up with a few tips every family can use. How to get your kids excited about packing a lunch: Make a deal with your kids. Give them a certain amount of money each week and explain they can either buy school lunch with it, or save it and bring their lunch from home for free. — Lezlie Crosswhite, contributor  One big thing kids seem to be into these days is bento box …

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SPEAK OUT: Healthy School Lunches

Do schools offer enough healthy lunch options?

It’s not every day you hear an 11-year-old pass up pizza and ask for more salad. But, The Gazette reports that’s exactly what Ciara Mulvihill did when she realized Oakland Terrace Elementary School in Silver Spring did not offer many healthy food options. So, Ciara and several classmates brought the issue to their principal, Cheryl Pulliam.  Pulliam supported the girls' campaign for healthier foods -- the school recently installed a salad bar in its cafeteria. Several Prince George's County public schools will soon follow suit.  According to Joan Shorter, director of the county's department of food and nutrition services, salad bars will be piloted in 10 of the area's schools in the fall.  All Prince George's County schools currently offer…

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Is School Food Nutritious?

Some Hyattsville Elementary School parents say no.

Ever wonder what's in that food your kids eat at school? Some parents and teachers at Hyattsville Elementary School voiced concern over the nutritional value of breakfast and lunch foods served in the cafeteria. Teacher Margo Tintle commented on the Tutti Fruities cereal at an Oct. 11 PTA meeting. "As a teacher I notice a high level of over activity on days when this is served," she said. "We used to have fruit. I don't serve this to my son at home but if it's here he's going to want it because everyone else is eating it." Christi Dorsey, Prince George's County Schools nutritionist, calls the breakfasts served "balanced meals." The Tutti Fruties are a whole grain product with less than 13 grams of sugar in them, she said. "Any carbohydrate…

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