CALF_News_April_May_2019

27 CALF News • April | May 2019 • www.calfnews.net   Improved chute design to improve your cattle performance  Safe, efficient and strong – The Brute Way! BruTe DouBle & SIngle WIDe Alleys • Tubs • loAdouTs “Turning your dreams into reality ... it’s what we do.” Dodge, Neb. 68633 402.693.2221 Cattle Friendly – Performance Driven. Brute Cattle equipment celeBraTIng 50 yearS In BuSIneSS! FolloW uS on: www.dodgemfg.com The beef and pork must be processed at a USDA-inspected locker to qualify for the school lunch program. Qualifying plants near Litchfield are at Saint Paul and Elwood. Reynolds says state health inspectors come to her kitchen twice a year; they ask to see the meat in their chest freezer and look for a USDA stamp on each package. Record books are inspected for documentation of safe ranges in food temperatures and, once every three years, portion size, meal requirements and recipes are audited. The Department of Education, Nutritional Services, establishes the caloric guidelines and portion sizes. Continuing education for school cooks is also hosted each summer by the Department of Education and Nebraska School Nutrition Association, which requires 12-16 hours of class time and workshops. Although much criticism was aimed at our former First Lady Michelle Obama’s guidelines restricting school lunch menus, portions and calories, Reynolds says that little has changed in the past two years regarding portion or calorie control. There is a suggested requirement of 825 calories per meal for high school students and 664 for grade schoolers. She is comfortable with the guidelines as they remain, saying the government has a sound idea in exposing kids to good eating habits. They learn to like some foods they never knew existed. It also allows them to be responsible for their own eating habits, a good idea as they move forward in life. Most vegetable requirements are met at the salad bar, where there is free and unlimited access at meal time. In addition, Reynolds offers one to two hot vegetables daily. As a practical farm wife, Reynolds does not worry specifically about each child consuming, for example, the right color of raw vegetables or the exact calorie count per meal. Instead, she is proud that her kitchen provides an opportunity for children to become familiar with foods they may not get at home. Dishes Continued on page 29  Carl Kucera, Country Catering, comes in once a month to grill locally sourced burgers. He provides his services free of charge. Janice Reynolds, head cook, is pictured with Kucera.