 District
Offers Free Breakfasts & Lunches This Summer!
The Irving ISD Food
Service Department cares about “our kids” and other children in
our community. Hunger doesn’t stop just because school is out
for the summer; we want to make sure that children have access
to healthy meals. Through our Summer Feeding Program,
everyone between the ages of 1 and 18 years is
eligible to receive free meals* at any of our Summer School
locations (see the attached tables for open schools, dates, and
meal times). |
 March
Food Service Employee of
the Month
At Barton Elementary School
Cafeteria, daily achievements are, in part, credited to the
“right hand” and Food Service Department’s Employee of the Month
for March 2009, Lupe Vega. Described as dedicated and
passionate about the customer service she provides the students
of Barton Elementary, Ms. fulfills her role exceptionally as the
“right hand” by providing leadership and assistance in the
cafeteria as needed in the absence of her manager, Pinky White. |
|
 Food
Service Cuts the Fat!
Within a few weeks, students at Irving ISD elementary schools
may notice a slight difference when they pick up their carton of
milk – no more 2% milk choices! Instead, all milk served at
elementary schools will be either non-fat milk or low-fat 1%
selections. We will still offer both white and chocolate milk
varieties, and possibly other flavors, as well. |
|
Silver
School Award Winners Recognized
 The Board of
Trustees recognized the IISD schools awarded Silver School
status by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as
part of the HealthierUS School Challenge…In order receive the
Silver School designation, schools must meet or exceed the
nation’s second-highest standards for student exercise, healthy
meals, and nutrition education. The 11 IISD schools represent
the largest group of schools in a single school district in the
state of Texas to be recognized as Silver School winners at a
single time. |
|
 Breakfast
Participation Climbs 17%
Early meal data indicates that the average daily breakfast
participation rate increased 17% in Irving ISD! Data was
examined from April 2008 and September 2008. This means that
several thousand more students in SY08-09 are enjoying healthy
yet low-cost breakfasts every day. Numerous studies indicate
that breakfast is indeed the most important meal, and that
students who start their day with a healthy breakfast perform
better academically and have fewer trips to school nurses, fewer
tardies, and overall improved behavior. |
 www.HealthFinder.Gov/Prevention
The above website is an excellent health
resource. Information includes the top five things you can
do to stay healthy: eat healthy, get active, get screened, quit
smoking, and watch your weight. |
 Good
Grades Start with Good Nutrition
School meals score an "A+"
As Texas children return to the
classroom, we are reminded of our responsibility to encourage
academic excellence, physical fitness and proper nutrition. A
healthy mind and healthy body can lead to a lifetime of rich
rewards. Today's nutritious school-served meals can play a part
in feeding both. The Texas Department of
Agriculture and schools around our great state are working
together to promote healthy eating habits. Parents and
grandparents should really take the time to check out the school
cafeteria. In recent years the menus have vastly improved;
today, school-served meals are convenient, more affordable than
other options and well balanced to provide daily servings of
fruits and vegetables, dairy, grains and protein. With childhood
obesity a nationwide epidemic, these initiatives provide a
much-needed defense against a serious health crisis... (read more) |
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New Breakfast
Programs to start at Elliott, Davis, Farine, Townley, and Barton
 New
for the 2008-2009 school year, Elliott, Davis, Farine and
Townley elementary schools become the latest to provide the
“Breakfast in the Classroom” program to their students. Under
this wonderful program, all students eat breakfast at no charge
– regardless of their economic status (based on free/reduced
meal applications). Food Service employees, as well as
volunteers, deliver breakfasts to each classroom before the
start of the school day. Upon arriving at their respective
classrooms, students enjoy healthy, delicious breakfasts. |
|
Irving ISD Releases
Free/Reduced Lunch Policy
Irving Independent School District has announced its policy for
providing free and reduced price meals for children served under
the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program.
The IISD Food Service Office has a copy of the policy, which may
be reviewed by any interested party. |
|
 Meals
Prices Announced for 2008-2009
Only minor changes for some student meals, and for adult meals,
will occur for 2008-2009, the IISD Food Service Department
announced today. Even with these minor price increases, the
Irving ISD offers some of the lowest meal prices in the greater
D/FW area, as the table below clearly illustrates. This means
that students, and their families, will have extremely
nutritious and healthy meals available at bargain prices. |
|
Local Meal Programs
Supply Nutrition, Fun to Youngsters
(By Jess Paniszczyn) Summer brings its own set of challenges to
parents. As soon as he school is over, parents become part-time
chefs and social secretaries constantly providing kids with
healthy snacks and meals as well as entertainment. Luckily two
local programs offer kids nutritious meals and opportunities to
gather with friends, while giving the parents’ wallets a much
needed break. During the week, IISD Food Service
Department provides free breakfasts and lunches to kids 18 and
under. “The Irving school district participates in the
Seamless Summer Feeding Program, which is offered by the USDA
and administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture,”
Michael Rosenberger, IISD Food Service’s Director, said. “It
allows us to provide meals at no charge for students. |
|
Obesity
Epidemic in US Kids May Have Peaked
(MSNBC Article) The percentage of American children who are
overweight or obese appears to have leveled off after a 25-year
increase, according to new figures that offer a glimmer of hope in an
otherwise dismal battle. "That is a first encouraging finding in what
has been unremittingly bad news,'' said Dr. David Ludwig, director of an
obesity clinic at Children's Hospital Boston. "But it's too soon to know
if this really means we're beginning to make meaningful inroads into
this epidemic. It may simply be a statistical fluke''... |
|
Fuel, Food Costs Soar
As fuel and food costs soar, area school districts are taking various
steps to minimize the impact on students and district patrons. See the
attached article for more information. |
Breakfast 'Keeps Teenagers Lean'
 (BBC
News) Body-conscious teenagers may believe cutting out breakfast will
help them lose weight, but the opposite appears to be the case, US
research suggests. In a five year study of more than 2,000
youngsters, those who skipped breakfast weighed on average 5lbs (2.3kg)
more than those who ate first thing... |
|
11 Irving ISD Schools Earn
Silver Awards
 Eleven
Irving elementary schools recently earned one of the nation’s highest
school nutrition awards: the HealthierUS Challenge Silver School award.
These eleven schools, together, become only the second group of schools
in Texas to earn this prestigious recognition. |
|
Innovative
Nutrition Programs Bring Health, Awards to Irving Schools
(Article by by Jess Paniszczyn)
Generations of school children have viewed cafeteria lunches with
suspicion ... Today’s Irving ISD Food Services offers carefully
planned breakfasts, lunches and snacks while teachers work to make
students more nutrition savvy ... |
|
T.J. Lee
Elementary School Declared a National “Best Fat Fighter”
 The
January 2008 edition of Scholastic Administrator’s magazine has
recognized T.J. Lee Elementary School for their accomplishments in
helping students make healthy eating and lifestyle choices. In their
annual “Best and Worst” column... |
|
Lee First Texas School to
Receive USDA Gold School Award
 Lee
Elementary School was the first Texas school to receive the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Gold School Award during a
special celebration on Thursday, November 15th in the Lee Elementary
school gym. USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer
Services Nancy Montanez Johner presented the nation’s highest school
nutrition award to ... |
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IISD Food Service: A
Nation-Wide Leader in School Nutrition
 According
to the results of a recent national survey of food service directors,
Irving ISD Food Service Department offers some of the healthiest, lowest
cost meals in the country. The School Nutrition Association’s (SNA)
“School Nutrition Operations Report: The State of School Nutrition 2007”
was accumulated from a survey of 1200 school nutrition directors
nationwide. The report serves to establish benchmarks for child
nutrition programs... |
|
IISD Brings Home the Gold
 IISD
Food Service and T.J. Lee Elementary School earn first “Gold School”
designation in Texas. On Wednesday, September 5th, the
Food Service Department and T.J. Lee Elementary school were jointly
awarded the nation’s highest school nutrition award by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). The HealthierUS School Challenge
program, administered by the USDA, offers two levels of certification... |
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Looking for a Family Friendly Job?
Irving ISD Food Service Department is seeking dedicated
personnel for the following positions:
Food Service Manager Trainees
Food Service inventory Clerk
|
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<Click
here for past recipes>
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Now that warmer weather has come,
everyone will be excited to get outside on the weekends.
These Banana Blueberry Muffins are a quick way to start
your day. Just make them up the night before, so you can
have a light and quick breakfast on Saturday morning.
Ingredients:
-
2 cups whole wheat flour
-
1/3 cup brown sugar
-
1/2 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
-
2 teaspoons baking
powder
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1 1/2 cups mashed
bananas
-
4 egg whites
-
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
-
1 cup fresh blueberries
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350
degrees F. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix the
whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder,
and baking soda. In a separate bowl, mix the bananas,
egg whites, and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the banana mixture
into the flour mixture until smooth. Fold in the
blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin
pan.
4. Bake 16 minutes in the
preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the
center of a muffin comes out clean.
Nutrients:
Servings
Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 122
• Total
Fat: 0.5g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 169mg
• Total Carbs: 26.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.3g
• Protein: 4.2g |
<Click here
for past recipes> |
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