Spinoff: How many of you really follow the USDA food guidelines?

[JudyJudyJudy]

http://www.fns.usda.gov/CND/Care/ProgramBasics/Meals/Meal_Patterns.htm#Child_LunchSupper

For many reasons, I couldn't care less what the USDA recommends. Already within my lifetime I've seen them change the recommendations over and over. They're likely to change the recommendations again in the near future. I trust the USDA to tell me what to eat about as much as I trust the FDA to keep me safe when it comes to drugs.

[maksmom]

I do try to make sure we eat fruits and veggies at every meal, but that is because my Mama told me to, not the USDA.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I absolutely think fruits and vegetables are a necessity.

[dalurker]

I just eat a lot and that way I know I've got it covered.

That's my way of validating overeating.

[EvilAmy]

Food pyramind was originally basically an ad campaign IIRC. I trust big business as far as I can burp.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Food pyramind was originally basically an ad campaign IIRC. I trust big business as far as I can burp.
Ding, ding, ding.

[TuetonicWillow]

Remember the old pyramids? And being taught that 3 servings of meat or eggs plsu 3-5 servings of bread/starch was best?

Screw the USDA.

[rockmom]

We eat fairly close to that, except we don't actually drink milk. We do use it in a variety of dishes/baked goods though. And we don't eat meat.

[MiMi_of_4]

I just eat a lot and that way I know I've got it covered.

That's my way of validating overeating.

I like your way of thinking!! :hugegrin:

[EvilAmy]

Judy, you callin' me a ding-a-ling? ;)

[JudyJudyJudy]

Would I be wrong? ;)

[JudyJudyJudy]

Remember the old pyramids? And being taught that 3 servings of meat or eggs plsu 3-5 servings of bread/starch was best?

Screw the USDA.
Yeah, I think it depends on which industry is forking out the most money at the time.

[Bohemian]

I've tried briefly in the past when I was dieting for about 3 months and I actually lost 10lbs. I haven't looked at it in years though and now go by what I know is healthy. Unprocessed, whole foods as much as possible, lots of fruits and veggies and meats like chicken breast, turkey burgers that are high in protein.

If I were going to follow any sort of pattern of eating these days, I'd likely model how people ate 100-150 years ago.

[Sputterduck]

Honestly, I couldn't eat that much in a day and I'm overweight. Mostly due to pcos and not due to overeating though.

[SingingMom]

Heh. I totally eat that much in a day. No problem. But I burn through the calories, too.

I don't try to follow the recommendations, in general. But I do try to get five or more servings of fruits and/or veggies. That just seems like a good idea. And who (barring the allergic) doesn't like nuts? Whole grains have always been a favorite of mine. I just love food, really.

[rockmom]

Remember the old pyramids? And being taught that 3 servings of meat or eggs plsu 3-5 servings of bread/starch was best?

Screw the USDA.

I eat no meat, though I do eat 2-3 servings of high protein foods. And I eat more like 7-8 servings of grains. I am very healthy according to my doctor and my life insurance company.

[MoonBound]

Yeah, I think it depends on which industry is forking out the most money at the time.


This is exactly what i think, right now the dairy industry wins. who knows who's food product will be next?

[Crabbie]

I've never followed the USDA guidelines.

[still_me]

I actually don't know of anyone who follows the USDA guidelines. We eat a pretty balanced diet. There are days when all we seem to do is eat fruit. There are other days where we eat really well, and there are days where we are really bad.

I never get on the kids for their eating habits. One day DS1 might be starving from the minute he wakes up to the minute he goes to sleep. The next day he'll not want to eat hardly anything. *shrug* All of us are pretty much like that actually.

[foxinsocks]

For the masses of people, a diet such as this encourgaes fruit, veggies, protein and dairy. I don't see it as a bad thing. Some people only feed their kids cheetos and punch and need visual remiders of what to eat.

[Sym]

I don't trust any industry funded organization. Eating healthy and whole foods is common sense.


We need government regulation of common sense. And a tax on it.

[CiCi04]

For the masses of people, a diet such as this encourgaes fruit, veggies, protein and dairy. I don't see it as a bad thing. Some people only feed their kids cheetos and punch and need visual remiders of what to eat.


Absolutely true!!!! But those parents of children with red stained lips, and salty orange fingers aren't going to look at a guide anyway. Sadly, this is why my school district has designed a 'Wellness Policy" that regulates everything our children eat at school. I don't feel it's fair to my children who eat a very healthy diet & exercise regularly.

So yes, I bet if I analysed my daily food, I probably follow the food pyramid (although, it's not the pyramid anymore....it's something else - I forget).

[MiMi_of_4]

If I ate that many fruits/vegetables every day, I'd have to take up residence in my bathroom. We eat *healthy but I take a multi-vitamin every day to make up for the lack of fruits and veggies in my diet.

*breakfast ~ scrambled eggs and a piece of whole-wheat toast, V-8 juice

snack ~ a small handful of pretzels, a few grapes, and a piece of Co-Jack cheese

lunch ~ three thin slices of grilled chicken, cottage cheese & half a slice of homemade beer bread

snack ~ peanut butter smeared on five Ritz crackers, half an apple

supper ~ Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and a couple small pieces of pork out of the stew I made DH

I drink water with every meal and snack, but I can't give up my two Cokes a day.

[foxinsocks]

I think its still a pyramid, but it has a guy running up to the top to symbolize the need for exercise.

I am probably the only person who complains to the school that the omittence of gym time goes against the Healthy People 2010 goals.

[CiCi04]

I think its still a pyramid, but it has a guy running up to the top to symbolize the need for exercise.

You're right. They just changed the inside view to up & down rather than across.

www.mypyramid.gov has a really cute preschool page for anyone interested.

[QuiltyConscience]

Wasn't it the 4 food groups or something like that before the pyramid?

We don't really follow those guidelines. We try for a more fruits and veggies, less breads and sugars diet.

[rockmom]

I don't trust any industry funded organization. Eating healthy and whole foods is common sense.

The USDA is not industry funded. It is a government agency with the dual mission of improving nutrition and promoting agricultural markets. The dual mission is what causes most of the USDA's problems in the form of conflicting interests. They do a fairly good job of coming up with a healthy diet plan that incorporates the nation's agricultural products. But there are other means of achieving a healthy diet other than the USDA's recommendations.

[Babyblue]

I am a firm believer in eat what your hungry for, and not to excess. for instance some days all ds wants is vegetables, other days its all fruit, then some days he will put down more whole grain spaghetti with organic ground beef then I can eat in a sitting. I have days where all I want is tuna, or I must have broccoli and green beens.

I believe if you eat what you are actually hungry for, you eat less and still feel satisfied. Instead of eating a bunch of what your not really hungry for and still having food cravings.

[EvilAmy]

Quilty, it used to be seven food groups (actually I think they used the term "nutrients")I think around war time, then was modified to four to help simplify and because of food shortages.

[Sadalsuud]

The only way we follow the food pyramid is color wise: we try to make our meals as colorful as possible.

Honestly, even knowing the proper serving size, I have no idea how I could eat what they recommend and not end up overweight. For myself, if I'm hungry, I eat, if I'm not, I don't. My kids, otoh, get fed regularly as healthfully as possible as long as they are hungry. If they aren't hungry and don't want to eat, I don't force it. While we are a family of foodies, food isn't a hobby/something to do because we're bored.

[Tweet]

Not really. My kids eat far more veggies and fruits than what is recommended and only dd3 likes cow's milk ( unless it's chocolate!) The other two get dairy in various forms.

[vulturemom]

I have never worried too much about following the USDA guide lines.

I do make sure that I offer a well balanced diet to myself and my family.

[JudyJudyJudy]

I never get on the kids for their eating habits.
I do—or rather, drinking habits. Jacob eats fairly well except he doesn't like many vegetables. Because in the past it turned out that he was allergic to some foods he was rejecting, I'm hesitant about pushing. However, I do have to make him drink more water. I do have other things to drink in the house, but I want him only to have those within limits.


I am probably the only person who complains to the school that the omittence of gym time goes against the Healthy People 2010 goals.
There are a few but not many. In the schools with which I'm familiar, it isn't just gym that's the problem. The kids get NO breaks at all besides lunch, and then they just sit. What the schools serve as lunch is crap, too.

[Sadalsuud]

There are a few but not many. In the schools with which I'm familiar, it isn't just gym that's the problem. The kids get NO breaks at all besides lunch, and then they just sit. What the schools serve as lunch is crap, too.

This is just awful. Dd's school has an AM recess, a snack recess, a lunch recess and an afternoon recess. They also have P.E. twice a week now that she is in 2nd grade. P.E. is increased one extra day a week until 5th grade, where they have all the recesses and gym everyday. Once they are in 6th grade, they are considered middle school (the school is k-8) have a lunch recess and P.E. everyday.

I love her school and I'm glad it is very much the same as it was when I went there.

[JudyJudyJudy]

Here (http://bartow.ga.schoolwebpages.com/education/sctemp/958826ca7837c08754f4618450241002/1232418581/WEB_Middle-High_Jan_2009.pdf) is an example of a school menu. While it might meet the USDA guidelines, it is pure crap. Most of it is processed crap that is no better than what you'd get at most fast food restaurants.

[Michele]

School lunches can be scary. Safia's DC just started working with a catering company that is going to provide the option for parents to purchase hot lunch daily. I was kind of surprised at the amount of crap on the menu: hot dogs (this is a preschool ages 2-6, not a smart option) chicken nuggets, pizza, mac & cheese, etc. Even the coordinator was a bit surprised because when they did the initial tasting there were items like turkey meatloaf, steamed broccoli, sliced turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. Needless to say, Safia won't be buying often. I expressed my concerned about the level of processed crap and a couple of the parents in the office were shocked that I would take issue with the children being served "kid food". WTF? Are the puppies? All meals come in processed, dried, nugget form?

I should have known though. Her teachers have always told me that I send the healthiest lunches. Most of the 3 yo are living off of lunchables (hardly qualifies as food, IMO), chips, syrupy fruit cups, and packages of cookies. I would freak if I fed my kids like that. Mine are the kids with the marginally hippie lunches: two different sliced fruits, steamed chilled veggies, a sandwich on wheat bread, a small yogurt, maybe a string cheese, and iced water or iced red/herbal teas. They eat some of this at lunch and some on the way home from school as their snack before dinner. Looking at the USDA guidelines, I does not look like I am following them.

[rockmom]

The school lunch programs tend to have problems. In part, it is because they are strapped for funding and turn to cheap, processed foods. I think I read that a study conducted by the USDA found that school lunches tended to exceed the limits for sodium and fat.

The school lunch program is also not following the guidelines set by the USDA for whole grains and increased fruits and vegetables.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter5.htm

* Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.
* Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.
* Consume 3 or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products per day, with the rest of the recommended grains coming from enriched or whole-grain products. In general, at least half the grains should come from whole grains.
* Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products.

[JudyJudyJudy]

According to this website, school lunches which are a part of the National School Lunch Program (the one I posted in my previous post is a part of the NSLP) are indeed supposed to meet USDA guidelines.

http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/background/index.html

http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/background/smi.html

Why is nothing being done if they aren't following the guidelines?