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        <title>Food Services</title>
        <link>http://elmhurstcusd205-il.schoolloop.com</link>
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                <title>Artificial Flavors and Colors in the Lunch Program</title>
                <description><![CDATA[Over the past five years, the District 205 Food Services Department has been in the process of reconstructing its menu and the way lunch component offerings are presented. They are gradually working their way back to basics via a process called &amp;ldquo;speed scratch&amp;rdquo; cooking, which will enable the removal of many prepackaged items from the menus. More natural, raw and fresh produce items have slowly been introduced daily at all District 205 schools. According to Food Service Director Cheryl Spencer, &amp;ldquo;We currently use 98% fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Canned items are very seldom used and avoided when possible. All juices served are made from 100% fruit. All breads, buns, pizza crust and cookies are over 50% whole grains. Soup is made from scratch daily at the high school and occasionally at our middle schools. One day a year (on Dr. Seuss&amp;rsquo; Birthday) we add artificial coloring to the eggs in order to turn them green. With the previous exception, we do not add flavorings and or artificial colors to our offerings.&amp;rdquo; The Food Services Department strives for the &amp;ldquo;cleanest&amp;rdquo; reading nutritional labels for all food items. They purchase quality, well-known brands that are considered to be the safest, such as Tyson, Jennie-O, Simplot, etc. In addition, the District 205 Food Service Department is part of a buying cooperative with 70 other schools in Illinois. &amp;ldquo;This allows us to cooperatively purchase the healthiest food options for our school district. We are striving to make the tastiest and healthiest offerings that meet all regulations, while competing against bagged lunches that are brought from home and do not have to follow any requirements. I anticipate that we will have more &amp;lsquo;clean&amp;rsquo; labels to choose from going forward. As with most things, it will be a process,&amp;rdquo; noted Mrs. Spencer. ]]></description>
                <link>http://elmhurstcusd205-il.schoolloop.com/news/view?id=1356610932341</link>
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                <pubDate>Mon, 4 Feb 2013 00:00:00 -0800</pubDate>
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