Meal

Fewer kids are eating school lunches this year in the Wichita school district. While school officials say it's hard to know exactly what's to blame, students say the healthy guidelines have made school lunch harder to stomach. Wednesday, Wichita students got to test some new, healthy options. USD 259 prepared quite the lunch spread: wraps, pizzas, and hot food. Staff are hoping the items will entice students to eat school lunch.  “All the fruits and vegetables are really fresh right now. I don't know if it's like that at school because I don't eat school lunch,” said high school student food tester Courtney Allen.

The Smart Cookie THAT REALLY IS A SQUARE MEAL! Our clients' favorite, the Smart Cookies, are actually meal replacing squares that have been scientifically formulated to be nutritionally filling and hunger controlling. Baked using almost all organic ingredients, these protein balanced cookies come in 5 delicious flavors: Chocolate Pina Colada Banana Maine Blueberry Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Smart Shake The Smart Shake provides a cold refreshing alternative to our cookies, especially on those warm summer days.

Nothing says a home-cooked meal like mashed potatoes, the ultimate comfort food and a staple of a Thanksgiving feast. But getting the meal together can be a feat. So could store-bought mashed potatoes possibly fill the bill? Consumer Reports tested a dozen, including ones from Pillsbury, Hungry Jack, and Betty Crocker. Trained panelists tasted the potatoes not knowing which was which for two weeks to find the best. There were seven of the dry, instant kind you add ingredients to, as well as three refrigerated ones and even two frozen mashed potatoes.

Fattoush Salad from Il Ponte Ingredients: ½ head iceberg lettuce (chopped bite sized) 1 romaine lettuce (chopped bite sized) 3 cups mixed greens 1.5 cups tomatoes (diced or roma) 1 cup diced pickles ½ cup thinly sliced red onions Optional: chopped radishes, red bell pepper, cucumber For the dressing: 3 cups Italian dressing (La Flora or your preference) 1/3 cup lemon juice 2 table spoons garlic paste 1 tablespoon of mint leaves ( dried or fresh finely chopped)

It sounds like a recipe for disaster:  putting a cheese sandwich in the toaster!  But that's just what we had some kids do to make the main course of their meal---grilled cheese sandwiches. Toastabags say they're a kid-friendly way to make all kinds of grilled sandwiches as well as a way to heat up frozen snacks. After all, some kids aren't allowed to turn on the stove, but they may make toast.  April, our first tester, thinks she knows what she's about to make:  a big mess!

WASHINGTON (AP) - Greasy pizzas and high-calorie desserts may be less frequent lunchtime treats for schoolchildren under a wide-ranging nutrition bill approved by a Senate panel. The legislation approved Wednesday by the Senate Agriculture Committee would create uniform standards for all foods in schools, including vending machine items, to give students healthier meal options. The legislation allocates an additional $4.5 billion over 10 years for nutrition programs. It would also expand the number of low-income children eligible for free or reduced cost meals - a step Democrats say would help President Barack Obama's goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015.

The Sedgwick County Sherriff's office announced Wednesday that a work release escapee turned himself in after running away on August 4, 2011. Police say that on Augusts 24, shortly after midnight, Marquez A. Kelly, arrived in the lobby of the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility. Kelly was booked on his original conviction of domestic violence battery and on a warrant for his escape. Kelly was a trustee at the work release facility at 70101 West Harry. He was in the process of assisting.

If you want to go away to college and plan on living on campus, you may be paying a little more to do so. All six Kansas universities asked the Board of Regents to increase the fees for food and housing. The universities say the bump is needed because of the rising maintenance costs. At Wichita State University, depending on which meal plan and dorm room the student chooses, the increase can range from fifty and a hundred fifty dollars a year. The Board of Regents will make its decision next month.

Unfortunately, cats can't tell us where or when it hurts. Some symptoms and behaviors are obvious: diarrhea, vomiting, coughing, sneezing, runny nose or eyes, and trouble using the litter box. There are other, more subtle, physical and behavioral indications that a visit to the vet might be in order. Take note if your cat does any of the following: Misses more than one meal Shows a sudden change in eating habits Stops using the litter box Has a distant, depressed look in his or her eyes Develops puffiness or a lump under the skin Hides for more than a day Becomes suddenly short-tempered or intolerant of attention Shakes his or her head frequently Changes his or her routine or loses interest in his or her favorite games Stops grooming Copyright © 2001 The Humane Society of the United States All rights reserved.