Lancer Dining Service’s Food for Life program provides nutritionally sound menus that help support lifelong healthy eating habits for children and adults.
In developing our breakfast, lunch and snack menus, it is our goal to maximize the nutritional value of the food we serve. We offer a large variety of whole grains, vegetables and fruits that provide the energy, protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber that are required for good health. We develop menus that have moderate sugar, salt and sodium levels and minimal levels of fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. Lancer only uses cooking oils for meal preparation that are trans-fat free.
At the same time, we know that our menus need to be interesting, flavorful and fun so that everyone will enjoy them and look forward to meal time as a time when they get recharged and energized for the rest of their day.
The “Food for Life” program ensures the use of:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits
- Locally harvested produce when feasible
- Natural foods and high quality meats
- Products with moderate sugar and sodium levels
- Whole grain breads and cereals
- Low-fat dairy, non-dairy and 100% juice beverage options
- Cooking techniques that preserve flavor and nutrition
- Cooked products that are baked or steamed, never fried
Our nutritional goals are to develop menus that:
- Derive less than 30% of calories from fat and less that 10% from saturated fat
- Contain a minimum of 2-3 grams of fiber per meal
- Contain 16 milligrams of vitamin C per meal plus other key vitamins and minerals
- Contain less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day
- Minimal grams trans fats per serving
- Exceed the "age indexed" scale for protein
Lancer Dining Services delivers on our “Food for Life” pledge by:
- Using our extensive customer base to buy more efficiently
- Buying locally produced and harvested items whenever feasible
- Minimizing waste and establishing guidelines on portion control
- Reacting quickly to opportunities or problems, as only a small, local company can do.
Lancer Dining Services is a stable, experienced company with the culinary skill and resources to provide an exceptional and nutritious food program. We understand the importance of providing meals to meet special dietary needs. We offer assistance with special nutritional needs, vegetarian and specific allergen meals.
Lancer promotes nutritional education through interdisciplinary activities and curriculum. Lancer's Food for Life program includes a fruit and vegetable of the month initiative. We provide flyers and posters for fun, educational purposes in the classroom as well as for display in the dining room. This is an exciting opportunity to promote healthy eating options.
We share a growing concern for the eating habits of children, as well as adults, and we feel that, as a food service provider, we must be proactive and promote healthy eating habits. We provide nutritional education that is engaging, informative and easy to understand.
Most importantly the food that is served demonstrates that nutritionally sound food can actually be food that everyone will eat and enjoy.