Wellspring Menu
At Wellspring Wisconsin, campers enjoy the same types of foods they’re used to eating. Delicious burgers, pizza, burritos, pastas, chicken nuggets are all part of the Wellspring diet.
While the food is familiar, at Wellspring we use healthier ingredients and cooking methods. As an example, our chicken nuggets are boneless breasts of chicken coated with a mixture of corn flakes and spices and baked. The result: high-protein, very low-fat, and delicious. Trust us—the food is good and good for you.
Wellspring’s diet is very low in fat. The typical camper will eat less than 20 grams of fat per day. Cutting out fat means reducing the caloric density of what we’re eating, which means fewer calories.
Wellspring divides food into two categories: Controlled and Uncontrolled.
Controlled Foods
Controlled foods are entrees and snacks. Controlled foods are limited to 1,200 calories per day. 7-12 grams of fat (about 1/8 what the average American eats). They’re also high in protein and fiber (50 grams of protein and over 30 grams of fiber per day).
These foods need to be enjoyable, otherwise this diet stands a poor chance of becoming your child’s new diet. We spend a lot of time and energy making our controlled foods as enjoyable (same flavor profiles) as the calorie-dense, high-fat foods students are used to eating.
Uncontrolled Foods
Then we have what are called “uncontrolled foods.” Campers can have as much as they like of uncontrolled foods, as long as they measure and write down what they’re eating in their food journal (an important component of the behavioral change program called self-monitoring). Uncontrolled foods include fat-free soups, salads, fruits, vegetables, as well as heartier items like a range of fat-free yogurts, fat-free cottage cheese, fat-free tuna salad, fat-free egg salad.
We know campers won’t be hungry, because Wellspring researchers have done a number of studies on hunger levels. Our campers do not report hunger because they can have as much uncontrolled food as they like, as long as they self-monitor.
Typical Day
Here’s what you might expect to eat on a typical day:
Breakfast of Cinnamon Apple French Toast and Oatmeal.
+ 1 cup Strawberries and 1 cup Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt
Lunch of Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard and Corn on the Cob
+ Mixed Green Salad and ¼ cup Fat-Free Tuna Salad
Snack of Angel Food Cake with Blueberries
Dinner of Grilled Bison Burger on Potato Roll with Green Bean Casserole
+ 2 cups Vegetable Soup and an Apple
+ Dessert of Chocolate Pudding
Snack of Air-popped Popcorn
Wellspring Recipes
