Healthy Schools Campaign

Students at West Adams Prep Win L.A.’s First Cooking up Change Competition

Winning students celebrate their victory in Cooking up Change LA!

On Thursday, guests at Los Angeles Trade Technical College were treated to quite a meal, as students from six L.A. public high schools sliced, diced their way through the city’s first Cooking up Change competition. José Landaverde, Maribel Sandoval and Esther Zegura, three culinary students from West Adams Preparatory High School (home of the mighty Panthers), won the inaugural L.A. competition with a delicious menu of Tex-Mex Corn Bread, Black Bean & Cucumber Mountain Salad and a Warm Pear and Raisin Delight.

“I wanted to be a part of the team and I wanted to be involved in the school,” Esther Zegura says. “I also wanted to change the way I look at food and change how I eat and how my family eats.”

José Landaverde agreed, adding that he was excited to have the opportunity to make an impact. “I wanted to be a part of the competition to be part of a change, not just in California, but all over the country,” he says.

But before they got to the main event, Zegura says, they had to compete with their peers and come up with a menu. She said one of the biggest challenges was creating a balanced menu from only 10 ingredients. Maribel Sandoval said their menu was voted on by their peers before being chosen to represent the school and was selected for its originality.

“We are students, so we wanted to make something we would want to eat and our friends would want to eat,” Sandoval said. “We thought if we made something out of the ordinary, other students would be curious about it and want to try it.”

Student chefs from five other high schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District contributed delicious dishes to the city’s Cooking up Change competition. Meals were:

• Justine Ambriz, Priscilla Diaz and Bryan Orozco (Banning High School): Fajita Chicken Wrap, Southwestern Black Bean Salad and Mandarin Orange, Pineapple & Banana Parfait

• Brandon Catbagan, Brandi Pollard and Victor Sierra (Doyle Career & Transition Center): Bar-B-Que Chicken Pizza, Vegetable Medley on Citrus & Honey Wilted Spinach and Lightly-Spiced Crunchy Fruit Salad

• Kenya Rodriguez and Jazmin Sandoval (Francis Polytechnic High School): Kenya Jazzy Wrap, Side of Broccoli and Vanilla Yogurt & Peach Parfait

• Andrew Diaz, Lucila Flores and Jorge Perez (Marshall High School): Asian Chicken Salad Wrap, Broccoli Salad and Pear & Yogurt Parfait

• Rafael Alvride and Guadalupe Francisco (Santee Educational Complex): Viva Tamale, Fiesta Salad & Graham Cracker Crumble With Warm Fruit

The team from West Adams will join winning teams from Chicago, St. Louis, Santa Ana, Denver, Jacksonville, Winston-Salem, Memphis and Washington D.C. in the national Cooking Up Change competition at the U.S. Department of Education on June 10th. In addition to the trip to D.C., students win cookware, knife sets and culinary scholarships.

The students were so excited to talk about their day and the experiences that it was hard for them to pin down one favorite moment. Maribel Sandoval said she most enjoyed meeting the judges. “Working with my team was the best,” Esther Zegura said. “It was all so exciting. I was speechless.”

José Landaverde says he really enjoyed working with his supportive teammates. “They kept on pushing me and telling me not to give up, and it paid off,” he says.

Their entire school community is thrilled, too. Returning to school after a long day at the  competition, the winning students pushed open their school’s doors and were greeted by shouts of, “We won!” followed by a shower of cheers and applause.

Congratulations, Panthers! Can’t wait to see you again in D.C.

Friday Recipe, Super Bowl Edition: Chicken Rancheros

Cooking up Change culinary team from Washington High School, with HSC President and CEO Rochelle Davis

It's no secret that we're big fans of the winning Cooking up Change lunch. It wowed our judges and recently it was served in Chicago Public Schools across the city. And now's the perfect time to suggest that the winning recipe be served on your very own table! We thought it'd be a great companion to another kind of competition, which Americans all over the country will be watching next weekend: the Super Bowl! Yes, we'd rather have all of America playing an active game (Flag football! Safety first!) but we also appreciate a little healthy family time. 

And how can you make that family time even more healthy? Why, serving up a dish from a Cooking up Change winning meal, of course. Here it is. Watch it disappear before halftime.

Chicken Rancheros

Ingredients

12 oz pre-cooked chicken breast strips 

6 T salsa                                                   

3 T cilantro, chopped               

1 tsp Cajun seasoning                                 

1½ tsp soy sauce                                       

1½ tsp Dijon mustard                                 

60 tortilla chips

3 T canned jalapeño peppers, diced

3 tsp cheddar cheese, shredded                                 

3 tsp mozzarella cheese, shredded   

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Place chicken strips in medium-sized pot over medium-low heat. Add salsa, soy sauce, Cajun seasoning and Dijon mustard.

Stir to combine.

2. Bring chicken mixture to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavorful and tender, about 10-15 minutes. Once mixture is fully heated, reduce heat to low.

3. Meanwhile, layer tortilla chips on an oven-proof serving dish.

4. Layer chicken mixture on top of chips, then add mozzarella and cheddar cheese.

5. Bake at 375° for 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

6. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeños.

 

Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

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Thanks to the students at Washington High School for sharing their recipe with us!

 

Chef Mentors Make Cooking up Change the Experience of a Lifetime for Culinary Students

Earlier this month, the winning Cooking up Change lunch, created by culinary students from Washington High School in Chicago, made its cafeteria debut throughout the Chicago Public Schools system. The meal itself earned rave reviews during the contest, but the team's success depended on more than just a crowd-pleasing recipe. Washington students were fully prepared for every aspect of Cooking up Change by chef mentors and culinary instructors, and they worked hard as a team for many weeks, perfecting everything from their kitchen work process to how meals looked on plates. 

All that prep paid off especially well for Washington students, but every culinary team benefited from the incredibly dedicated mentors and instructors who guided them through Cooking up Change. 

Sarai Rosales in the kitchen at North-Grand High School

Sarai Rosales of Frontera Grill, chef mentor for the 2012 North-Grand team, had a particularly unique perspective. She started her culinary career as a Cooking up Change team member in 2008 and 2009. When we spoke with Sarai about her experience mentoring North-Grand, she said she's been thrilled to give back. 

"These students are the future, and it's important for us as chefs to stand up for what we believe in," she says.

Her experience in Cooking up Change shaped her journey towards working as a chef. She says, "When I did Cooking up Change in high school, I knew [cooking] was tough. But by the time I got to college, I had an understanding; I was like, 'OK, I know how to do this!'" 

Plus, Rosales made some changes in her own diet along the way. She says, "Now I'm able to drink raw juice with kale, banana, cilantro... back in high school, I didn't want that! It was too green for me! And I know I'm not the only kid who thought that way."

Last but not least, Cooking up Change helped her discover that she wasn't alone as a young person looking to change the world. She says, "Cooking up Change helped me network and work with students who thought like I did, who care."

Chef mentors fill this role, too, showing students that they can be both professional chefs and change makers as adults. And chef mentors are just as invested in winning as the students are. 

Immediately after Washington was named the winning team at Cooking up Change this fall, we caught up with their chef mentor, Teri LaMont from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. She stressed that Washington's culinary program had prepared students well, and as a mentor she was able to build on both students' knowledge base and on their drive for success.

"Their enthusiasm was so there," LaMont said that night as her students celebrated around her. "It was amazing to see younger people with so many big ideas."

HSC thanks all of the chef mentors and culinary instructors who make Cooking up Change possible each year, in Chicago at our flagship competition and in competitions nationwide. Washington High School will travel to Washington, DC in May 2013 to compete in the Cooking up Change national finals!

Winning Lunch from Cooking up Change Chicago Served Today in Chicago Public Schools!

Today, the winning lunch from Cooking up Change Chicago will be served to students across the city!

Nearly 300,000 high school and elementary school students will enjoy the award-winning healthy school lunch created by culinary students at Washington High School.

The meal features chicken rancheros, flavorful corn with cayenne and parmesan, and fruit salad with cinnamon and yogurt. This lunch, created with the same budget and preparation constraints of real-life school food service, won first place in Healthy Schools Campaign’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest in November 2012. Judges included chefs and community leaders from across Chicago. While their peers enjoy the lunch in the cafeteria, team members will present it to advocates and leaders in Chicago’s culinary community.

What did team members have to say about the Cooking up Change experience?

"The best part was the experience of showing off our food and what we want in our own lunch rooms."
~ Vanessa

"You can make a lot of food with great flavors and it doesn’t have to be greasy. We came up with the menu using our heritage and culture."
~ Leo

"I learned there are a lot of ways to create new and fantastic dishes. There are healthier ways to cook."
~ Karen

"It’s all about how you work with your team. We’re making change so future generations can be healthier."
~ Leon

"We worked so hard. I'm so proud of my school. It was a long road with lots of ups and downs. People will know good things about our school now. We were underdogs, now we're first-place winners."
~ Marina

Congratulations, Washington!

Congrats to Cooking up Change Denver: Q&A with a Winning Student

We were thrilled to launch the 2012-13 season of Cooking up Change with our flagship Chicago contest in November, followed a few weeks later with the next competition in Denver!

Denver winning team: Jennifer Esquivel, Janeth Alfaro-Mendoza, Ivan Pasillas-Banuelos, Maria Armendariz and Maria Gonzalez-Garcia, from Bruce Randolph School

Winning meal: Chicken Panini Wrap; Dijon Vinaigrette Coleslaw; Jalapeno-Infused Peach Crumble.

The winning students in Denver were recently honored for their regional win at a luncheon where their dish was served to guests. Next, it will be served in Denver Public Schools, and the team will travel to  Washington, D.C. to compete in the Cooking up Change National Finals. We caught up with one of the team members, Jennifer Esquivel from Bruce Randolph School, for a Q&A.

HSC: How did your team create your winning meal?

JE: Our chef mentors Rebecca and Angel [from Johnson and Wales University] brought out a piece of a paper and said, "throw some ideas out there." One of us said, "Why don't we do some kind of sandwich?" We originally thought of doing some kind of panini, but we decided in the end to make it a wrap. We put the spinach, cheese and chicken in a tortilla so you could see all the colors and layers. We wanted something that we would actually want to eat. 

HSC: How well did your team work together towards their victory? 

JE: We actually all knew each other really well, which helped. We were under pressure, because the contest  was timed! So someone would say, "Can you do this for me please?" and we would just do it. 

HSC: How did you feel, on the day of the contest?

JE: If my team was here, they would agree, we were really nervous! We were the first team that had to go present the dish [to the judges]. We were running out of time; I don't know how we did it, but we pulled it off.

HSC: What was your experience last week, when presenting your winning dish to the public?

JE: We were really excited. The luncheon was held by LiveWell Colorado at the Sheraton downtown, and about 600 people tried our dish! They loved it. That's what we were going for, something that anyone could enjoy, and something that looks good visually but also tastes really good.

HSC: What were some of your biggest challenges?

JE: The dessert! We tried a bunch of different variations on the recipe. Some said it was too bitter, some said it was too sweet. We thought, "we have to nail it." So we worked until we found a good balance.

HSC: Do you have any advice for next year's team?

JE: I'd tell them to really open up; there's a lot of different things out there in the world that we haven't tried. Or we are too scared to try. Don't be afraid to get out there to make new things. One of my team members wasn't even interested in cooking when we started. She hated it! Now she loves to cook. 

HSC: What was one big lesson you learned from working on this project?

JE: Our instructors taught us to really think about what we're buying and what we're eating. Like, don't just pick something out. Look at the label. Think about what you're eating or making for your family. I showed my mom how to read labels, and together we started doing that at home.

A big thanks to Jennifer Esquivel for sharing her story with us, and congratulations again to the winners of Cooking up Change in Denver! 

Award-Winning Cooking up Change Recipe: Creole Vegetable Hash (Plus, a Cooking Demo!)

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving and look around for special, healthy recipes to share with family and friends, HSC is happy to highlight one of the many incredible recipes from last week’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest.

This recipe for Creole Vegetable Hash, a side dish created by the culinary team of Dunbar Career Academy, helped propel the team to second place in the coveted school lunch category.

On the morning of the contest, team member Ciara Dixon visited the studios of WCIU’s You & Me This Morning to prepare the great-tasting dish on-air with host Jeanne Sparrow! Check out Ciara’s great cooking demo, then check out the full recipe below!

 

Recipe: Dunbar Career Academy's Creole Vegetable Hash

Ingredients

• 2 cups baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 ½ tablespoons cooking oil
• ½ cup yellow onion, diced
• ½ cup green bell peppers, diced
• 1 cup pinto beans
• 2 cups mixed vegetables, frozen
• 1 cup collard greens, frozen, chopped
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• ½ tablespoon southern seasoning (or blend of paprika, onion powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano to taste)

Instructions

1. Place potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with ½ tablespoon of the cooking oil and toss to coat. Bake in a preheated 400° F oven for 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté over medium-high heat until onions are translucent.
3. Add potatoes from the baking sheet to the skillet, then add beans; sauté for 5-7 minutes.
4. Add mixed vegetables, collard greens, granulated garlic, Southern seasoning and Cajun seasoning; mix well and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and serve hot. Enjoy!

Many thanks to student chefs Nekeisha, Ciara, Jerry, Alexander, Nyree and Martinique for sharing this wonderful recipe!

Students Shine in Cooking up Change Demos on Fox and WCIU

On Friday morning, teams of high school culinary students across Chicago gathered with their teams to get ready for the Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest. Students started early, cooking at their schools before traveling to the Brideport Art Center, where they prepared, plated and presented healthy school meals to a panel of judges.

For a few students, the day started even earlier! Three energetic student chefs brought their talent to television by presenting cooking demos on two local morning shows: Fox's Good Day Chicago, hosted by Cooking up Change judge Corey McPherrin and WCIU's You & Me This Morning, hosted by Jeanne Sparrow.

Check out these great segments, below! Thanks to the hosts for their warm welcomes and to the students for sharing their talent for Cooking up Change.

Cooking up Change judge Corey McPherrin hosts students and the culinary instructor from Tilden Career Academy:

Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

Jeanne Sparrow of WCIU welcomes Dunbar Career Academy Ciara Dixon and lends a hand in preparing the team's Creole vegetable hash:

Plus: On Thursday, November 8, Cooking up Change contest co-chair Randy Zweiban of Province visited NBC studios and chatted with The Talk's Marion Brooks about Cooking up Change!

An Unforgettable Night for Cooking up Change's Student Teams

Student chefs react to their win at Cooking up Change

One of the best parts about Cooking up Change is the intangible but undeniably electric energy of students converging, finally meeting other high-achieving culinary students and at last having the chance to show off their hard work with passion and dedication.  

The day of the competition, nerves jangled, stomachs filled with butterflies, and young people in crisp white uniforms began the complicated task of cooking for nearly twenty judges -- an for an audience of 600+ hungry guests. Then they set to work serving sample-sized versions of their meals, often at lightning speed. 

Student chefs prepare taste-size samples of their meal for a panel of judges

For many aspiring chefs, it was the chance to see what it'd be like to run their own restaurant. Darrell Crawford, a junior at Simeon, surveyed the room and said, "If this was my business, I'd be really happy. Lots of people, lots of different foods, a good team."

Other students were hoping that the long road to finalizing their recipes would pay off. "We're getting very positive feedback and hope we win," said Miriam Chavez, a junior at Prosser. "We struggled a lot with our recipe and had to change it a lot. Some of the ingredients had to be changed so we could create a balance."

Students from every school faced a heap of obstacles. Javontae McCloud, a senior at Corliss, joked: "The most challenging thing? Washing the dishes! No, I'm just playing . . ." He went on to add that, in all seriousness, Cooking up Change taught him a lot about eating well. "I learned that you can't be afraid to try new things. And it's OK to eat what you normally eat -- just do it a healthier way."

Students present tastes of their entree and two side dishes

For the winners, though, it was a particularly special night. The students of Washington High School accepted their award with hugs, cheers and even some tears. "I'm just really happy," said Leon Sanchez, a senior at Washington. "We worked so hard to get to where we are." He added that the trip to D.C. would be his first opportunity to travel outside of Illinois. 

Washington junior Marina Nava added that her whole school would feel the effects. "I'm so proud of my school," she said. "People will know good things about our school now. They'll know Washington won [Cooking up Change]. We were underdogs; now we're first-place winners."

Culinary team members from Washington High School celebrate their first-place win

Congratulations to our Winning Cooking up Change Team!

Washington High School team members accept their trophy at Cooking up Change

Today we're thrilled to announce the winner of Chicago's Cooking up Change 2012 competition.

Congratulations to Washington High School!

• Culinary Students: Leonard Gutierrez, Marina Nava, Karen Rivera, and Leon Sanchez 
• Culinary Instructors: Olanike Braimoh and Tai Sellers
• Mentor: Terri Lamont, Greater Chicago Food Depository

Students tackled a difficult challenge -- creating a meal that both pleased their peers and met USDA standards for price and nutrition. Despite the obstacles, they were able to create an incredible lunch.

Their winning meal:

• Chicken Rancheros (Seasoned chicken on tostadas topped with cheese and cilantro)
• Elotes Washington (corn on the cob brushed with cayenne and parmesan cheese)
• Fruta de Tropico (mixed fruit with yogurt and cinnamon)

The Washington High School team will go on to represent Chicago in the Cooking up Change national finals in May 2013!

Kudos to all the teams who competed in this year's Chicago competition! Tremendous thanks to the judges, team mentors, culinary instructors, sponsors and leadership whose support makes Cooking up Change possible!

Check back soon for more about the rest of the competition!

Today, We're Launching a New Season of Cooking up Change!

Today, high school culinary students will step forward to present their vision for the future of school food: healthy, great-tasting lunches that get two thumbs up from fellow students and nutritionists alike. The students are competing in Cooking up Change, Healthy Schools Campaign's annual healthy cooking contest that challenges students to reinvent school lunch.

The flagship Chicago contest, which takes place today at the Bridgeport Art Center, kicks off a series of contests across the nation. In May, the winning team from each city will travel to Washington, DC to compete in the national finals and present their vision for school food to Congress. We invite you to join us in Cooking up Change! 

 

 

A Huge Thanks to our Incredible Sponsors for Cooking up Change!

High school culinary students celebrate their win in the healthy school lunch category at Cooking up Change.

Cooking up Change relies, first and foremost, on the incredible efforts of students to craft winning meals that their peers will love. But we also rely heavily on another group -- just as dedicated and passionate about the Cooking up Change cause -- our sponsors. This group of amazing businesses, organizations and individuals makes the contest possible, year after year. 

Their support ripples throughout the entire event -- from the smiles on students' faces to the gorgeous location where we gather. This support creates a platform for students to shine -- and for that, we can't thank them enough. 

Today, we reach out with heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors, at all levels:

Chicago Sponsors

Premier sponsor

• Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality

Patron sponsor

• Preferred Meal Systems, Inc.

Champion sponsor

• Asian Food Solutions, Inc.
• Organic Life
• School Health

Official Education Partner

• Chicago Public Schools Office of Pathways to College and Career Culinary

Scholarship Sponsor

• Washburne Culinary Institute

Leader

• Cristina Foods, Inc.

Partners

• Harris myCFO
• Illinois Federation of Teachers
• Perkins + Will
• Quest Food Management Services, Inc.

Advocates

• Alper Services LLC
• Institute for America's Health
• Cabot Creamery Cooperative
• Kellogg's
• New Leaf Paper
• PolPress, Inc.
• Revolution Foods
• R.S. Owens
• Schiff Hardin LLC
• SEIU Local 1
• SEIU State Council
• Testa Produce
• US Foods
• Urban Health Initiative of the University of Chicago Medical Center

Supporters

• Tammy and Ted Becker
• Illinois State University
• William and Sara Porter
• Rick and Donna Yule

National Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

• American Federation of Teachers
• Chipotle Mexican Grill 

Official Travel Partner

• Southwest Airlines

Official Culinary Partner

• James Beard Foundation

 --

More info on our generous sponsors is here! 

Learn more:

• Read our Q&A with Cesar Dovalina, president of Cristina Foods.
• Read our Q&A with Chipotle representative Emily Francis.

 

"I Changed a Lot of Things . . . "

Be part of Cooking up Change. . . tomorrow! Learn more at www.cookingupchange.org.

Who Picks the Winning Meal at Cooking up Change? Expert Judges, of Course!

Judges listen to a student presentation at Cooking up Change

The Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest is, at its heart, all about inspiring students to create the healthy school meals they want to eat. Students design menus and create recipes, working side-by-side with professional chefs. They develop skills and learn lessons -- from teamwork to healthy cooking -- that can last a lifetime. It's the process that counts, win or lose. 

Well -- the competition is a big part of it, too! The heated competition gets everyone, from the students to the guests who taste their creations, pumped up, year after year. And that couldn't happen without our incredible panel of expert judges. We are so fortunate to work with some of Chicago's finest culinary and civic leaders, who will tackle the challenge of choosing the winning meal. 

It won't be easy -- it never is. Students spend weeks refining their meals. But judges must rate them on a few key criteria: originality, taste, appearance and presentation. And of course, meals must meet USDA standards for nutrition as well as limitations on cost and ingredients. 

So, with special thanks for their time, energy and taste buds, we salute the members of our incredible judging panel, who will soon face a mighty delicious challenge:

• John Chiakulas, Partner and Corporate Executive Chef, Lettuce Entertain You
• George Chivari, Chief Executive Officer, Preferred Meal Systems, Inc.
• Leslie Fowler, Director, Office of Nutrition Support Services, Chicago Public Schools
• Susan Goss, Chef/Owner, West Town Tavern
• Vinni Hall, Secretary, Illinois State Board of Education
• Alia Laniani, Student, Kenwood Academy High School
• Corey McPherrin, Anchor, Good Day Chicago
• Frances Moore, Food Service Manager, New Millenium Health High School
• Kristopher Murray, Executive Director, Washburne Culinary Institute
• Kymm Mutch, Regional Learning Lab Project Director, School Food FOCUS Upper Midwest Regional Learning Lab
• Carrie Nahabedian, Executive Chef, NAHA
• Brenda Nichols, Lunch Room Assistant, Marshall Metro High School
• Ina Pinkney, Chef/Owner, Ina’s
• Tony Priolo, Executive Chef/Owner, Piccolo Sogno
• Jesse Ruiz, Vice President, Chicago Board of Education
• Julie Smith, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Governor
• Beth Swanson, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education, Office of the Mayor
• Stephanie A. Whyte, Chief Health Officer, Office of Student Health and Wellness, Chicago Public Schools
• Dequandre Williams, Student, Harlan Community Academy High School
• Erick Williams, Executive Chef, MK Restaurant
• Travis Young, Regional Vice President, Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality

Thanks, judges! We'll see you at the judging table in just a few days!

Guest Blog: Chefs of Tomorrow are Cooking up Change Today

Today we have a special guest blog from David Blackmon, Program Coordinator of Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Agricultural Science in the Chicago Public Schools Office of Pathways to College and Career.

by David Blackmon

On Friday, November 9, teams of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) high school students will present to a crowd of nearly 700 guests just how tasty and healthy school lunch really can be. The students producing the meals are from Culinary Arts Programs in CPS schools, through the CPS Pathways to College and Career initiative. 

Their in-school training, as well as the professional experience of taking part in a culinary competition and presenting food at the benefit, helps prepare students for careers in an increasingly health-conscious culinary world. Opportunities like Cooking up Change and others do a lot to develop the students' self-esteem and instill feelings of accomplishment.

Last year’s competition was filled with culinary students with their heads held high and their chests filled with pride. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to talk with students about their inspiration and learn the ingredients within their tasty culinary delights.

Watching the enjoyment on people's faces as they sample student-made dishes, students feel real pride in the work that they do. Plus, they gain a whole new perspective on what they can do in the future.

And that makes a really big difference.

--

Special thanks to David Blackmon for sharing this perspective on Cooking up Change! 

"I Had More of a Personal Experience . . . "

Be part of Cooking up Change! Learn more at www.cookingupchange.org.

 

"You Can Always Make It Healthy. . . "

Be part of Cooking up Change! Learn more at www.cookingupchange.org.

Chicago's WGN Spotlights Cooking up Change!

We're always excited for extra attention around Cooking up Change -- and this week, we were particularly thrilled to be featured on Chicago television thanks to WGN's Lunchbreak segment. With team mentor Chef Matt Eversman and a student from Clemente Community Academy, viewers learned how to make Baked Cajun Mac N' Cheese, designed by Clemente Community Academy students for Cooking up Change in 2010. 

The dishes that students create for Cooking up Change are healthy, kid-friendly and inexpensive to make at home, and this one's no exception. Check out the video to hear about Cooking up Change and learn how to make this tasty dish at home!

 

"It's a Lifestyle That We're Working On. . ."

Be part of Cooking up Change! Learn more at www.cookingupchange.org.

Investing in our Culinary Future: A Q&A with Cooking up Change Sponsor Chipotle

HSC is happy that Chipotle Mexican Grill has signed on as a Silver level national sponsor of Cooking up Change. Chipotle joins an incredible team of generous sponsors whose support makes the contest possible. The company has long been a supporter of healthier foods in schools, and we asked Chipotle representative Emily Francis for the inside story on the company's contribution to the movement.

What made Chipotle decide to get involved with Cooking up Change?

Cooking up Change is such a great event that engages students and influencers to tackle the challenges of serving healthy school meals on a tight budget. At Chipotle, we feel it is important to educate people about the food challenges we all face and to invest in the food, farms, and families that are making positive changes in the food world. We gladly support Cooking up Change because it is a driving force in this movement.

What have you learned from your involvement in the healthy food movement?

It is important that we vote for with our dollars every day at restaurants and in grocery stores. Support family farms, buy local when possible, and know where your food comes from.

What are your best and worst food memory from your school days?

    *   Best Memory: Friday Pizza Day
    *   Worst Memory: Salisbury Steak

What is your favorite lunch today?

A spinach salad with goat cheese, pine nuts, tomatoes, beets, cranberries, balsamic vinaigrette and a half turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.

Why is Cooking up Change important?

The youth is our future, so it is so important to start the conversation about the state of our food world and engage them in how they can be part of the solution. This cooking competition does just that!

Thanks, Emily, for the peek into Chipotle's committment to Cooking up Change!

Plus! Check out this short video from Chipotle illustrating their commitment to health and sustainability:

"The Best Part About Cooking up Change. . ."

Be part of Cooking up Change! Learn more at www.cookingupchange.org.