Posted by James Arena-DeRosa, USDA, Food & Nutrition Service Regional Administrator on May 31, 2011
Students at Bellingham (MA) Public Schools found the key to attracting some top individuals to their school for lunch: they asked a state senator, state representative, a food industry executive, the state Child Nutrition director and me to judge the school’s entries in the national Recipes for Healthy Kids competition. The school had much to be proud of because their terrific team created not one, but two semi-finalist recipes: “Tasty Tots” and “Mediterranean Quinoa Salad.”
Posted by Kenneth Sierra, Northeast Regional Public Affairs Director, USDA Food and Nutrition Service on May 31, 2011
It’s only natural that when the team from Charter Oak International Academy came up with their entry in the Recipes for Healthy Kids competition it would have true international flavor. The West Hartford, CT school is a magnet school with a global focus, including Spanish language instruction. Their “Fiesta Wrap” stars quinoa and black beans accompanied by vegetables, lime juice, spices and reduced fat cheddar cheese with optional toppings such as fresh tomatoes, corn salsa or fiesta sauce.
Posted by Larry Echo Hawk, Assistant Secretary – Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior on May 27, 2011
Cross-posted from the Department of Interior.
Posted by Jessica Milteer, USDA Food and Nutrition Service on May 27, 2011
Dr. Seuss wrote about green eggs and ham but McDougle Elementary School didn’t stick to the script. The Chapel Hill, North Carolina school stirred its way into the semi-finals of the Recipes for Healthy Kids Challenge by adding added nutritious brown rice. They also used chopped spinach to give the dish a vibrant green color.
Posted by Ed Mekeel, USDA FNS Public Affairs Specialist on May 27, 2011
With a name like “Lentils of the Southwest aka Sweeney Cougar Power Lentils,” who says a healthy elementary school lunch can’t be exciting? On Wednesday, May 18th, students at Sweeney Elementary School in Santa Fe, N.M., served judges a spicy and delicious side-dish in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Recipes for Healthy Kids competition.
Posted by Cordelia Fox, Public Affairs Director, USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Western Region on May 27, 2011
The bay area of California is home to some celebrity chefs but it is the lesser known student chefs at Skyline High School that are making the bulbs flash and the critics swoon. Well before the official judging team arrived at Skyline High School in Oakland, California, the local entry, Spanish Chickpea Stew,had already passed the toughest test of all -- winning high marks from Skyline students in a cafeteria taste test.
Posted by Alexa Posny, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the Department of Education on May 26, 2011
Throughout May, the White House and Department of Education have celebrated Physical Fitness and Sports month—an annual reminder to us all of the importance of physical activity in our daily life. Yesterday, I joined Andrea Cernich with the President’ s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition on a visit to Oxon Hill Elementary School in Prince George’s County, Md., to talk with district officials, school leaders, teachers, parents, and others about how students with disabilities can fully participate in the school’s physical education and sports programs.
Posted by Debbie Smoot, Southeast Regional Public Affairs Director, USDA Food and Nutrition Service on May 26, 2011
Historical Charleston, S.C., blends the traditional Southern American, English, French, and West African elements into a celebration of its colorful and rich culture. Burke Middle & High School in Charleston celebrated this mix of colorful culture with its semi-finalist recipe, Confetti Soup, making a history all its own through nutrition. The rich wintery soup made with black-eyed pea dots, mixed together with savory smoked ham and dashes of greens, was the center piece at a judging event in First Lady Michelle Obama’s Recipes for Healthy Kids competition, held at the school on May 25.
Posted by Debbie Smoot, Southeast Regional Director, Food and Nutrition Service on May 26, 2011
Located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, N.C., is known for its rich heritage, arts, and fine dining. Recently, students from Ira B. Jones Elementary School, located in Asheville, shared a taste of another well-known region of fine dining – Tuscany – as the school’s recipe team prepared their semi-finalist recipe of Tuscan Smoked Turkey and Bean Soup for the judges in the First Lady’s Recipes for Healthy Kids competition.
Posted by Peter Soeth, Public Affairs Specialist, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Interior on May 25, 2011
Last Saturday morning, the sun shone brightly over Lake Bastrop near Austin, Texas, where 28 kids and 14 boat captains joined hundreds of volunteers to experience the joys of fishing at the Bureau of Reclamation's 8th Annual Catch A Special Thrill event.
