“Every fall, shrimp season opens in South Carolina. My grandpa and I always go out and watch the shrimpers head into the ocean on their huge shrimp boats. We always buy shrimp fresh from the ocean and go home to think of creative new ways to cook them. This recipe is a combination of spicy flavors my grandpa likes, complimented by the sweet flavors I like.”
- Kiana White, Age 12, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from South Carolina
Posted by Josh Weissenberger, Age 11, on July 13, 2016
“Every summer, I go fishing on the Missouri River with my dad and two grandpas. We spend the week catching and eating lots of fresh walleye, the state fish of South Dakota. When you catch a lot of fish, you have to eat a lot of fish, so we come up with new ways to cook walleye. Since tacos are another favorite food, I thought it’d be fun to make fish tacos. Fish is really healthy; my mom says it’s got lots of protein and is low in fat. Lots of people batter and fry fish, but baking it is great. What’s even better is that I can make it since my mom doesn’t want me to get splattered by hot oil. Cooking is fun! I like to eat these tacos with fruit and milk.”
- Josh Weissenberger, Age 11, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from South Dakota
“Leya was inspired to make this dish by her uncle,” says Leya’s mom, Deena. “As a family of Middle Eastern descent, Leya and her uncle love to create traditional dishes with a twist. Falafel and mango salsa are a favorite in the Middle East, so this was an attempt to make a healthier version. Falafels are usually deep fried, whereas in this recipe they are baked and are just as delicious. The salsa includes tomatoes, which is Tennessee’s state fruit. Tennessee is now home to a large Middle Eastern immigrant population, so there are many falafel places opening their doors in the state.”
- Leya Alani, Age 9, is the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Tennessee.
“I was first inspired to make this recipe by my mom. She always tells us to add vegetables to everything we make and to experiment. I love Tex-Mex food and also lasagna so we thought this was a good way to combine both. My mom also tells us to be flexible so we use canned or frozen vegetables if we're out of fresh. You can substitute any veggies and fruits you like. The possibilities are endless. My mom says not having or liking one ingredient is not an excuse to not try a recipe or to buy fast food!”
- Priya Patel, Age 10, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Texas
“I can eat chicken for breakfast, lunch, and supper, all by itself. On St. Thomas you can meet chickens everywhere. We have about two dozen of them now around my house. Also, my grandma grows some fruit and vegetables. We kids are helping her to take care of it. My responsibility is to water them early in the morning and right before dusk. The lettuce and lime I used in my recipe is locally grown.”
- Orin Hayes, Age 12, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from the U.S. Virgin Islands
Posted by Daniela Bergantz, Age 10, on July 13, 2016
“I saw a cool way to put designs into pasta and thought I could try to make red stripes for the American Flag. My favorite parts of making this were when I made the nest in the flour to hold the ingredients. I loved mixing the beet dough and seeing the red color pop out! I also really liked to turn the pasta crank. My dad grinds all of our flour. We grow a lot of vegetables used to make the garden sauce for the ravioli.”
- Daniela Bergantz, Age 10, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Utah
Posted by Miranda Gallagher, Age 8, on July 13, 2016
“Miranda works hard helping in our garden and raising our chickens,” says Miranda’s mom, Genevieve. “Last summer we would make entire meals using only foods that we grew or raised ourselves. She came up with this recipe because it includes some of her very favorite foods—our own chicken, apples, maple syrup, and veggies that we can usually find in our own garden or the farmer's market. She's been making wraps for a while now and cooks often with both me and her grandmother. She even has her own cookbook with all of the recipes she's learned to make by herself.”
- Miranda Gallagher, Age 8, is the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Vermont.
Posted by Kathryn Duvall, Age 10, on July 13, 2016
“We are a military family who have lived in many states and countries,” says Kathryn’s dad, Elven. “We have a tradition of trying local foods, then making our own versions and giving them memorable names to remind us of our time living there. While stationed at Langley Air Force Base, in Virginia, we visited the Yorktown Battlefield. That hot summer night we were in the mood for something light; this dish was originally made from local ingredients. The best part was brainstorming name ideas and laughing about all the ideas not chosen because they were too silly. Victory at Yorktown came up. Even though it doesn't really describe the wrap, it does remind of us of the day.” Kathryn serves it with a side of fruit salad.
- Kathryn Duvall, Age 10, is the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Virginia.
Posted by Lukas Anderson, Age 10, on July 13, 2016
“I first tasted Kedgeree, a classic British dish with Indian roots, at a friend's house. We couldn't find smoked haddock. My mom thought our local smoked salmon might work. I love kale, which grows like crazy in Washington, so we added it. Washington is also the perfect climate for mushrooms. We added crimini for their woodsy, creamy taste. Instead of the traditional English peas, we used asparagus. I think wonderful and tasty things can happen when cultures mix together. This Northwest take on a British-Indian dish was a hit with my picky 7-year-old sister. My mom was happy to get my little sister to eat more veggies and said the garlic and spices might strengthen our immune systems. I plan to serve this dish with wild blackberries when they are ready to be picked.”
- Lukas Anderson, Age 10, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Washington
Posted by Elena Sotobashi, Age 8, on July 13, 2016
“My grandfather is Japanese and my family likes to eat sushi. D.I.Y. Sushi has pretty much the same ingredients but everyone gets to make their own rolls. It is good for school lunches because the seaweed is separate and doesn’t get soggy. I like it because it is easy to make and you can choose what you want. In summer we can get the carrots and cucumbers from our garden. It is fun to make.”
- Elena Sotobashi, Age 8, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Washington D.C.
“Through our cooking camps and Kids in the Kitchen class, I was inspired to eat well and make healthy food for my own family. We joined Grow Ohio Valley, a group that turns vacant city lots into gardens. Each week my mom and I would pick out our vegetables. It was great to know we were eating really fresh vegetables and helping our community. As a child I always liked when my mom made couscous and this past summer I found out how easy it was to prepare. Now I have a meal that even my picky 7-year-old sister will eat. The dish can be made in less than 20 minutes and is great packed up for lunch the next day.”
- Grace Landini, Age 12, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from West Virginia
“In my family we eat a lot of hummus, and lately I wanted to know where hummus comes from. I read an article that said that the main ingredient in hummus is chickpeas. I discovered that chickpeas are really a super food and they are so tasty, too! In the summer, my brother and sister and I love to pick fresh vegetables from our backyard and we make different kinds of salads with them. So, for this salad we used our parsley and red and yellow peppers. Wisconsin is famous for cheese and cranberries. This is an easy, delicious salad that has all the nutrients you need!”
- Raya El-Hajjar, Age 8, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Wisconsin
Posted by Hannah Andreen, Age 11, on July 13, 2016
“The recipe I am making is very special to my family. When we were kids we would always go to dinner with my Great Grandma and eat this chicken and veggie salad. She has since passed away, so we eat this in remembrance of her. We make this salad for dinner all the time. The reason that I like this salad is because it is a little bit tart. Also, this is healthy because it has sunflower oil and that is healthier than corn oil. It also has a ton of vegetables.”
- Hannah Andreen, Age 11, the 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winner from Wyoming
Posted by Catherine Oakar, Associate Director, Let's Move! on June 20, 2016
It’s hard to believe that it’s been exactly one month since First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the keynote address to over 900 stakeholders at the Partnership for a Healthier America’s (PHA) “Building a Healthier Future” Summit.
Posted by Kelly Miterko, Deputy Director, Let's Move! on June 8, 2016
It’s almost time for this year’s Kids’ “State Dinner!” Today, we announced the 56 young chefs representing each U.S. state, five territories, and the District of Columbia that will be joining First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House on July 14 for the fifth annual Kids' “State Dinner.” The students attending are the winners of this year’s Healthy Lunchtime Challenge. The winners and a parent or guardian will enjoy a healthy lunch hosted by Mrs. Obama that features a selection of the winning recipes. Following lunch, everyone will head out to the South Lawn to visit the White House Kitchen Garden.
