One less thing you have to worry about come September

One less thing you have to worry about come September

I probably have the best job in the world. One of my main roles is to write the monthly menus for Choicelunch and work with Chef Travis and Chef Billy on creating new recipes that will thrill the 18,000+ kids we feed each day—especially yours! (As much as I enjoy cooking and shopping for my son and husband (and Mom and Dad when they finagle seats at our small table), there is a REAL thrill in knowing our decisions can impact so many Californian kids.)

As menu planner and ingredient seeker, one of the big projects I have each summer is to research new foods, sample and test new concepts and work with our partners to make sure we are all creating school lunches we can be proud of. Chefs, bakers, farmers… it takes a lot of us to keep pushing the school lunch envelope, even in July.

This summer we have had a number of taste panels in our kitchens already. This Friday, though, we are having a real live ‘field test’ for over 60 kids and teachers. We are testing new items like gluten free cookies and ancient grain blue corn chips. We will compare old items with new possibilities (sunbutter sandwich, anyone?) and have a ‘sampling party’ complete with natural condiments and drinks.

What will the kids like? What will work? What WON’T work? (The sunbutter could bomb, the chips could get stuck in braces and there is a real possibility anything called a ‘gluten-free cookie’, no matter how delish will sink like the Titantic.)

Lots of time and effort goes into these events, but the benefit is that come September, when your child is sitting at the lunch table with their new classroom friends, they will LOVE their Choicelunch and it will be one less thing YOU have given time and effort to!

I’ll let you know what the kids say…stay tuned!