Feeding the Future 2023
January 28, 2023
The menus below have been created by teams of high school, middle school and elementary school students, school mentors and Blue Watermelon mentor Chefs. Each team spent months testing recipes to create a school meal tray that adheres to both the nutritional and budgetary restrictions of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and After School Snack Program. We hope these recipes will be used by schools in Arizona and beyond as we work toward a #bettertrayeveryday.
Three high school student teams will be selected by a panel of judges to receive $5,000 (first place), $3,000 (second place) and 2,000 (third place) educational scholarships from the Blue Watermelon Project today. Middle and Elementary School Teams will also compete for prices that advance their culinary or school garden mission.
High School Student Teams
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Rainbow Slaw, Tropical Fruit Bites and Arizona milk compliment the entree that make this a creditable NSLP Tray
Prepared by Perry High School students Kaia Moore, Stefan Ngyuen, and Kayla Ramsden
Support for team Pretty High School includes school mentor, Angela Stutz and BWP Chef, Tamara Stanger
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Seasoned Tater Tots, Pineapple Quinoa Salad, and Arizona milk compliment the entree that make this a creditable NSLP Tray
Prepared by Chandler High School students Graciela Ibarra-Mejia, Hossana Mubarikiwa, and A'drean Boling-White
Support for team Chandler High School includes school mentor Priscilla Ortiz and BWP Chef, Doug Robson
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Famous Fox in Socks Fries, Red-fish, Blue-fish Berry Compote, and Arizona milk compliment the entree that make this a creditable NSLP Tray
Prepared by Casteel High School's Sophia Femano
Support for team Casteel High School include school mentor Chad Faria and BWP Chef, Chris Lenza
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Titi Edna's Elote, Grandpa Palmer's Pear Crisp and Arizona milk compliment the entree that make this a creditable NSLP Tray
Prepared by Casteel High School's Josephine Rosado and Ashton Palmer
Support for team Casteel High School include school mentor Chad Faria and BWP Chef, Chris Lenza
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Cilantro Lime Slaw, Mexican-Style Fruit Cup and, Arizona milk compliment the entree that this a creditable NSLP Tray
Prepared by Queen Creek High School's Alxs Galit and Andrew Crecelius Phelps
Support for team Queen Creek High School include school mentor Sandra Brooks and BWP Chef, Charleen Badman
Middle School Student Teams
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With fresh fruit, orange juice and, Arizona milk as a compliment to the entree that makes for a creditable School Breakfast Tray
Prepared by Emmerson Middle School students Conner McDowell, Bastian Casey-Bradley, and Miguel Rodriguez Ortiz
Support for team Emmerson Middle School include school mentors Adam Lovelady and BWP Chef, Charleen Badman
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Fruit Compote and Arizona milk compliment the entree and make this a creditable School Breakfast Tray
Prepared by Tillman Middle School students Genesis Banda, Evelyn Aranda, Sabian Taylor and Sarah Faudoa
Support for team Tillman Middle School include school mentor Anita Aparicio and BWP Chefs, Pam Coleman and Tracy Dempsey
Elementary School Student Team
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Arizona milk compliment this side to make this a creditable At-Risk After School Snack
Prepared by Crockett Elementary School students Gabriel Irankunda, Sihaam Badri, Christian Correa, and Mia Hernandez Resendis
Support for team Crockett Elementary School include school Anita Aparicio and BWP Chefs Tracy Dempsey and Elizabeth Meinz
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Served with Arizona milk this side dish can compliment any NSLP or SBP entree crediting as a 1/2 serving of mixed vegetable subgroup portion.
Prepared by Concordia Charter School students Elias Lemus, Yaair Antonio Montejano Ramirez. and Alexia Isahias Ramirez
Support for team Concordia Charter School include school mentor Iris Tirado and BWP Chef, Sasha Raj
Featured Chef in the Garden Bites
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In October Chef in the Garden featured carrots and Iris Tirado's family recipe for honey glazed carrots with ranch dressing mix. This recipe is sweet, salty and sure to tickle your taste buds.
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In November Chef in the Garden featured garlic and Cory Alexander's family 'edamus' recipe. This green, bright and creamy take on hummus combined with edamame is sure to please the palate. Cory's family enjoys serving this dish with a whole wheat pita.
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In December Chef in the Garden featured Pima Wheat and Shannon Renia's family Poshol recipe. This hearty, warm and subtly seasoned dish is a hug in a bowl! Shannon's family serves this dish with tortillas or 'lazy' tortilla bread.
Meet the Judging Panel
Shannon Reina
Food Service Manager, Salt River Schools
Shannon has worked in Salt River School kitchens for the past 15 years. She has worked in every area; Cook Aide, Cook, Kitchen Supervisor, and is now the Food Service Manager. She enjoys every position, but says that her favorite will always be working as a Cook. Shannon claims that being a Cook in a School Nutrition Program has opened up so many opportunities to make a difference in her community. There is no greater joy for her than being able to cook and serve good food to the people that she cares about. Since 2017, Shannon has led her team to include more traditional foods in Salt River's school meal programs. Her recipes have been celebrated statewide in the Arizona Department of Education's recipe development project, Kitchen Creations and nationally within Slow Food USDA.
Rani Olson
Professor of Practice, University of Arizona
Professor at the University of Arizona, teaching in and running the Nutrition and Food Systems degree program. Rani has been a chef for 20+ years and has always focused on improvisation cooking using plantbased hyper-local ingredients. She believes that cooking is both a form of play, and an art. Rani loves to showcase a specific ingredient as a way to experience a plant, a place, and story. Rani has worked within Tucson Unified School District's Food Services Department developing their Farm to School and Food Literacy Programs.
Eliot Wexler
Owner of Nocawich
Eliot is self described as having always been hungry. He opened his first restaurant, Noca in 2008, a modern American fine dining restaurant. Eliot infamously recreated some of American's class treats like ding dongs and some pretty elevated-in-flavor cotton candy. Today, Eliot owns Nocawich, a breakfast and lunch spot located in Tempe and at Sky Harbor Airport. Eliot also sells pastries and sweet treats at various food establishments across Arizona.
Dan Giusti
CEO and Founder of Brigaid
Growing up in a food-loving Italian family inspired Dan to attend the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He quickly rose through the culinary ranks, serving as Executive Chef of 1789 in Washington, D.C. and Head Chef of Noma in Copenhagen. After three years in the latter role, he returned to the United States to tackle another culinary challenge: school food. In 2016, he founded Brigaid, assembling a team of professional chefs who were eager to apply their culinary expertise to improve the offerings and quality of school food service programs. Today, Brigaid’s work has expanded to senior centers and a prison system. It remains guided by Dan’s belief that everyone deserves nourishing food, cooked with care and passion.
Sara Dolan
Blue Sky Organic Farms
Blue Sky Organic Farms is a certified organic family farm located in Litchfield Park, AZ. They have been farming in sunny Arizona since 1995 - over 25 years! During their main growing season, they grow over 120 different vegetable varieties. We love Sara for her tenacity, quick wit and big heart! She has a background and love for animals, especially goats, and helps to run the business side of the farm with her partner David Vose.
Special Thank You to Feeding the Future Contest Coordinator!
Sarah Martinelli, MS, RD, SNS
Sarah Martinelli is a professor at ASU in the College of Health Solutions. She is a registered dietitian whose focus is on food access through child nutrition programs like the National School Lunch Program.