In This Issue

• HSC News: Cooking up Change!
• Recent Blog Entries: New Research on Benefits of Green Cleaning; Nutrition Labels Don't Tell the Whole Story; IOM Recommendations for School Food; Hula Hoops at the White House; Last Garden Meal of the Summer. . . and more!

HSC News

High School “Top Chefs” Wow Judges and Guests at Healthy Cooking Contest
Winning team will travel to DC to speak up for healthy school food, see meal served nationwide

Student chefs from Tilden Career Academy took home the top prize in HSC’s Cooking up Change benefit and healthy cooking contest on Oct. 29, when teams of student chefs from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) wowed judges and guests with their creativity in crafting healthy, tasty school meals while bringing attention to the challenges that schools face in serving healthy lunches on incredibly tight budgets.

"We looked to southern traditions for inspiration for our meal," said Aljibri Reed, a junior on the Tilden team. "We worked as a family on our ideas, and besides using healthy ingredients, made our dish with love."

The Tilden team’s first-place meal—vegetable and chicken jambalaya with spicy cheesy cornbread and side salad—will be served to students nationwide and in the US House of Representatives cafeteria. Team members will travel to DC to meet with Assistant White House chef Sam Kass and speak up about the need for healthy, tasty school food.

"Cooking up Change gives students a forum to present their creative ideas about what healthy school food can be," said Rochelle Davis, HSC founding executive director. "And while the contest is fun, it carries an important message: schools need more money for better food."

Student teams created their meals in consultation with their culinary instructors, volunteer chef mentors and dieticians from Cooking up Change gold sponsor Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality, which operates CPS’ school food program.

HSC offers many thanks to Cooking up Change platinum sponsor Applegate Farms, gold sponsor Chartwells-Thompson Hospitality, co-chairs Kelly Dettmann and Nina Winston, contest co-chairs Chef Lisa Gershenson and Chef Jill Houk, and to all of the incredibly generous sponsors and host committee members who make Cooking up Change possible. Many thanks as well to contest judges, mentors and everyone who took part in the fabulous raffle and silent auction.

Please join us in wishing special congratulations to the winning student chefs!

Plus: Check out photos from the event here!

Cooking up Change on HSC's Blog

Check out a few of the special posts on HSC’s blog leading up to the Cooking up Change benefit and healthy cooking contest!

Cooking up Change: What's New This Year?| by Tara Kennon
Every year, it seems that Cooking up Change becomes even more exciting. So what's new this year? From frozen local produce to cookie-preneurs, read on for details. . . Read more

Good Luck to the Cooking up Change Student Chefs: A Message From White House Assistant Chef Sam Kass| by Mark Bishop
Cooking up Change is only a few days away and we can't say enough about how thrilled we are for the student chefs. But we think that Assistant White House Chef Sam Kass says it better than even we could. Check out his message to the young chefs. . . Read more

Cooking up Change Healthy Cooking Contest: Returning Champs, Exciting New Recipes! | by Tara Kennon
The big news this week at HSC is the Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest! Check out video of the Richards team bringing the Cooking up Change spirit to DC. Will the Richards team defend their title this year? Or will another team of talented young chefs take the first prize? Stay posted for details about all of the winning school meals and impressive teams of culinary students. . . Read more

Healthy Recipe: The Centered Chef's Shrimp Veracruz Tacos | by Lindsay Muscato
At our Cooking Up Change healthy cooking contest, student chefs will don their aprons and present meals designed to revolutionize the way this country thinks about school food. It's no small task -- but the efforts of talented and dedicated community members such as contest co-chair Jill Houk and her colleagues at Centered Chef Food Studios help make it possible. Here's one easy, tasty recipe from Jill's file of favorites. . . . Read more

Recent Blog Entries

HSC's staff experts discuss news stories and new developments every week at the HSC Blog. Stop by and leave a question or comment. And while you're there, enter your email address for automatic delivery on days when a new blog entry has been posted. Here's a look at some of our recent posts:

Science of Green: New Research Documents Benefits of Green Cleaning| by Mark Bishop
When HSC began working on green cleaning issues in 2003 we had a simple premise: clean for health, reduce the use of nasty chemicals, and we'll have a healthier learning environment as a result. I must admit that we took what I consider a very logical and acceptable leap of faith. Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has put some science to our premise. The group just came out with a fantastic report that gives us some concrete research documenting the benefits of green cleaning. . . . Read more

Last Garden Meal of the Year| by Mark Bishop
Now that fall is upon us and winter is coming up fast, I thought my garden harvest was in the past. But last weekend I found a few more gems and realized I could pull together one more final hurrah of a garden meal. . . . Read more|

Nutrition Labels Don't Tell the Whole Story. . . and Cereal Doesn't Protect You from H1N1| by Mark Bishop
Is there anything nutrition labels can't do? They brag about the fiber in cereal, urge us to see the health benefits of mayo, and now they even alert us to the ways that breakfast cereal can keep us safe from swine flu! But wait. That last one has gotten some attention from critics pointing out that Cocoa Krispies, though quite fortified with vitamins, are not a good food for keeping healthy during flu season. The resulting media storm comes as the FDA moves to clarify the rules for labels . . . . Read more

Crowd-Pleasing Peanut Cedar Salmon| by Mark Bishop
A few weeks ago, my wife and I went to a friend's house and both Henry and his friend Cooper chowed down on this grilled salmon that I made. The adults raved about it too. It was my first time using a cedar plank to grill on, and it won't be my last. . . Read more

Veggies, Hula Hoops and the Future of School Food: HSC at the White House Healthy Kids Fair| by Rochelle Davis
Yesterday I had the pleasure and privilege of participating in Healthy Kids Fair at the White House. It was a fun event with an important message and I was thrilled that Healthy Schools Campaign was able to be part of it. Being able to participate in an event at the White House and hear first-hand comments about promoting healthy eating at home and in schools, seeing her interact with children eating healthy food and engaging in physical activity was a real treat. And yes, she actually did the hula hoop (142 rotations, according to the AP) and jumped rope. . . . Read more

Improving School Food with the Institute of Medicine's New Recommendations: It Still Comes Down To Money | by Mark Bishop
Just the other day the Institute of Medicine published their new recommendations for school food. It's a comprehensive report and full of excellent practical policy recommendations. And as School Lunch Talk says, "The current nutrition standards for school meals are in sore need of an overhaul." Healthy Schools Campaign fully supports these recommendations. I found three issues in the recommendations particularly interesting. . . Read more

Green Training, "Nutrition Labels" for Cleaning Products and More: New Developments for the Future of Green Cleaning at ISSA 2009Meals| by Mark Bishop
Earlier this month HSC attended the ISSA 2009 conference for three days. For those not in the know, ISSA is the international association for cleaning service providers and manufacturers. And their convention is huge. One of the most exciting things about ISSA is the opportunity to hear about what's new, what's in development and what we can look out for in the year ahead for green cleaning. And it looks promising: not only is the industry continuing to shift toward healthier and more environmentally preferable products, but we're seeing changes in the eco-labeling world. . . . Read more

Food Companies' Principles for Advertising in Schools Fail to Fully Address Childhood Obesity | by Amanda Chablani
As we’ve blogged about here and here, many food companies have a lot at stake when it comes to the food kids eat in school. Which is why the new advertising principles created by the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative (a self-regulatory industry group) seem to be a fairly weak attempt to address the growing concerns expressed by legislators, parents, and advocacy groups about the marketing of junk food in schools. . . . Read more

The Intersection of Hunger, Obesity and School Food | by Mark Bishop
Discussions about the importance of school food frequently focus on two major issues: hunger (or food insecurity) and obesity. Usually, these two issues are considered to be opposing forces -- the argument goes that in a world of limited resources, you either support better access to food to address hunger, or you support better quality of food to address childhood obesity. At HSC, we have always felt that this is division is simply not accurate; now another new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association supports our slightly different perception of the issues. . . . . Read more

"We're changing the idea that healthy food is nasty."
- High school student chef Mariely Santiesteban, a competitor in HSC’s Cooking up Change healthy cooking contest, on her role as an ambassador for healthy cooking, as quoted in The Chicago Tribune

Sam Kass, White House assistant chef, shared a special message for the students at Cooking up Change. Check out his wise words to the young chefs in this video:

Local Wellness Policies: Assessing School District Strategies for Improving Child Health | Chicago | Nov. 16 | More

Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Conference | Wash, DC | Jan. 14-16 | More

Local high schoolers cooking up change for their cafeterias
11.4.2009 | Chicago Tribune

For one night, tastier lunch on the menu for students
11.4.2009 | Chicago Sun-Times

Cooking competition promotes healthy eating in Chicago schools
11.03.2009 | Medill News Service

Healthy Schools Campaign Hosts Fund-Raiser With Student Chefs
11.03.2009 | BizBash Chicago

The road to a healthy family
10.29.2009 | Chicago Tribune

CPS students compete in culinary contest
10.29.2009 | ABC-7

Healthy Schools Benefit: Band Camp(aign)
10.21.2009 | IdealBite

Tweet, tweet!

Illinois Nutrition Education and Training Grants
Deadline: Nov. 30 , 2009
To assist schools in acquiring resources and training to support student wellness | More

Dairy MAX School Breakfast Grant
Deadline: Dec. 1, 2009
Up to $1,000 per school to improve student access to nutritious breakfasts | More

EPA Environmental Education Grants
Deadline: Dec. 15, 2009
For environmental education projects that promote environmental stewardship and help develop knowledgeable and responsible students, teachers, and citizens | More

Mantis Awards for Community and Youth Gardens
Deadline: March 1, 2010
For educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life in their communities | More

Radon Poster Contest
Deadline: March 1, 2010
Opportunity for students ages 9 -14 to win savings bonds and a trip to Washington D.C. while learning about health effects of radon | More