Feeding the Future 2025

Photo Credit Front Doors Media. Pictures: Chad Faria, culinary teacher at Casteel High School, Chef Charleen Badman, Founder/Executive Director of Blue Watermelon Project and Chef and Owner of FnB, first-place winner in 2022, Maylie Mickelson and Chef Doug Robson of Otro Café and Gallo Blanco

Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 event, stay tuned for more info on our 2025 event!

About

Feeding the Future is a culinary contest that challenges students to create healthy, great-tasting meals that meet the real-life requirements of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)/National School Breakfast Program (SBP) and/or fruit or vegetable side. 

This contest was created to help students develop tasty, nutritious, and affordable school meals that can be served to Arizona school children. Participation in this context helps students and the surrounding community better understand the challenges that school food professionals face and the ever-changing conditions that impact access to good food. 

Attendees join in the fun by tasting the creative dishes of the top ten student teams presenting to guest judges throughout the event. While the judges deliberate, attendees can enjoy the beautiful outdoor scenery of the Farm at South Mountain with live music, yard games and children’s activities. 

Families are encouraged to attend.

2025 Feeding the Future Event Information

Date: Saturday, January 25, 2025
Time: 11AM - 2PM
Location: The Farm at South Mountain, 6106 S 32nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85042

Feeding the Future Student Team Information

Local chefs from around the state will work with student teams to develop recipes that are school food compliant. These recipes will be developed with the input of school food professionals and will be reviewed to ensure they meet all the necessary school meal guidelines. Recipe requirements will depend on the student competition level:

  • High school students will create a full lunch tray, 

  • Middle school students will create breakfast, and 

  • Elementary students will create either a fruit or vegetable side dish.

Participation in this context helps students and the surrounding community better understand the challenges that school food professionals face and the ever-changing conditions that impact access to good food. Student teams will leave this competitive experience with a better understanding of the culinary world through: 

1) Recipe development and the application of the National School Lunch Program nutrition guidelines  

2) Collaboration across academic and food service departments while addressing diversity in student preferences; and

3) Critical thinking that requires the balance of nutrition and economics to develop a tray for $1.50

We are currently recruiting for 2025 Feeding the Future’s Student Teams through June 2024! Click the button below to sign up.