Feeding the Future 2025

January 25, 2025

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 and School Breakfast 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 up to $10,000 (first place), $5,000 (second place) and $2,500 (third place) educational scholarships from the Blue Watermelon Project today. Middle and Elementary School Teams will also compete for prices that advance their culinary goals.

Feeding the Future’s Call To Action

Learn more about the school food industry by enjoying a meal at your nearest school kitchen, have a conversation with local school food professionals, or review content from school food professional organizations like the School Nutrition Association, USDA Food and Nutrition Service and the Institute for Child Nutrition.
The school food industry operates within the boundaries of local, state and federal rules and regulations. School kitchens are most successful when they are staffed well, meet their budgetary restrictions and have access to quality foods that fit the nutritional guidelines set by Congress. Become informed and vote for Congressmen and women that uplift quality policies that positively position school food professionals to serve up their best! Locally, attend school board meetings, local Wellness Policy Council meetings, and write to your local legislators.
Share your time and resources to help school food professionals reach their goals to serve kids well. Reach out to your local School District and ask how you might contribute or collaborate.

11:00 am Feeding the Future Begins
Service line opens, Kid Activities, Yard Games &
Music by Upper9 Duo
12:00 pm Welcome by Jilliann Sundberg,
Executive Director of Blue Watermelon Project
12:15pm Innovations in School Food Panel
Moderated by Sarah Martinelli, Contest Coordinator
1:00 pm Award Ceremony
- Elementary School Awards
- Middle School Awards
- High School Scholarship Awards

Our Program

High School Student Teams

Served with a side of Strawberry Pear Baesuk, Serrano Mu-namul and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - Kimchi-bokkeum-bap translates to kimchi fried rice in english. It is a signature comfort food in Korea as it is easy to make and tastes so amazing. It combines the bold flavors of kimchi with the hardiness of fried rice. The vegetables and eggs add a nutritious balance while still enhancing the flavors. This version of Kimchi- Bokkeum-Bap is a delicious blend of spicy, savory, and fresh flavors, making it a tasteful meal.
Serrano Mu-namul isa vibrant and spicy Korean inspired radish salad with a spicy twist. This dish features crispy radish slices mixed with thinly sliced serrano peppers, giving it a fiery kick. Fresh garlic adds a bold, aromatic flavor, while the tangy vinegar and sugar add a touch of sweetness. Fresh chives add a pop of color not only making it appealing to the eye but also taste great. Serrano Mu-namul not only pairs well with many dishes, it also brings a zesty and refreshing profile to your plate.
Strawberry Pear Baesuk is a fruit dish that highlights the natural flavors of strawberries and pears. By drizzling in honey and coating in cinnamon, it creates a refreshing and sweet treat. It satisfies not only the need for fruits but also acts as a desert. This delightful blend of flavors is perfect to end any meal as it is light, healthy, and comforting.
Prepared by Casteel High School’s Jessica Gilbert
Support for team Casteel includes school mentor Chad Faria and BWP Chefs Rachael Tribby and Stephen Jones
Food Cost per Tray - $1.47
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Red radishes
2 Whole Grain (WG), 2 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable
Served with Elotes Maravillosos and Pina Dorada and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - Indulge in a tasty tostada made with our famous flour tortilla with our mouth-watering pinto beans, topped with crisp romaine lettuce and freshly grated mozzarella cheese.
The side dish features our flavorful elotes, crafted with a blend of corn and red onion, tossed in our creamy yogurt dressing, and topped with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and a hint of cilantro.
The fruit dish consists of our golden cubed pineapple, elegantly topped with a sprinkle of tajin.
Prepared by Casteel’s Logan Lindberg and Caden Warner
Support for team Casteel includes school mentor Chad Faria and BWP Chefs Rachael Tribby and Stephen Jones
Food Cost per Tray - $1.39
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Romaine Lettuce
2 Whole Grain (WG), 2.5 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable
Served with Mexican Slaw, a ‘Chili’ Mocktail, and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - Roasted White Button Mushroom marinated in Olive Oil, Lime Juice, and Taco seasoning, on top of a toasted sub roll with enchilada sauce, refried beans, Mexican slaw, and shredded Cheddar cheese. Served with a mayo packet on the side.
Cabbage, canned Jalapenos, Roma tomato, and cilantro tossed in lemon juice and the juices from the canned Jalapenos. Served inside of the Torta.
Oranges, Cranberries and lime juice blended together until smooth. Served on the side.
Prepared by Queen Creek’s Brian Craig, Keighan Law, and Faye Hepworth
Support for Queen Creek includes school mentor Lewis Brown and BWP Chef Charleen Badman
Food Cost per Tray - $1.50
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Orange Slices
2 Whole Grain (WG), 2 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable
Served with Mostly Beans and Prickly Pear Soaked Cantaloupe and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - An interpretation of a fusion between Mexican quesadilla and a traditional Italian pizza, the crust being two layers of tortillas held together with shredded mozzarella, topped with homemade chimichurri sauce and sauteed chicken breast.
Black beans cooked with corn and chopped cilantro warmed and mixed in a pot. Simple and robust.
Diced cantaloupe marinated in a sweet prickly pear syrup. A true gem of the southwest.
Prepared by Gregory School’s Avery Olsen
Support for Gregory includes school mentor Noelle Zablosky and BWP Chef Charleen Badman
Food Cost per Tray - $1.50
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Prickly Pear Syrup
2 Whole Grain (WG), 2.5 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable
Served with Papas Fritas, Party Melon,, and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - Frijoles con Puerco is in simple terms, Beans with Pork. The pork is nice and soft with a bbq flavor that's subtle enough not to overpower other flavors but prominent enough to taste through the other ingredients. The meat is paired with local tepary beans cooked and mixed with diced red onions and parsley. the ingredients are added in crunchy tortilla scoops and drizzled with sour cream and cilantro. This is a dish that is a twist on my Mexican heritage and flavors I am used to eating. I want comfort food to be available to other students, so they too can have a taste of home.
The side dish is french fries with minced cilantro to add color and flavor without increasing my sodium. I wanted something to accompany the main dish that would be a reflection of my culture.
Watermelon with Tajin brings me back to my culture where this is a staple item at my family parties hence the name "party melon:
Prepared by Perry High School’s Faye Gibbons
Support for Perry High School includes school mentor Angela Stutz and BWP Chef Tamara Stanger and Remy Lefebvre
Food Cost per Tray - $1.49
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Tepary Beans
2 Whole Grain (WG), 2.5 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable
Served with Roasted Vegetables and a Glazed Pomme Bowl, and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible National School Lunch Program Tray.
Description - This entree was inspired by a popular cuisine called "The Swedish Meatball dish" served at Ikea; however, we wanted to create the dish differently. Swedish meatballs and pasta is a comforting dish combining tender, savory meatballs made from a blend of beef, a short cylinder-shaped pasta that has angled edges, seasoned with spices such as garlic and parsley, and a pop of green colored leaf spinach. All mixed together with a creamy, savory sauce. This dish offers a delightful fusion of flavors and textures that is sure to please any palate.
This vegetable dish is flavorful and healthy, combining a variety of colorful and nutritious vegetables. The broccoli, baby carrots, sweet red pepper, zucchini and butternut squash are all baked with a drizzle of oil and rosemary creating a delicious and crunchy texture. The red peppers adds a touch of sweetness, while the butternut squash provides a creamy and slightly sweet taste. The broccoli and zucchini add texture and a nutty flavor, while the rosemary adds a subtle herbal and savory note to this dish. The oil helps bring out the flavors of the vegetables and ensures that the vegetables come out crisp and tender.
This is a delicious mouth-watering combination of sweet and tart flavors, combining crisp, juicy apples with the soft, fragrant pears. The mixture is sweetened with a honey coating giving it a shiny glaze, and sugar creating a flavor explosion that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Prepared by Perry High School’s Charlie Tugade and Maddie Handschug
Support for Perry High School includes school mentor Angela Stutz and BWP Chef Tamara Stanger and Remy Lefebvre
Food Cost per Tray - $1.47
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Baby Spinach
3 Whole Grain (WG), 2 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), ½ c. fruit & ½ c. vegetable

Middle School Student Teams

Served with fresh orange slices and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible School Breakfast Tray.
Description - Treat yourself to the ultimate sweet-and-savory breakfast fusion with the "Tooty Fruity Savory Pancake." This dish starts with a light, fluffy pancake infused with crispy turkey bacon for a hearty twist. Topped with a dollop of creamy yogurt, vibrant orange slices, and sweet banana coins, it’s a flavor-packed stack that delights your taste buds with every bite. Served alongside a refreshing cup of yogurt layered with more orange and banana slices, this pancake is a perfect harmony of savory warmth and fruity brightness. It’s breakfast, reimagined!
Prepared by Barcelona’s April Herrera and Keily Valdez-Treviso
Support for Barcelona Middle School includes school mentor Alexia Tomala and BWP Chef Trevor Routman
Food Cost per Tray - $0.95
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Local Oranges
1 Whole Grain (WG), 1.5 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), 1 c. Fruit
Served with fresh orange slices and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible School Breakfast Tray.
Description - Start your morning with the cozy comfort of "Turkey in a Blanket," a flavorful breakfast wrap that’s as satisfying as it is simple. This dish features a golden-brown turkey sausage and egg omelet, tucked into a warm tortilla for a hearty and portable meal. A spoonful of thick, chunky salsa adds a zesty kick, while a side of creamy strawberry yogurt paired with sweet orange and strawberry slices offers a refreshing finish. It’s a wholesome, balanced breakfast that wraps up all your favorites in one delicious bite!
Prepared by Barcelona’s Mia Jiminez, Jeshua Ramirez-Lara, and Bryson Aderhold-Marquez
Support for Barcelona includes school mentor Alexia Tomala and BWP Chef Trevor Routman
Food Cost per Tray - $0.95
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Local Oranges
1 Whole Grain (WG), 1.5 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), 1 c. Fruit
Served with fresh orange slices and Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible School Breakfast Tray.
Description - A scrumptious egg and turkey bacon open faced waffle sandwich, topped with maple syrup and paired with strawberries and freshly chopped basil and local honey as a palate cleanser.
Prepared by Whitter’s Nesta Vega, Liam McDowell, Matthew Moroyoqui, and Judum Davis
Support for Whitter includes school mentor Marcos Santos and BWP Chef Charleen Badman
Food Cost per Tray - $0.95
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Local Oranges
1 Whole Grain (WG), 1 Meat/Meat Alternative (M/MA), 1 c. Fruit
Served with Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible School Breakfast Tray.
Description - This delicious chocolate-y bar will knock your socks off with its natural flavors, no added sugars, and its delicious peanut butter and fruit compote topping.
Prepared by Echo Canyon’s Jonah Gross, Dewone Smith, Chloe Wilkins, and Riley Lopez-Martinez
Support for Echo Canyon includes school mentor Kat Hughes and BWP Chefs Christopher Mendoza and Butch Raphael
Food Cost per Tray - $0.95
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Honey
Served with Arizona milk to complement the entree making this a credible School Breakfast Tray.
Description - This dish is a take on a classic Mexican sweet bread, or pan dulce, the concha! This sweet roll is made with 51% whole wheat, half the fat of traditional conchas with the substitution of applesauce, and is lightly sweet with notes of cinnamon and vanilla. The texture is soft but stands up to the filling. The topping is streusel like made from butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and flour to make a beautiful topping. The roll is then split in half and filled with vanilla yogurt and a strawberry, banana, cinnamon, and local honey mixture which acts as both our side and the perfect filling for our conchas.
Prepared by Osborn’s Daiana Martinez and Griselda Norzagarey
Support for Osborn Middle School includes school mentors Theresa Mazza and Cory Alexander and BWP Chefs Tracy Dempsey and Matt Pratta
Food Cost per Tray - $0.95
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Honey
2 Whole Grain (WG) and 1 c. Fruit

Elementary School Student Team

Served as a complement to any National School Lunch or School Breakfast Tray.
Description - Our goal was to create a dip for your favorite vegetable with an autumn flavor profile. We use Tepary Bean as they are local and Indigenous to Arizona. Our Dish is a puree. It consists of cooked local carrots, cooked local Tepary beans with Tahini, pumpkin spice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper similar to Hummus. After cooking the carrots and beans, all ingredients are puree in a food processor to give a mush consistency. Serve with your favorite Vegetable sticks. Could also be served with pita bread.
Prepared by Concordia’s Kaitland Navarro-Ramirez, Lelan Gopar, and Sophie Camacho
Support for Concordia includes school mentors Iris Tirado and James Lang and BWP Chef Pam Coleman and Dina Altieri
Food Cost per Tray - $0.37
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Tepary Beans
Bean/Legume Vegetable side
Served as a complement to any National School Lunch or School Breakfast Tray.
Description - Our goal was to create a fruit dish that incorporated both sweet and spicy flavor profiles. We tested a few different recipes and decided upon a watermelon dish that is served with a honey-cinnamon glaze and garnished with tajin. We felt that this dish encompasses a lot of Arizona agriculture through the use of watermelon and locally sourced honey, while also acknowledging the latino culture that is so prevalent in Arizona by using tajin.
Prepared by Concordia’s Marley Daivs, Aiden Martinez, Anakin Montejano-Ramirez, and Gabriella Tamirept
Support for Concordia includes school mentors Iris Tirado and James Lang and BWP Chef Pam Coleman and Dina Altieri
Food Cost per Tray - $0.49
Featured Local Ingredient(s) - Honey
Fruit side

Featured Chef in the Garden Bite

- In August 2024, Chef in the Garden featured fresh sweet corn in Chef Dina Alteri’s recipe for New England Corn Chowder (vegetarian) with an in-depth lesson on building a vegetarian stock using the corn cob!

Meet the Program Panel

Shannon Reina

Child Nutrition Director, Salt River Schools (Scottsdale)

Shannon Reina has humbly worked to serve children across Salt River Schools for 17 years with their Food Service Department. Her mission is to increase exposure to and access of traditional foods and O’odham food ways to her student population. Shannon has been featured in BWP’s Chef in the Garden three times.

Janay Watts

Child Nutrition Director, Tempe School District (Tempe)

Janay Watts is a school nutrition professional with over 12 years of experience and holds a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics and a Master of Public Health in Nutrition. Dedicated to providing nutrition equity for a diverse student body, Janay has established several programs to increase student engagement including kitchen tours, mobile nutrition carts, and student food shows.

Brienne Ross

Child Nutrition Director, Alhambra School District (Phoenix)

Brienne Ross has worked in school nutrition for over 10 years and has focused her operations in her capacity as Director on serving more culturally relevant, scratch-cooked, and freshly baked menu items that are co-created with staff like Elote, Churros, Pao de Queijo, and Mooncake Cookies. Brienne also serves on the School Nutrition Association’s Industry Council.

Iris Tirado

Nutrition Director of Concordia Charter School (Mesa)

Iris Tirado has worked with Concordia Charter School for the past 5+ years and has over 20 years with Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin. Iris is a garden advocate and embraces the joys of school gardening. She is a recent graduate from Chef Ann Foundation’s Healthy School Food Pathway Fellowship and was recently awarded $96,203 from USDA’s Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) grant program.

Meet the Judging Panel

Chef Candy Lesher

Les Dames Phoenix Chapter

A self-taught veteran chef, cooking instructor, and consultant, Candy Lesher is an award-winning professional who continually contributes to the food and beverage community on multiple levels. An accomplished public speaker and emcee, Mrs. Lesher was both host and executive producer of the successful Food & Life Television show; she is also a skilled writer, meriting her the position of Editor-in-Chief at Food & Life Magazine. Mrs. Lesher’s commitment to her craft ultimately led to her being inducted into Arizona’s Culinary Hall of Fame and earning a Telly Award for her television show. Concurrently, she served as a local panelist for the James Beard Awards.

As a Culinary Wellness Coach, Mrs. Lesher was the chef-instructor for Honor Health’s cooking classes held at their Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center and has been privately coaching clients for six years now. She is currently working on a full-scale, multi-platform launch of Your Kitchen Prescription, her Lifestyle Medicine Wellness show and website that assists those struggling with illness/disease to eat within the parameters dictated by their medical team. Her gift is helping clients rediscover their mealtime joy, through innovative recipes and techniques. (adapted Les Dames d'Escoffier Phoenix Chapter)

She finds the most joy in cooking classes - virtual or in-person and is delighted that there is a long-overdue awakening in children to enjoy healthy foods with opportunities to engage in the growing and cooking of seasonal meals.

When asked about her favorite school food memory, she responded “I remember our school district did an experiment and put in a vending machine with fresh Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples - it was the best culinary memory of my entire high school Experience!”

Chef Emily Luchetti

James Beard Award Winning Pastry Chef and Cookbook Author

Chef Emily is a James Beard Award winning pastry chef and cookbook author. She has worked in restaurants for over 30 years and now spends her time making jam, chocolates, and caramel sauces. Working in pastry kitchens, Chef Emily appreciates the opportunity to balance her intake of chocolate, breads and other sweet treats with healthy foods that fuel her sustainably to work smart! This year Chef Emily is excited to test her taste buds on balanced, student-creations that follow the USDA Child Nutrition Guidelines.

When asked about her favorite school food memory, she answered "Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup on Fridays!"

We love this classic combo as it's both comforting and can help balance the modest budget and workload found in school kitchens. Very smart, indeed.

Brienne Ross

Child Nutrition Director of Alhambra Elementary School District

Brienne has been the Child Nutrition Director of Alhambra Elementary School District @aesd_childnutrition for 6 years. She started working in school nutrition after obtaining her Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) license and later received her School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) credential.

She is passionate about serving more scratch-cooked and culturally relevant meals, while including student voices in school menus. Brienne has served on the board of the School Nutrition Association of Arizona for 8 years and currently serves as the School Nutrition Industry Chair. Brienne is passionate bout school nutrition because she can play a positive role in students' wellness and help children build positive relationships around food.

When asked about a favorite school food memory, she responded "I remember loving school lunch as a kid! There is nothing like having a cold carton of chocolate milk. If I ever forgot a lunch from home, I know that school kitchen staff will take care of me with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They never let anyone go without food. "

Madison Newman

Former Student - Queen Creek High School Culinary

Madison was a student at Queen Creek Unified and a student contestant with Feeding the Future for two years. Now graduated from high school, she's studying pastry at Scottsdale Community College, while working as a barista at Starbucks.

Madison also runs a small custom baked goods page on Instagram, currently serving family and friends, but hopes to expand to local farmers markets. @made.to.crave.bakery

She enjoys experimenting with new recipes and sharing her creations with others. Having experienced Feeding the Future, two years in a row, she's eager to see this year's student trays - small changes can make a big difference!

When asked about her favorite school lunch memory, she said "Although I brought my lunch more often... I enjoyed standing in the lunch line with my friends. After I stopped eating meat, there weren't many options for me. I competed in the Feeding the Future competition, which helped me learn and understand the difficulties and challenges that the nutrition team faced and this helped me gain a newfound respect for what is prepared."

Shanti Rade

Farmer and Co-owner of Whipstone Farm

Shanti Rade is a dedicated farmer and co-owner of Whipstone Farm in Northern Arizona, where she and her partner, Cory, manage 18 acres of diverse vegetable and cut flower crops for wholesale outlets, a 150 member CSA and farmers market presence with the help of a passionate and skilled farm crew.

Shanti’s journey into farming began during a high school internship at a CSA farm and dairy in Colorado, where she first discovered her love for agriculture. Later Shanti earned a degree in Agroecology from Prescott College.

Shanti is deeply committed to promoting local food systems, supporting sustainable agriculture, and empowering fellow farmers. Currently, Shanti is collaborating on innovative grant projects focused on soil health, cover cropping, and improving farm profitability and sustainability.

When asked about her favorite school food memory, she shared that the Thanksgiving meals at her kids' school was a favorite school memory, enjoying the extra time as a family.

Chef Anne Rosenzweig

Private Chef, Anthropologist, Author and Former Restauranter

Anne Rosenzweig is an American retired chef and restaurateur based in New York City, who was known as “the Greta Garbo of the food world.” Her restaurants included Arcadia (executive chef and co-owner with Ken Aretsky), the Lobster Club and Inside.

Anne graduated from Columbia University with an anthropology degree. Afterwards, she did several years of field work in Africa and Nepal. When she returned to New York City, she became an unpaid apprentice at several NYC kitchens before becoming the brunch, pastry and head chef at the Greenwich Village restaurant Vanessa

Her published work includes The Arcadia Seasonal Mural and Cookbook, 1986

In the 1990s, Rosenzweig was nominated four times for "The Best Chefs in America" James Beard Foundation Award and in 1987, was a winner in their Who’s Who in Food and Beverage.

Her Upper East Side restaurant Arcadia received a three star review from Ruth Reichl at The New York Times.

Anne was the culinary director of the 1992 James Beard Award Foundation as well as a nominee for Best Chef.

When asked about her favorite school food memory, she answered “Lasagna! Something I never had at home, so it was special”

Special Thank You to Feeding the Future Panel Moderator & Contest Coordinator!

Sarah Martinelli, Nutrition Professor Arizona State University

Sarah Martinelli is a Registered Dietitian who started her career working in school kitchens. Sarah now teaches within the nutrition program at ASU, College of Health Solutions where her work focuses on school nutrition programs. As the contest coordinator for Feeding the Future, Sarah works with students and chef mentors to ensure their recipes meet USDA guidelines.