Student Chef Wins Cooking Competition for Second Year with Healthful School Meals

After his mother was diagnosed with cancer, student chef Josue Suastegui was challenged to cook healthy foods that fit his mother's diet. He put these culinary skills to the test in the 2014 Cooking up Change competition in Orange County, CA. The event called on students from across the country to develop nutritious meals that can be prepared in school kitchens.

Serving up a Kickin' Fish Taco, Zesta Fiesta Salad, and Yummy Tummy—a banana dipped in yogurt and granola and then frozen—Josue and his team made sure that their California-inspired dishes delivered on taste while also meeting national school lunch nutrition standards.

Josue thinks it's important to listen to students about what they want to eat for lunch. In the fight against childhood obesity and other chronic health problems, schools across the country are finding the right recipe for meals that meet nutrition standards and students’ preferences.

Learn more about Cooking up Change at http://www.CookingupChange.org.