The Chef Ann Foundation is dedicated to promoting whole-ingredient, scratch-cooking in schools. This approach enables schools to serve the healthiest, tastiest meals so that kids are well-fed and ready to learn.

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Our Mission
Why School Food Matters
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We’re dedicated to empowering schools nationwide with the tools, training, resources, and funding they need to serve meals. Browse through programs to learn more about our work and apply for a grant.

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Get Schools Cooking
Salad Bars to Schools
School Food Institute
The Lunch Box
Healthy School Food Pathway
Pre-Apprenticeship
Fellowship
Bulk Milk
Specialized Programming

Since 2009, the Chef Ann Foundation has worked with schools to implement healthy school meal programs. Dive into the organization’s history and learn about our impact on school food reform over the years.

Visit Overview
Our Impact
Our History
Success Stories
What People Are Saying
FOR SCHOOLS

Whether you are a school district administrator, food service director, food service team member, concerned parent, student or committed community advocate, there are many ways to get involved in changing the way we feed our kids.

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Support Our Work
Donate
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Real School Food Challenge
Our Supporters

Want to learn how you can create school food change? Our toolkit lays out how to approach your district and advocate for healthier food in your child’s school.

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Step 1: Get Educated
Step 2: Get Organized
Step 3: Get Support
Step 4: Take Action
Tools for Home

Learn more about school food with resources, home recipes, and press materials.

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Resource Library
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About School Food
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WHO WE ARE

The Chef Ann Foundation is dedicated to promoting whole-ingredient, scratch-cooking in schools. This approach enables schools to serve the healthiest, tastiest meals so that kids are well-fed and ready to learn.

Visit Overview
Our Mission
Why School Food Matters
Founder Chef Ann
Our Team
Financials & Annual Reports
Employment

WHAT WE DO

We’re dedicated to empowering schools nationwide with the tools, training, resources, and funding they need to serve meals. Browse through programs to learn more about our work and apply for a grant.

Visit Overview
Get Schools Cooking
Salad Bars to Schools
School Food Institute
The Lunch Box
Healthy School Food Pathway
Pre-Apprenticeship
Fellowship
Bulk Milk
Specialized Programming

WHAT WE’VE DONE

Since 2009, the Chef Ann Foundation has worked with schools to implement healthy school meal programs. Dive into the organization’s history and learn about our impact on school food reform over the years.

Visit Overview
Our Impact
Our History
Success Stories
What People Are Saying
FOR SCHOOLS

FOR SUPPORTERS

Whether you are a school district administrator, food service director, food service team member, concerned parent, student or committed community advocate, there are many ways to get involved in changing the way we feed our kids.

Visit Overview
Support Our Work
Donate
Gift Circle
Ways to Give
Real School Food Challenge
Our Supporters

ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

Want to learn how you can create school food change? Our toolkit lays out how to approach your district and advocate for healthier food in your child’s school.

Visit Overview
Step 1: Get Educated
Step 2: Get Organized
Step 3: Get Support
Step 4: Take Action
Tools for Home

KNOWLEDGE CENTER

Learn more about school food with resources, home recipes, and press materials.

Visit Overview
COVID-19 Resources & Support
Resource Library
Home Recipes
About School Food
Press Room
Press Releases
Press Kit & Assets
Spokespersons
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Hosting

This is a step-by-step plan for hosting a Real School Food Challenge. This guide provides tips and resources that can be customized for your own event.

Hosting a the Real School Food Challenge is easy!

All you have to do is:

  • Choose your competitors
  • Invite your guests
  • Get ready
  • Take the challenge!

Hosting

This is a step-by-step plan for hosting a Real School Food Challenge. This guide provides tips and resources that can be customized for your own event.

Hosting a the Real School Food Challenge is easy!

All you have to do is:

  • Choose your competitors
  • Invite your guests
  • Get ready
  • Take the challenge!

Choose Your Competitors

Consider friends or family members that have a passion for cooking, a love of competition, or a connection to the school food cause to be your chef competitors. You’ll ideally want to have between two and four competitors for the challenge. Your competitors may also prefer to work in teams, which is great! The more, the merrier!

Once you’ve decided who you’re reaching out to, send a Competitor Ask Email to those people, explaining the goal of the event and what their participation would entail.

You’ll want to have your lineup finalized at least one month prior to the event to give your competitors time to review the challenge guidelines and create their recipes.

Learn More about Competing

Invite Your Guests

We recommend using Facebook to plan your event. Follow our guide for tips and tricks to make the event. And of course, if using a social media platform isn’t for you, do what you’re comfortable with!

Next step is inviting your guests! We’ve written a sample invitation for you to use.

It’s a good idea to send out invites four to six weeks prior to the event. As the event draws nearer, you can send out reminder invites to those who have yet to RSVP.

Invite Your Guests

We recommend using Facebook to plan your event. Follow our guide for tips and tricks to make the event. And of course, if using a social media platform isn’t for you, do what you’re comfortable with!

Next step is inviting your guests! We’ve written a sample invitation for you to use.

It’s a good idea to send out invites four to six weeks prior to the event. As the event draws nearer, you can send out reminder invites to those who have yet to RSVP.

Hosting Resources

Get Ready

Prior to the Event

After your chef competitors have had some time to look over the competition guidelines, they might have some questions. You can set up a conference call or Google Hangout with the Chef Ann Foundation team for answers. We recommend having this call at least two weeks prior to the event to give your chefs enough time to plan out their recipes.

Thanks to our sponsor Whole Kids Foundation, Chef Ann Foundation will provide a $50 Whole Foods Market gift certificate to each of your competitors to help pay for the food for the event. Email us one month prior to the event and we will send you the gift cards to distribute!

We have Real School Food Aprons for your competitors to wear and a beautiful First Place Recipe award for you to give your competition winner. Contact Chef Ann Foundation at least one month prior to the event and we will send you these goodies!

1

Once your competitors have created their recipes, print out each entry so that you can display them at the event next to the competitors’ serving stations.

2

Print copies of the Real School Food Challenge Judging Sheets for your guests to use while tasting the recipes.

3

One-two days prior to the event, send your guests an email reminding them to attend and letting them know what the evening has in store. Feel free to use this sample email.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for hosting this event on behalf of Chef Ann Foundation. We are truly inspired and invigorated by your support. To show our gratitude, we’d like to send you this hostess gift:

Event Host Gift

This Laguiole knife set comes from France and includes six 9 inch steak knives with inlaid ivory handles.

Thank you!

Thank you so much for hosting this event on behalf of Chef Ann Foundation. We are truly inspired and invigorated by your support. To show our gratitude, we’d like to send you this hostess gift:

Event Host Gift

This Laguiole knife set comes from France and includes six 9 inch steak knives with inlaid ivory handles.

Discover More

Competing

A step-by-step guide for competing in a Real School Food Challenge. The guide provides links to guidelines and resources to help you create your school lunch recipe.

Learn More

Resources

These tools and resources will help you plan and compete in a Real School Food challenge!

Learn More

Photo Gallery

Check out Real School Food photos.

Learn More

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