To the Editors:

While healthy eating can be a challenge for kids and parents, elementary school students in Oberlin City Schools will use their creativity and culinary skills March 20 to make healthy Mexican-inspired recipes in the 2019 Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge. The national initiative, now in its ninth year, was created to get students thinking about healthy food choices while also encouraging them to be active and creative in the kitchen. Oberlin students are joining over 2,700 other students representing more than 1,400 Sodexo-served school sites in 30 states.

Twenty-five elementary school students submitted healthy Mexican-inspired recipes, and the creators of the best six were selected to participate in a district-wide finals event. Finalists will prepare and present their creations before being assessed on criteria including originality, taste, kid-friendliness, and use of healthy ingredients.

Oberlin City Schools joins 266 other school districts across the country holding Future Chefs events throughout February and March. The winning student from each participating district will be considered for 40 regional awards, and the selected regional finalists will vie to become one of five national finalists competing for the public’s vote on SodexoUSA.com.

Sodexo, the school nutrition partner for over 425 school districts throughout the U.S., is renowned for its work advancing childhood nutrition, health, and well-being. In November 2016, Partnership for a Healthier America named Sodexo its Partner of the Year for successfully increasing healthier food options in zoos, museums, aquariums, and K-12 schools it serves, as well as meeting its goal to serve 17 million additional free breakfasts to K-12 students two years early. In addition, the award recognizes Sodexo’s efforts beyond its PHA commitment, including how it has created a culture of health across its extensive network of clients, customers, vendors, and employees.

The Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge is just one of the many ways that the company shares its health and well-being expertise with the clients, customers, and the communities Sodexo serves.

The Oberlin challenge will take place Wednesday, March 20 at 4 p.m. at Langston Middle School in Room 200. Please, come take photos, interview students, and enjoy the local event! To join the Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge conversation on social media, use #SDXFutureChefs.