Chartwells K12 put plants on a pedestal for National Nutrition Month

Chartwells K12 celebrated National Nutrition Month® (NNM) by bringing plant-focused programming to 12 of its schools in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. 

The food management company hosted several Discovery Kitchen “Plant Power” events throughout the month in honor of this year’s NNM theme, Fuel for the Future. The events were led by Chartwells K12 dietitians, and gave them a chance to work with their peers and students in nearby states. 

“Our regional dietitian thought that National Nutrition Month® would be a great way for all of us to collaborate,” says Alicia Lusardi, one of the dietitians involved.  

The interactive events combined demos, tastings and nutrition education to encourage students at all grade levels to make healthy food choices during NNM and beyond.

Getting kids excited about plant-based cuisine  

Each event included a cooking demonstration held in the cafeteria, followed by a tasting session where students could try the demoed dishes. Chocolate hummus with strawberries was on the menu, as were cranberry quinoa granola with yogurt, and black bean and corn salsa with whole-grain tortilla chips. 

When choosing which recipes to feature, the dietitians looked for ones that were free of the major allergens, contained a plant-based protein and offered an array of different colored produce. 

“We always talk [with students] about how it’s best to eat the rainbow because every color offers different nutrients,” says Lusardi. “It’s also very visually appealing.”

The events’ collaborative nature was reinforced with the chocolate hummus dish, which was developed by culinary students at Union City Schools in Union City, N.J., earlier this year. Lusardi had worked with the culinary students to create the recipe and thought including the dish in the Plant Power events would be a great way to for it to reach more students.  

The food management company also plans to add the recipe to its official database so it can be offered on its menus throughout the country. 

Culinary students worked with Chartwells K12 dieticians to create the chocolate hummus dish sampled during the event. / Photo courtesy of Chartwells K12 

Making improvements for next year

The events were a success, says Lusardi, adding that she enjoyed watching students get excited to learn more about the different recipes and have a chance to try them. 

“Especially the little kids, when they walk into the cafeteria, their eyes get really big and light up,” she says.  

In addition, Lusardi and the other dietitians are excited to review what went well during the events and work on ways to make them better in 2024. 

“We're planning to meet in the next month or so to review highlights and what we can do to improve it for next year,” she says.