Superintendent Luna Joined Students, Staff at Liberty Charter School for Chef Tuesdays

It was a delicious and nutritious day at Liberty Charter School.

Just ask the kids! When asked if they enjoyed their lunch, they all raised their hands with very few exceptions.

Liberty Charter School is partnering with the Idaho State Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Programs team to host “Chef Tuesdays” every Tuesday from March to May. On Chef Tuesdays, local professional Chef Brenda Thompson works with the staff at Liberty Charter to make new, more nutritious lunch recipes and see how students like them.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna joined students and staff on Tuesday, March 13 for one of the first “Chef Tuesday” events. 

The State Department of Education selected Liberty Charter School as the pilot site to implement the new chef-inspired recipes, part of a federal grant the state received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs.

The goal of these chef-designed school meals is for them to not only taste great but to meet the new USDA Nutrition Standards for School Meals, which require schools to serve more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Liberty Charter staff and students are encouraged to give their feedback on the meals, sharing their likes and dislikes. This will help Chef Brenda and Idaho’s Child Nutrition team to improve the recipes as they work to develop a set of menus that will be used by schools throughout Idaho and the rest of the nation.

Students and staff overwhelmingly enjoyed the menu on March 13: Cuban pulled pork salad wrap with beans, fresh apples, peaches, and milk. Kids cleaned their plates and were eager to tell us how much they loved the food they ate.

So here’s the Scoop on Chef Tuesdays this spring:

• Chef Tuesdays will take place every Tuesday, March through May.
• Meals will be served as part of the school lunch program.
• Meals will be at no additional cost to the normal school lunch price.
• Chef Brenda is a Culinary Chef and Registered Dietitian so the meals will taste great and will be healthy for students.