By Lindsey ShifleyAs a concerned parent and community member, I’ve worked with my school district to bring fresh food and nutrition education to our students since 2012. I am proud to be a Chef Ann Foundation Parent Advocate for real school food. But why did I become a parent advocate...Read more

Jodie Lindsay Popma, of Smart Food Made Simple, with her sons Sam and Max. By Georgina RuppJodie Popma is a standout parent advocate in the healthy school food movement and a valued member of the community. Inspired to make a difference when she learned her son had a...Read more

Packing a lunch for my kids has never been much of an issue. I used to take a lot of pride in packing a healthy, organic lunch that had a broad spectrum of textures and flavors. When I zipped that lunch box up and put it in my kids’ backpacks...Read more

In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re taking this opportunity to catch up with Alexa Palmer, an early childhood educator for over 15 years. Though most people would consider teaching demanding enough, Alexa has also found the time to author a children’s book about healthy eating. Jolene Adventures of a Junk...Read more

This blog has been re-posted with the permission of the author, Lindsey Shifley. Read the original post here. The Chef Ann Foundation is officially declaring October the month of Real School Food, and I am pumped to join the campaign for it's second year! They have lots of fun...Read more

​When it comes to solving big problems, sometimes we need to take things one step at a time.  School food reform is a BIG, multi-faceted issue, and working with your district to create change can feel like biting off more than you can chew. Finding the right solutions for each school...Read more

This is a debatable question for sure; one that I used to think was a no-brainer. Yes, if parents are loud enough and demanding enough then eventually it  will happen, but that is not the most efficient or pleasant process for either side. The problem is that changing a school...Read more

In this guest blogpost for Applegate, Chef Ann translates the USDA guidelines and what they mean for your child's school lunch. She also gives tips for ensuring your child eats healthy at school. Read the blogpost: "3 Ways the New USDA Guidelines Will Affect Your Child’s Lunch" (Applegate) ...Read more

In Chef Ann's first blogpost for U. S. News & World Report, she gives parents 5 tips for kickstarting school food change in their home districts. Read this blogpost: "Back to School (Lunch) Season: Part 1" (U. S. News & World Report...Read more

In this guest blogpost for Applegate, Chef Ann gives tips for getting the whole family back to healthy eating habits after the holiday season. Read the blogpost: "The Après-Holiday School Lunch Season" (Applegate) ...Read more

Concerned with the food served at your child’s school? Seeing changes all around you and wishing Chef Ann or Jamie Oliver would just come and fix it all? Well, YOU can do it!The Chef Ann Foundation believes in the power of individuals working together to make real, on the...Read more

Reposted with permission: Nona Evans. Even though summer has just started for the kids in the Washington, DC Public School system, one school is already thinking about fall! Brent Elementary, home to just over 300 K-5th graders, received a salad bar for their lunchroom through our Salad Bar Project grant process, and...Read more