Why School Food Matters
We can reach 31 million kids every day with healthier school meals.
Bulk Milk in Schools
Watch our recent webinar to learn about the application process for our newest granting program: Bulk Milk!
Pre-Apprenticeship Application Now Open
Explore a career in healthy school food through our Fall 2023 Healthy School Food Pathway Pre-Apprenticeship. Learn more and apply today!
Meet our Newest School Food Operators
Learn about our new Senior California School Food Operations Specialists: Dustin Walker and Stephanie Lip!
Join Us in Supporting School Meals for All
We are proud to announce that we’ve joined the National Healthy School Meals for All Coalition along with 17 organizations.
Starting from Scratch
Help us grow healthy kids nationwide, starting from scratch with scratch-cooked school food.
We Believe in Healthy School Food
The Chef Ann Foundation is dedicated to promoting whole-ingredient, scratch-cooking in schools. Scratch-cooking enables schools to serve the healthiest, tastiest meals so that kids are well-nourished and ready to learn.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we work with both public and private schools in all 50 states. Founded in 2009 by Chef Ann Cooper, we recently celebrated 10 years of making a difference. Our programs provide school districts with grant funds, salad bars, assessments, professional development, and free tools and resources.
OUR IMPACT
Our programs help schools feed healthy, nutritious food to kids. So far, we’ve reached 3.4 million children, 14,000 schools, and fostered a generation of healthy eating.
Healthy School Food by the Numbers
Our impact on healthy school meals |
3.4 million
children reached |
14,129
schools empowered |
6,083
salad bars granted |
98,501
students impacted by lunchroom education |
2,322
seats filled in online courses |
Healthy School Food by the Numbers
Our impact on healthy school meals |
3.4 million
children reached |
14,129
schools empowered |
6,083
salad bars granted |
98,501
students impacted by lunchroom education |
2,322
seats filled in online courses |

You have a wealth of valuable information for school districts to use. Thanks for all you do in providing schools with the tools they need to provide nutritious meals to our students.
With the help of the Chef Ann Foundation, we’ve implemented a 6 week menu cycle for lunch and planned the menu for the entire year in advance... I can’t explain how informative, beneficial, and invigorating this whole experience has been. It’s really made me a better director and leader and I can see my staff are happy with the changes I’ve put into place thus far.
We have seen a huge decrease in the amount of food being thrown away. Our students are eating healthier and filling up on nutritious foods that keep their brains alert and active throughout the whole school day!
Don’t Know Where to Start?
Here are a few quick recommendations to get you started. School food can be a complicated (and messy!) adventure, but our programs succeed based on our experience, partners, and a passion for healthy food.


Don’t Know Where to Start?
Here are a few quick recommendations to get you started. School food can be a complicated (and messy!) adventure, but our programs succeed based on our experience, partners, and a passion for healthy food.
Discover More