Local school begins innovative food and education program

A new and tasty lesson plan is being served to Pritzker College Prep students. Pritzker, part of the Noble Network of Charter Schools, is beginning a new food education and wellness program that connects what they learn in the classroom to the food they eat in the cafeteria.

Through a collaboration with school food service partner Chartwells K12 and a local nonprofit created by Chicago chefs called Pilot Light, Pritzker’s students are receiving food-based math, science and social studies lessons that ignite their curiosities about the food they eat and its impact on their bodies. The ongoing program features fun and interactive lessons. The kickoff starts with Pilot Light co-founder Chef Matthias Merges being at Pritzker Prep on October 25th to teach students how to make Broccoli and Ricotta Pizza- a recipe that goes beyond the lunchroom and is central to lessons taught in American History and Literature. Other lessons include exploring the pros and cons of plant-based lifestyles through General Tso Tofu Stir Fry, learning how food impacts culture and communities by making an Aztec Quinoa Bowl, and examining how food can shape the identities of whole communities by cooking White Bean and Chicken Tacos.

Programs like Pilot Light that connect the lunchroom to the classroom can empower kids to make healthy choices throughout their lives, creating healthier and more food savvy generations.