California Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes

List of Recipes

School Lunch Recipes

Each recipe provides a kid taste test rating, nutrient analysis information, meal pattern contribution, and an ingredient list portioned for school food service yields.

This collection includes the top kid-rated recipes on a scale of one to five forks.

• Five forks kids rating: Love it, great flavor.
• Four forks kids rating: Like it, taste good.
• Three forks kids rating: It’s ok—needs something.
• Less than three forks: Recipes with ratings below three forks are considered unacceptable or undesirable by students, and are not included in this collection.
  

Recipes are listed in the following menu categories:

• Breakfast
• Global Cuisine
• Hot Plates
• Plant-based Options
• Salads
• Wraps and Sandwiches
• Chili and Soups

Breakfast

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Autumn Spice Muffin		Lodi Unified School District (USD)
Chilaquiles with Eggs		Conejo Valley USD
Turkey Bacon and Egg Burrito		Natomas USD
Vegetable Frittata		Conejo Valley USD

Global Cuisine

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Carnitas Tacos		Vista USD
Caribbean Turkey Pita		Monterey Peninsula USD
Chicken Adobo		Davis Joint USD
Chicken Pad Thai		Chico USD
Chicken Yakitori		Davis Joint USD
Creamy Cilantro Chicken Soft Tacos		Irvine USD
Cuban Picadillo		Centralia Elementary School District
Ham Fried Rice		Monterey Peninsula USD
Jalapeño Polenta		Manteca USD
Orange Chicken with Vegetables		Conejo Valley USD
Persian Beef Kotlet and Potatoes		Irvine USD
Pork Afritada		Davis Joint USD
Pork Chili Verde with Rice		Natomas USD
Rockin' Moroccan Stew		Monterey Peninsula USD
Thai Chicken with Brown Rice		Conejo Valley USD
Vegetarian Fried Rice with Edamame		Conejo Valley USD

Hot Plates

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Baked Pasta with Marinara Sauce		Centralia Elementary School District
Barbeque (BBQ) Pulled Pork		Centralia Elementary School District
BBQ Chicken		Riverside USD
BBQ Chicken Pizza		Conejo Valley USD
BBQ Slugger Chicken with Rice		Natomas USD
Buffalo Chicken and Sweet Potato Bake		Irvine USD
Chicken Pasta Parmesan		Natomas USD
Crispy Baked Chicken		Centralia Elementary School District
Fish Sandwich with Jalapeño Tartar Sauce		Manteca USD
French Bread Pizza		Centralia Elementary School District
Mac and Cheese		Centralia Elementary School District
Pasta Parmesan with Vegetables		Conejo Valley USD
Pasta Pesto with Beans		Irvine USD
Popcorn Chicken and Mashed Potato Bowl		Natomas USD
Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich		Riverside USD
Ranch Grilled Chicken		Riverside USD
Rotisserie Chicken		Riverside USD
Sandy's Seasonal Vegetarian Lasagna		Irvine USD
Southwest Beef Penne Pasta		Natomas USD
Spaghetti and Mighty Marinara Sauce		Conejo Valley USD
Sweet and Sloppy Joe		Monterey Peninsula USD

Plant-based Options

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili		Woodlake USD
Chana Chawal		Alameda USD
Edamame Noodle Bowl		Irvine USD
Fiesta Edamame Salad		Monterey Peninsula USD
Fresh California Style Tabbouleh Salad		Woodlake USD
Pico Hummus Gyro		Manteca USD
Tofu Teriyaki with Vegetables		Davis Joint USD
Vegetable Chili		Manteca USD
Veggie Enchiladas		Monterey Peninsula USD
Wheat Berry and Black Bean Salad		Lodi USD

Salads

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Apple Berry Chicken Salad		Riverside USD
Cantina Black Bean Taco Salad		Natomas USD
Chicken Curry in a Hurry Salad		Conejo Valley USD
Chicken Caesar Salad		Clovis USD
Fresh Apple and Pear Chicken Salad		Manteca USD
Kidney Bean Salad		Centralia Elementary School District
Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad		Riverside USD
Pacific Rim Spinach Salad		Monterey Peninsula USD
Power Up! Caesar Salad		Monterey Peninsula USD
Rainbow Chopped Salad		Irvine USD
Santa Fe Caesar Salad		Centralia Elementary School District
Snappy Peach Salad		Monterey Peninsula USD
Southwestern Chicken Salad		Riverside USD
Tuna and Chickpea Salad		Conejo Valley Unified School District

Wraps and Sandwiches

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Beef Torta Sandwich		Riverside USD
Buffalo Chicken Wrap		Monterey Peninsula USD
Chicken Veggie Wrap		Irvine USD
Curried Chicken Quinoa Salad Wrap		Irvine USD
Fiesta Burrito		Riverside USD
Thai Chicken Wrap		Conejo Valley USD
Turkey and Cranberry Wrap		Conejo Valley USD
Turkey Bacon Wrap		Irvine USD

Chili and Soups

Recipe▲▼	Kid Rating (out of 5 forks)▲▼	Culinary Center▲▼
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo		Natomas USD
Chicken Noodle Soup		Irvine USD
Chicken Tortilla Soup		Natomas USD
Chili Con Carne		Centralia Elementary School District
White Bean Chili with Chicken		Irvine USD

Background

California Culinary Centers

The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division sponsored the California Culinary Centers and the Fresh, Regional, Education-Supportive, Healthy Meals at Schools (FRESHMeals@Schools) program from 2013 to 2015. The FRESHMeals@Schools program provided leadership and promoted professional culinary development among school nutrition staff in California. The CDE selected 16 leaders in school nutrition as FRESHMeals@Schools Ambassadors for going above and beyond in recipe development, menu planning, student engagement, and marketing. The ambassadors conducted annual peer-to-peer trainings for other school districts to share their successes, problem-solving strategies, and best practices. The program also formed 16 culinary centers throughout the state where teams of chefs, dietitians, directors, cooks, and students developed 140 flavorful, nutritious, and economical standardized recipes to meet the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 meal pattern regulations. Learn more on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Student Engagement

The CA Culinary Centers conducted taste tasting with student culinary clubs and leadership groups to ensure each recipe has a flavor profile that students enjoy. This model of student-driven recipe and menu development is a best practice for student engagement and supports a healthy school environment while increasing students’ connection with caring adults. School districts large and small have demonstrated that when students have input in their food choices, participation increases. Learn more on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

California Flavor

California’s ever-growing multicultural population influences the variety of the CA Culinary Centers’ recipe collection. In addition to having flavors from all corners of the world, from French to Mediterranean to Southeast Asian, the recipes include a large variety of locally grown fruits and vegetables, items from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foods program, and plant-based meal options. Learn more on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Contributing Culinary Centers

The CA Culinary Centers include the following school districts:

• Alameda Unified School District (USD)
• Centralia Elementary School District
• Chico USD
• Clovis USD
• Conejo Valley USD
• Davis Joint USD
• Encinitas Union School District
• Hayward USD
• Irvine USD
• Lodi USD
• Manteca USD
• Monterey Peninsula USD
• Natomas USD
• Riverside USD
• Woodlake USD
• Vista USD
  

Resources

The following resources can assist you in creating standardized recipes, engaging students, and preparing menus for your Child Nutrition Programs (CNP).

• Grants
• Recipe Development
• Student Engagement
• Meal Service
• Community Partnerships
• Training

Grants

Recipe Development

Resource	Description
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Certified Farmers’ Markets web page	Includes the CDFA Certified Farmers Market Locator, a contact list with over 800 certified Farmers’ Market sellers in California by County.
California Department of Education (CDE) School Menu Planning Options web page	Guidance and resources on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meal patterns.
CDFA California Agricultural Statistics Review 17-18 (PDF)	Includes statistics for leading commodities in California by county and season.
Institute for Child Nutrition (ICN) Recipe Box web page	U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) searchable collection of standardized recipes.
ICN USDA Recipe Standardization Guide for School Nutrition Programs	This guide provides the steps to the USDA Recipe Standardization Process, and offers checklists and resources to implement recipe varication, production evaluation and adjustment, and meal service.
CDE Standardized Recipe Form (PDF)	This recipe template describes the exact, measurable amount of ingredients and the method of preparation needed to consistently produce a high-quality food product.
CDE Food Buying Guide (FBG) Calculator web page	Provides the steps for using the USDA FBG Calculator to determine required quantities of foods to purchase to meet the meal pattern requirements. The USDA FBG for CNPs with interactive tools is also available as a mobile application. Download it today on your iOS and Android device from the Team Nutrition FBG Mobile App web page .
USDA Certification of Compliance Worksheets: 5-day Schedule web page	The certification worksheets to assist in determining if your menu is meeting the requirements.
USDA Approved Nutrient Analysis Software web page	A list of nutrient analysis software approved for use in the NSLP and SBP.
USDA Foods Product Information Sheets web page	Fact sheets categorized by food type that describe the items expected to be available for schools participating in the NSLP and SBP.
USDA Nutrient Analysis Protocols Manual	Provides the steps and processes for a precise nutrient analysis of recipes and weekly menus. Includes glossary and appendix of menu planning resources and meal pattern charts.

Student Engagement

Resource	Description
CDE CNPs Resource Library web page	Lists by program nutrition education curriculum, recipes, cooking in the classroom toolkits, and additional resource database links.
CDE Cook with Kids Event Planner web page	A variety of tips and handouts for planning and instructing cooking and nutrition education in the classroom, including equipment lists, sample recipes, and safety rules.
Smarter Lunchrooms Movement of California web page	Provides best practices and resources for engaging students, promoting your nutrition program, and creating healthy school environments.
CDE Plant-based Meal Options in CNPs web page	Includes definitions, background, health benefit information, how to take action, resources, online trainings, and policy guidance for CNP Operators interested in offering plant-based meals.
USDA Team Nutrition web page	Provides resources listed by CNP, examples are posters, curriculum, garden activities, stickers, recipe books, and more.
CDE Distance Learning web page	Guidance and resources for teachers and families in K–12 schools regarding high quality distance learning.
CDE Fact Sheet – Creating an Emotionally Healthy and Safe Child Nutrition Environment in Challenging Times (PDF)	Handout for protecting your health and creating an emotionally healthy and safe environment for staff, students, and families during these challenging times

Meal Service

Community Partnerships

Resource	Description
California Department of Public Health Harvest of the Month web page	Resources to share fun nutrition facts about fruits and vegetables, easy to cook recipes, and tasting ideas that bring together the classroom, cafeteria, home, and community.
California Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) web page	Shares student leadership opportunities for students interested in the food industry, hospitality, nutrition education, and other family and consumer sciences. To contact the FCCLA Coordinators in your region visit the FCCLA Regional Coordinators web page .
Dairy Council of California Programs and Services web page	Free curriculum and community engagement resources such as school assemblies, professional development, and advising for all things nutrition and food.
CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California web page	Free resources such as hands-on curriculum training, nutrition education materials, in-class presentations with food tastings, and family newsletters and nutrition classes.
CDE Farm to CNP web page	Provides resources, technical assistance, and training to support the USDA CNPs to incorporate a farm to school program into their existing food service operation.

Training

Resource	Description
CDE CNP Course Catalog web page	Support your teams’ culinary skills with free Standardizing Recipes and Meal Pattern online courses and more.
Institute for Child Nutrition’s E-Learning Portal web page	Free online trainings and resources for School Nutrition Program (SNP) directors, managers, and staff designed to prepare participants to meet the challenges of day-to-day operations.
USDA Professional Standards for SNP Professionals web page	Training opportunities from a variety of sources, searchable by the following key areas: (1) nutrition, (2) operations, (3) administration, and (4) communications and marketing.

Contact Us

These recipes are just a sample of the delicious school meals created in California. To find more of the latest California Department of Education (CDE) nutrition news and information, visit the CDE Nutrition web page. To share photos of your recipe results, taste testing events, or favorite standardized recipes, follow us on Twitter @CDENutrition .

For questions regarding the content of this web page, please contact the Nutrition Services Division by phone at 800-952-5609 or by email at CArecipes@cde.ca.gov.