Celebrating National School Lunch Week

Celebrating National School Lunch Week: "Taste the World – Your School Lunch Passport" October 13 -17, 2025. Every meal is a passport to flavor!

Tuesday October 14:   Barbacoa Beef Tacos

• Where It Comes From: Barbacoa began long ago with the Taíno people, who cooked meat on wooden frames over fire. In Mexico, this tradition grew into cooking meat slowly in a warm pit with hot stones and agave leaves, making it tender and full of flavor.
  
  
• Why It's Special: Barbacoa is more than just food—it's a way for families and friends to come together to celebrate and share meals on weekends and holidays.
  
  
• A Taste of History: Every bite of barbacoa connects people to their roots, mixing old traditions from Indigenous and Spanish cultures into one delicious dish.
  

Wednesday, October 15: BBQ Grilled Chicken with Mashed Potatoes & Sweet Corn

• Where It Comes From: Barbecue chicken began long ago with the Taíno people, who cooked meat slowly over a fire. Sweet potatoes have been grown for thousands of years in Central and South America. Over time, people from many cultures helped make these foods part of American cooking today.
  
  
• Why It's Special: Barbecue brings people together for fun and celebration, and sweet potatoes remind us of creativity and care in family meals and traditions.
  
  
• What It Teaches Us: This meal shows how food connects people and cultures, reminding us that delicious traditions can come from all around the world!
  
  

Thursday October 16: Macaroni & Cheese

• Where It Comes From: Macaroni and cheese began in Italy long ago, where people made pasta baked with cheese. It later became a favorite dish in America.
  
  
• Why It's Special: With its creamy, cheesy flavor, mac and cheese is known as a warm and comforting meal loved by families everywhere.
  
  
• Fun Fact: Whether baked in the oven or made on the stove, mac and cheese has been a classic favorite for generations!

Friday October 17; Pizza Day!

• Where It Comes From: Cheese pizza started in Naples, Italy, as a simple flatbread with tomatoes and cheese. It became famous when Queen Margherita loved a pizza made just for her, and Italian immigrants later brought it to America.
  
  
• Why It's Special: Pizza is loved around the world for its yummy, cheesy flavor. It's a favorite at family meals, parties, and school lunches, showing how food can bring people together.
  
  
• What It Teaches Us: From a small street food to a worldwide favorite, cheese pizza reminds us that simple foods can be creative, fun, and shared with everyone.
  
  
  
  

Enjoy these delicious destinations on your School Lunch Passport journey!