The National Restaurant Association announced the winners of the Kids Recipe Challenge, a new initiative showcasing restaurants’ culinary ingenuity for creating healthful menu options for children. Created with founding partner McCormick For Chefs, the Food Away From Home business of McCormick & Company, the contest recognizes delicious and nutritious recipes from children’s menus at restaurants and foodservice establishments nationwide.
The Kids Recipe Challenge involved an “industry tested, kid approved” approach, with a panel of industry professionals selecting finalists and approximately 30 children choosing the winners at an event at the McCormick World of Flavors store in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Saturday. Kids chose the following inventive restaurants and foodservice companies as winners:
− Qdoba Mexican Grill’s Lil’ Pulled Pork Naked Burrito (Multi-unit company with more than 20 units): A Lil’ Pulled Pork Burrito is a burrito served without the flour tortilla in a bowl, and includes cilantro-lime rice, hand-shredded pulled pork, fresh pico de gallo and roasted chile corn salsa with a side of applesauce and low-fat milk. Qdoba, with more than 600 locations in 44 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, is headquartered outside of Denver.
− Boston Lobster Feast’s Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Squash (Independent restaurant or company with fewer than 20 units): Created by Corporate Executive Chef Keith R. Esbin, the meal is a healthier alternative to traditional chicken parmesan and is served with spaghetti squash to convert even the pickiest eaters. Boston Lobster Feast restaurants are located in the Orlando, Fla. area.
− Chartwells School Dining Services Chix-N-Cheddar Snappy Jalapeno Wrap (Contract Managed Food Service): The meal includes a whole grain flour tortilla filled with chicken and black bean puree, topped with cheddar cheese with a spicy ranch dressing along with dark leafy greens, fresh jalapenos and served with fresh salsa. Chartwells School Dining Services, a division of Charlotte, NC based Compass Group, provides dining services for over 550 school districts, comprising over 6,000 separate elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.
− Tim Horton Children’s Foundation’s Yum! Yum! Chip Chicken (Independent Noncommercial Food Service): A new twist on traditional chicken fingers, coating them with lightly salted potato chips and served with low-fat dressing, sweet potatoes and a side of broccoli. The foundation operates camps for economically disadvantaged children throughout Canada and the U.S.
Posted by Paula Votendahl
05/06/13
