Nutritious and delicious

Epicurious and First Lady Michelle Obama Launch Healthy Lunchtime With State Dinner

We're not sure that the winning Bunny Bisque looks like this, but we're inspired.

If you are what you eat, we’d love to meet the kids whose Kickin’ Chicken Salad and Bunny Bisque with Secret Service Super Salad won them a seat at the White House “State Dinner” taking place on August 20.

Trey Sims and Michael Lakind, Kickin’ Chickin and Bunny Bisque masterminds respectively, are among the 54 kids ages 8-12 chosen from the 1,200 who applied to the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge launched by First Lady Michelle Obama in conjunction the Let’s Move! Initiative to help solve the problem of childhood obesity. Epicurious editor-in-chief Tanya Steel, Assistant White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, celebrity chef Jose Andres and representatives from the USDA and Department of Education helped to choose the winners, who represent all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.

Applicants were allowed to enlist the help of a parent and required to represent each of the food groups while adhering to USDA nutritional guidelines. Banana boats may not have floated the judges’ boats, but Haley Matthews’ Stuffed Zucchini Boat certainly did.

The August lunch will feature a selection of the winning recipes followed by a grand tour of the White House kitchen garden. The full list of winners and recipes has been made available online, and a printable e-cookbook will be out in late August. Not only will the book be a big step for a healthier lunchtime, but this may be the first time that the names “Power Pesto Pasta” and “Tuna Schooners” have graced a recipe book. We’re excited!

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