The Fillmore Unified School District is proud to spotlight the incredible work taking place in our Child Nutrition Department, where nutritious, delicious, and scratch-made meals are becoming the new standard. Through an exciting partnership with Chef Brigaid, a team of professional chefs dedicated to transforming school cafeterias, our district is re-imagining what it means to serve healthy and appealing school meals.

Chef Brigaid has been working hand-in-hand with our talented kitchen staff to provide professional training, develop flavorful and balanced menus, and shift away from prepackaged and processed foods. The focus is on fresh ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and culinary creativity—all while maintaining compliance with USDA nutritional standards.

This initiative supports several key goals. Increase student participation in the meal program, reduce outside food brought onto campus, and expose students to diverse, cross-cultural dishes that broaden their palates and sparks curiosity about food.

One recent example of this effort was a “Lunch Pop-Up” event, which showcased a vibrant, globally inspired menu of Jerk Chicken Skewers with coconut rice and black-eyed peas, macaroni salad and chutney dipping sauce, and fresh mango sorbet for dessert.

Fillmore Unified remains committed to providing our students with fresh, flavorful, and wholesome meals every day. With the continued collaboration between our Child Nutrition team and Chef Brigaid, the future of school lunch in Fillmore is looking brighter—and tastier—than ever.

National School Lunch Week is being celebrated from October 13–17, 2025, to promote the National School Lunch Program and the importance of healthy school meals. The annual event, created in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy, highlights how school meals are vital for children's health, academic performance, and success. The 2025 theme is "Taste the World," encouraging schools to celebrate global cuisine and student diversity through special menus and activities.