Welcome to Pilot Light’s Feeding Minds blog! Here, we get to tell the story of Food Education through in-depth stories from our classrooms, partnership spotlights, new program announcements, and opinion pieces from guest authors and the Pilot Light team. Join us in exploring the power of food to connect, excite, and empower us to build a better future together.
July 19, 2018
By PilotLight
Crispy Zucchini Blossoms
Ingredients ⅔ cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder 3 leaves fresh basil, minced 2 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese 2 tbsp. cold water 2 eggs, beaten 3 cups oil, for frying 12 zucchini blossoms Directions In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, basil and Parmesan cheese. Mix in water and eggs
Read More >>July 11, 2018
By PilotLight
Beyond the Classroom and On the Table
Pilot Light is excited to be the recipient of the Acting Up awards, one of 37 grants from The Chicago Community Trust’s fifth annual On the Table forum. The On the Table forum took place in May 2018, wherein Pilot Light and other organizations gathered with Chicago residents for one day to engage in meaningful
Read More >>July 6, 2018
By PilotLight
Pilot Light Awarded U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Grant to Expand Healthy High School Lunch Program
Pilot Light is excited to announce that we are a recipient of a 2018 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Farm to School Implementation Grant, which supports programs bringing local foods into schools. Pilot Light was awarded $60,055, which will be used to expand our food education and experience program from
Read More >>July 5, 2018
By PilotLight
Pilot Light Awarded U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm to School Grant to Expand Healthy High School Lunch Program
Pilot Light is excited to announce that we are a recipient of a 2018 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Farm to School Implementation Grant, which supports programs bringing local foods into schools. Pilot Light was awarded $60,055, which will be used to expand our food education and experience program from
Read More >>June 12, 2018
By PilotLight
Chicago Teachers and Students Share their Food Advocacy Projects
As the school year wraps up, Pilot Light joined together with participants of the Pilot Light Institute for Food Education to showcase teachers’ Food Advocacy Projects. Each teacher was tasked with developing student-driven food advocacy projects to teach students to work together toward a common goal that advances wellness in their communities. From community
Read More >>May 17, 2018
By PilotLight
Sunflower Seed and Herb Dip
Ingredients 2 Cups Sunflower Seeds, Toasted 1 Cup Spinach Leaves ½ Cup Parsley Leaves ¼ Cup Dill Fronds ¼ Cup Olive Oil 1 Cup Water, More If Needed To Start Blending 1 Clove Garlic, Roasted Salt, To Taste Lemon Juice, To Taste ½ Cup Greek Yogurt Directions Place all ingredients except the salt, lemon, and
Read More >>By PilotLight
On the Table – A conversation and collaboration to drive change
Last Tuesday, May 8, Pilot Light chefs and staff joined together with teachers, parents, students and community members to discuss the current challenges they are facing and ideate on how food education can be a catalyst to create change and drive progress within their communities. School teachers and staff from Ray Elementary school in Hyde
Read More >>May 11, 2018
By PilotLight
An interview with Pilot Light participant and Golden Apple award winner, Meghan Dolan
Meghan Dolan is a veteran teacher. With 15 years under her belt, she has seen a lot inside and outside the classroom while teaching in Iowa (Dubuque), Missouri (Ferguson) and now Chicago. Meghan currently resides at John M. Palmer Elementary School in the North Mayfair neighborhood teaching third grade and co-teaching with a special education
Read More >>April 9, 2018
By PilotLight
Pilot Light receives 2018 Pearson Program Excellence Award from Society of Public Health Education
Pilot Light is thrilled to announce that our flagship program, the Institute for Food Education, received the 2018 Clarence E. Pearson Program Excellence Award from the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) on April 5, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions by a program to the practice of health education, is named in honor
Read More >>March 30, 2018
By PilotLight
Chefs from Piece Pizzeria, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Lillie’s Q and Hot Doug’s talk food education
The end of March wraps up our fourth annual Piece Pizza Party for Pilot Light, where Piece Brewery and Pizzeria, along with four of our favorite partner chefs, Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp, Charlie McKenna, and Doug Sohn, have donated 10% of their sales to our food education work in Chicago Public Schools. We sat
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