🎉 Long overdue, but worth the wait! 🎉
We’re so excited to finally share that Lunch Bunch was selected as a Social Enterprise Competition Winner for the BAEP 460 Social Entrepreneurship course at USC’s Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies back in December 2024!
This recognition, along with the generous funding, has already helped fuel our work as we continue using food to educate, empower, and nourish students across California. A huge thank you to the USC team for supporting our mission!
🔥 We’re on a roll! 🔥
We are thrilled to announce that Lunch Bunch Community Foundation has been selected for a $350,000 grant from the California Farm to School Incubator Grant Program! 🎉
With a record-breaking 499 applications and over $129 million in proposals, the competition was fierce, and we are incredibly honored to have been chosen. A huge thank you to the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) for this amazing opportunity.
This generous grant will be used to advance our mission of providing culinary education to underserved populations. Together, we’re working towards healthier, more sustainable food systems for our communities. 🌱🍎
Stay tuned for updates on how this grant will help us make a positive impact and strengthen our connections with local farms and schools. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our incredible community! 💚
#FarmToSchool #GrantAward #LunchBunchCommunityFoundation #CDFA #SustainableEating #CommunityImpact #SchoolGardens #LocalFarms #FoodEducation
🎉We’re over the moon to share that the Lunch Bunch Community Foundation has just been awarded $5,000 from @sproutsfnd 🌟This incredible grant will help us continue our mission to nourish our community and empower future generations with culinary education. A huge thank you to @sprouts for believing in our work and supporting our vision for a healthier, more connected community. Together, we’re sprouting healthy futures! 🥗💚
#sproutinghealthycommunitiesday
Explore the Art of Cooking with Lunch Bunch Culinary Enrichments! Our tailored programs offer young chefs a hands-on exploration of culinary arts, where cooking becomes both an art form and an essential skill.
🎨 Delve into the nuances of food presentation, guiding kids to craft visually appealing dishes that showcase their creativity and culinary flair.
🍴 They'll refine knife techniques, mastering precise cuts like julienne and chiffonade, while learning safe handling with techniques such as the bear claw or bridge hold.
At Lunch Bunch, we're dedicated to cultivating a passion for cooking in children, empowering them to express themselves through the art of gastronomy!
We are deeply grateful for our partner schools and programs. They are the heartbeat of our mission to empower future generations through culinary education.
Creating an inclusive educational environment takes dedication, collaboration, and a commitment to diversity. It starts with fostering a sense of belonging where every student feels valued and supported. Our team works closely with educators to design programs that embrace cultural diversity, celebrate differences, and promote understanding. Through hands-on culinary experiences, we not only teach cooking skills but also instill confidence and inspire creativity.
Inclusion also means breaking down barriers and providing equal access to learning opportunities. We strive to reach students of all backgrounds and abilities, ensuring that every student can participate and thrive in our programs.
Together with our partners, we are building a brighter future where culinary education is a pathway to success and empowerment. Thank you to all our partner schools and programs for your invaluable support in making this vision a reality!
Dive into Science and Flavor with Lunch Bunch Community Foundation!
Our culinary enrichments programs blend food with scientific discovery, exploring STEAM concepts through hands-on cooking adventures📚🔬
🥬 Experience the magic of fermentation as we create kimchi, learning about the microbial processes that transform ingredients' flavor, texture, and nutritional value.
🌿 Explore the intricacies of whole grains through avocado toast, uncovering their nutritional benefits and structural wonders, and even how different foods affect blood sugar levels.
🍕 Delve into the science of yeast while perfecting margherita pizza, conducting experiments to understand how yeast interacts with sugars and flour for that perfect rise and flavor.
At Lunch Bunch, we nourish minds and inspire curiosity through the art of cooking and scientific exploration🌟
Getting your kids involved in cooking ignites their passion for food and empowers them to explore new flavors and dishes with enthusiasm. When kids help in the kitchen, they learn practical cooking skills and gain valuable insights into nutrition, fostering healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.
We are excited to announce the top 3 recipes of the year: Crepes, Sushi Rolls, and Tomato Soup paired with Grilled Cheese sandwiches. Our students thoroughly enjoyed crafting these dishes, gaining insights into diverse culinary traditions, refining knife techniques, and honing their presentation skills. We can’t wait to see what culinary delights our students cook up next!
Here at Lunch Bunch, we believe in transforming even the pickiest eaters using culinary education. Our enrichment programs feature diverse recipes and unique ingredients for kids to experience. Drop some tips that help your little ones try new foods!
At LBCF, we offer turnkey enrichment classes through our community partnerships, with food as the foundation for learning across diverse subjects such as culinary arts, cooking, entrepreneurship, STEAM skills, health and fitness, world history, and more. Our programs not only encourage healthy eating habits but also support students' social development. Serving students from TK to 12th grade in the Greater Los Angeles and Southern California area, we welcome kids of all backgrounds and abilities. Our mission is to educate through food, empowering children to make informed, healthy choices by understanding the benefits of nutritious eating and learning how to access and prepare wholesome meals independently.
Pictured: Stella Elementary Charter students making nopales tortillas, a special Lunch Bunch recipe, from scratch!
“Our district is committed to nurturing the development of our students, and we see the introduction of Lunch Bunch’s culinary enrichment classes as an opportunity to further this mission. Culinary enrichment is not just an educational tool; it is a vital intervention that empowers our students with knowledge and skills to navigate their food environments. We believe that through this partnership, we can cultivate a generation of students who are not only proficient in culinary arts but also conscious of their role in the broader ecosystem of food sustainability. By educating our students about sustainable food practices, we are investing in their capacity to effect change in their own lives and in the broader community.”
– Darin Brawley, Ed.D., Superintendent of Compton Unified School District
Meet our Executive Director! Freya Estreller is currently the COO of DignityMoves, a CA based nonprofit focused on ending unsheltered homelessness by building rapid, scalable and cost-effective interim supportive housing.
She and her wife co-founded Coolhaus Ice Cream in 2009 as food truck and artisanal food pioneers. Coolhaus is now the largest women-led and LGBTQIA founded ice cream company and their ice cream pints, sandwiches and cones are sold in over 6,000+ doors all across the US and internationally.
Born and raised in Los Angeles (Atwater Village represent!), Freya has a BA in Sociology with a minor in Business from Cornell University. She is a mom to two wonderfully rambunctious kids and is active in youth and entrepreneur mentorship.
She is excited to bring her start-up and nonprofit experience to help scale Lunch Bunch Community Foundation and its mission to empower future generations with culinary education.
