Fresh, Healthy and FREE School Lunches that kids LOVE? Yes, Please!
What’s even more local than farm-to-table? How about school garden-to-lunchroom table? That’s what’s happening at Aveson Schools now thanks to our blossoming student-run gardens at our Pasadena campuses and our commitment to providing all students with healthy, fresh meals at our tuition-free schools.
The school lunches are good! And I’m really glad that they can still cook and feed us.
- Zayden Martin, 6th grader at AGLA
Free, Nourishing Meals for All Aveson Students
A pillar of the Aveson Schools charter is growing well-rounded students who respect and care for their bodies, our communities and our planet. To that end, gardening has long been an important part of our curriculum. From TK through 12th grade, Aveson students learn about the growing life cycle from seed to sprout, providing care and nutrients to nurture their plants and eventually harvesting their homegrown produce. There is such pride in watching a bushel of juicy, red California tomatoes or spicy jalapenos grow from seed to something tangible to pick and enjoy.
Speaking of kitchen staff, the meals they cook up everyday for over 850 students are nothing short of magical. Our students are so lucky - they’ll never understand the references to unidentifiable foods in Adam Sandler’s Lunch Lady Land. Aveson cooks build a menu that's full of variety and tasty foods. Think Asian-inspired curries, dressings and sauces made from scratch, and meals that kids really want to eat. All fresh, never frozen and always amazing. As Executive Director Ian McFeat said, “We don’t want artificial ingredients or we’ll get artificial results.” Aveson Schools are 100% all natural.
Like most kids, our students have opinions about food - and our kitchen staff loves to hear it. They use the feedback to adjust menus, try out new recipes and listen to student requests. Our kitchen staff is dedicated to meeting student’s needs and wants while reducing the possibility of waste.
The Story of Our New Kitchen
If you are new to Aveson, you may not yet know the amazing story of how our new kitchen has come to be. Within two weeks of losing our schools to the Eaton Fire in January 2025, humanitarian organization Mercy Chefs stepped up to help us find a new kitchen. They understand the healing power of food in a time of crisis and their efforts were nothing short of a miracle to our entire community. Thanks to Mercy Chefs, the Aveson Schools kitchen is now housed in the old Cordon Bleu Culinary School building in Pasadena. Our kitchen staff is fortunate to plan, prepare, cook and deliver daily breakfast and lunch for 850 students across 5 campuses in this purpose-built facility.
Preparing nourishing meals for our students and families in the immediate aftermath of the fires was a way for us to build hope and come together. As Kristin Kennedy, Director of Aveson Food Service said so well, “Food is central to healing. It touches the soul.” The gift of a kitchen space helped our community heal and we are forever grateful.
And now, our kitchen staff is looking to the future. They recently received a grant that will enable the production and bottling of our own brand of Aveson salsas and juices! We are so excited for this next venture that will bring a bit of the Aveson spirit to our greater community through nourishing, local foods grown by capable and caring children.
As Aaron Gerwer, Principal at Aveson Global Leadership Academy said, “It’s not just about nutrition. It’s about feeling like the place you are a part of values you.” Providing nourishing free breakfast and lunch, and the chance to connect to the outdoors, is just one way we prove that Aveson Schools value our students, families, community and our earth.
If you are interested in being a part of our school community, we are currently enrolling for the 2025-26 school year. Get in touch with us to schedule a tour or learn more about Aveson Schools. We’d love to share a healthy meal with you!
About Aveson Schools
Since 2007, Aveson Schools have been nurturing the curiosity and potential of TK-12th
grade students with a tuition-free transformative education. Aveson School of Leaders (TK-5) and Aveson Global Leadership Academy (6th-12th), provide boundless opportunities for students to discover their passions through award-winning arts instruction, experiential learning, preparation for college and global travel opportunities in a welcoming and inclusive school community in Pasadena. Get to know Aveson on social media @avesonschools and on the web at www.aveson.org. A School of Possibilities.