2011 Golden Carrot Awards

Los Angeles Unified School District continually revamps its menu to offer new student-approved, plant-based entrées, including vegetable tamales, bean burgers, and avocado wraps. The district’s food services director Dennis Barrett and food services deputy director David Binkle received the grand prize of PCRM’s 2011 Golden Carrot Awards. The district also created “I’M IN,” a social awareness campaign that links healthy eating to school performance and graduation.

PCRM established the Golden Carrot Awards in 2004 to honor school lunch programs that promote fresh fruits and vegetables and that offer plenty of vegetarian, low-fat, whole grain, and nondairy options. Two runner-up prizes went to food service professionals in Denver and Greenville, S.C. The winner received $3,000 and the runners-up received $1,000.

Dennis Barrett, LAUSD Food Services Director, and David Binkle, LAUSD Food Services Deputy Director, Menu and Compliance.