The best cancer prevention begins early. As a parent, you can make cancer prevention choices for your children with the food you bring to the table. When they reach school age, it becomes more of a challenge in assuring that what they are eating is also good for them. Frankly, you appreciate like-minded individuals who care as much as you do about the long-term health of your children.

For the last two years, The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, PCRM, has hosted the Golden Carrot Awards in recognition of creative school food service professionals who strive to serve school children healthy wholesome food. According to PCRM, they are looking for school food service professionals who serve vegetarian entrees, low-fat meals, fresh fruits and vegetables, and nondairy beverage items and that promote nutrition education.

Nominations for this year's award is open until September 18, 2006. Both public and private school food service professionals are eligible for nomination. Last year's recipients of the Golden Carrot Awards posted at PCRM's webpage are: 

Susan Wolfe-Hill, chef and owner of The Balancing Act, won the grand prize for the creative food service program she runs for the Poughkeepsie Day School. At least half of the menu items available each day are vegan; all soups and stews are homemade and vegetarian. Recent choices include Louisiana-style Red Beans and Brown Rice, Penne with Broccoli, Vegan Corn Chowder, and Butternut Squash Soup.

Rick Hungerford, food service director at U-32 High School in Montpelier. Hungerford's many innovations include bringing in outside chefs to teach food service personnel how to cook with tofu, seitan, and other meat alternatives.

Laurel Lyle, executive chef of the Peabody Charter School in Santa Barbara. Her kitchen emphasizes simple, fresh-cooked meals prepared largely from local organic produce and grains. The school has also formed alliances with local farmers and teaches kids to garden and compost.

Jan Alford, food service director at The Seven Hills School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Alford recently overhauled her school's kitchen, tossing the deep-fat fryer, eliminating all foods with trans fat, and making organic soymilk and rice milk always available.

If you think the person who serves your children food during lunch at school deserves an award, you can visit PCRM's Golden Carrot Awards page and download the nomination form.