On February 5th, 2026, the JSI culinary team joined school nutrition professionals from across Massachusetts at the SNA of MA USDA Foods Conference, held at the Wellsworth Hotel in Southbridge. The event brought together school nutrition directors and managers committed to exploring innovative, practical ways to incorporate USDA foods into school meals. JSI’s 60-minute culinary presentation was led by Chef Kyle Parson, JSI’s full-time chef coach, and Jumana S. Whelan, MS, RDN, LDN, Manager of Culinary Programs.
Creative Uses for Underutilized, Nutritious USDA Ingredients
Chef Kyle’s culinary demonstration centered on a common challenge in K–12 school kitchens: how to turn underutilized USDA commodities into recipes that are both appealing to students and manageable for staff. As a Chef Coach of the CECAP Chef Coaching Program, Chef Kyle supports school nutrition programs across Massachusetts in building staff confidence and skills in scratch cooking. His diverse culinary background—including roles in restaurants, hotels, and more than 15 years as a School Food Service Director—gives him a practical understanding of what works in large production and in real school kitchens.
He began by showing how to make roasted chickpea flour inhouse, a simple technique that becomes the foundational first step for a no bake, protein packed grab–and–go bar. The recipe also features Sun Butter, oats, honey, cinnamon, and raisins, offering a flavorful way to introduce ingredients—like chickpeas—that students might not get excited about on their own but enjoy when incorporated into a well-considered and tasty bar.
The recipe Chickpea “meat” balls served with Commonwealth Kitchen’s marinara sauce was another imaginative recipe on Chef Kyle’s demo. Attendees sampled both recipes and responded with enthusiastic reviews. The transformation of chickpeas in multiple forms—flour, bars, and meatballs—demonstrated how a nutrient-dense, pantry staple can be adapted to meet student preferences while supporting scratch-cooking goals. Both recipes were developed and taste tested at Tier 2 chef coaching schools as part of their goal to increase plant-forward options for students.
CECAP: Bringing Scratch Cooking to School Menus
Jumana closed the session as she discussed the CECAP program (Creating and Executing a Culinary Advancement Plan), which supports districts in expanding scratch cooking through structured, hands-on guidance.
As JSI’s Manager of Culinary Programs, Jumana leads tiered culinary consultations and professional development recommendations for schools statewide. She developed JSI’s Back-to-Basics culinary workshop series and has coordinated multiple USDA Team Nutrition grants, including CRISP and the current CECAP grant, all aimed at expanding access to culturally relevant, and/or scratch cooked meals in K-12 kitchens.
She outlined how schools can get involved, the benefits of the program, what each Tier represents, and the types of goals schools work toward. She also shared action shots from Workshops to Go and Chef Coaching sessions, offering a glimpse into the real-world impact of CECAP in school kitchens.
To learn more about how JSI can support your scratch cooking goals, head to JSI’s CECAP webpage.
Check out the recipes below!
Article submitted by Courtney Shires-Freeman NUTR495 Food and Nutrition intern at Framingham State University.