In August 2025, nearly 140 school cooks across Belize sharpened their skills with hands-on training from chef Sean Kuylen under FAO TCP project promoting nutritious local foods in school meals.

Combining food safety and menu guidance with practical cooking, participants prepared dishes using local and well-known but often underused ingredients. A shared tasting with students and families highlighted just how tasty vegetable-based meals can be.

Applying new approaches to traditional recipes, school cooks are turning local ingredients into nutritious meals rooted in Belizean culture, reinforcing FAO’s partnership with Belize to make school feeding healthier, more sustainable and more connected to local agriculture.

The initiative is part of an ongoing effort, supported by FAO and AMEXCID, helping deliver healthier and more sustainable meals to over 15,000 students nationwide.