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2008-07-09T17:58:00Z

NACS Magazine Features Health e-Lunch Kids in "Ideas 2 Go"

2008-07-07T19:48:00Z

Monica remembered the low self-esteem she suffered as an overweight child.

Monica Tomasso is a lunch lady for the 21st century. Forget the image so often portrayed on TV of a woman in a hairnet and sensible shoes, and instead think young and dynamic. Tomasso worked in the convenience store channel while employed by ExxonMobil and admits that “having worked in that department spun this business idea.”

Her idea, which became a reality upon her departure from ExxonMobil, is Health e-Lunch Kids (www.healthelunchkids.com), an online ordering system for healthy, kid-friendly lunches. At ExxonMobil, Tomasso heard co-workers discussing how difficult and time consuming it is to prepare healthy lunches for their kids.

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Health e-Lunch Kids Receives National Certification as a Women's Business Enterprise

2008-06-19T19:34:00Z

Health e-Lunch Kids, received national certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise by Washington DC’s Women President’s Educational Organization (WPEO), a regional certifying partner of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

WBENC’s National standard of certification implemented by the WPEO is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity in their supplier/vendor programs.

For more information about Health e-Lunch Kids, contact Monica Tomasso at 703.402.9064 or visit: www.healthelunchkids.com.

About Health e-Lunch Kids: Health e-Lunch Kids is an online ordering and delivery service that provides fast, fun healthy lunches to over 4,500 users in the Washington DC Metro Area. Kids and parents plan lunches together, choosing from an extensive online menu of healthy items. Health e-Lunch Kids prepares lunches fresh daily and delivers them to schools and camps in an entertaining, educational lunch box. Health e-Lunch Kids launched in the Washington, DC metro area in October 2005 and now serves over 9,000 lunches each month in more than 45 schools and 35 summer camps in the region. Schools and camps receive a share of the proceeds for each lunch delivered. Health e-Lunch Kids will be expanding to additional markets beginning in the fall of 2008.

About WBENC: The Women’s Business Enterprise Council is the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses and owned and operated by women in the United Sates. WBENC is a resource for the more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on the WBENC’s certification as an integral part of their supplier diversity programs.

Healthy Eating-Not Just a Solo Act Anymore!

2008-06-02T19:13:00Z

Promote to your children that healthy eating can be fun and done as a family activity. A family trip to a fruit or vegetable farm, where children can pick their own fruits and veggies, or a local farmer’s market, where kids are exposed to locally grown produce, teaches kids where their food comes from. It also encourages them to make more adventurous food choices.

Visit http://www.pickyourown.org/ to find a “pick your own farm” in your area.

Health e-Lunch Kids Launches Service to Raleigh Durham

2008-05-16T19:23:00Z

Parents with students at Raleigh-Durham area private and independent schools can mouse click their way to a healthy packed school lunch this fall.

Health e-Lunch Kids announced today it will offer online ordering and daily delivery of fresh-made, nutritious lunches to the Raleigh-Durham area for the 2008-2009 school year.

After serving the Washington, DC metro area for two years, Health e-Lunch Kids is ready to enroll schools in the Raleigh-Durham area. In May, Health e-Lunch kids began pilot testing service at several Raleigh-Durham schools. Raleigh-Durham is the first of five markets Health e-Lunch Kids has targeted for expansion. “We’ve been contacted by people all over the country about expanding into their markets,” notes company founder Monica Tomasso, “and that’s been happening from day one.”

“Busy families find Health e-Lunch Kids a fast way to pack a delicious, nutritious lunch,” explains Ms. Tomasso. “iGeneration kids have fun choosing their lunches online. Their parents like the convenience and are reassured by the range of healthy choices.”

Whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables and spring water feature prominently in Health e-Lunch Kids menus, which are prepared by a registered child nutritionist. “Our menus are designed to exceed federal nutritional guidelines and we offer foods low in sugar and salt and free of hydrogenated oil,’ says Ms. Tomasso. “That satisfies parents, but we make sure to please kids’ taste buds, too.” Hosting frequent taste tests with students helps the company refine its menu of healthy options kids will actually eat.

Schools find Health e-Lunch Kids appealing, too, since the service enables them to offer a healthy lunch program, without investing heavily to operate a school-based cafeteria. Participating schools also access another fundraising opportunity, earning cash contributions from Health e-Lunch Kids for each delivery.

As national concern over childhood obesity grows, the Health e-Lunch Kids online lunch ordering and delivery service joins other programs steering young people to better nutrition. By fall 2009, vending machines in elementary and middle schools will no longer sell sugary sodas, in a national voluntary agreement former President Clinton brokered with soft drink manufacturers.

For more information about Health e-Lunch Kids, contact Monica Tomasso at 703.635-7279 or visit: http://www.healthelunchkids.com/

About Health e-Lunch Kids: Health e-Lunch Kids is an online lunch ordering and delivery service making lunch-making healthy, fast and fun. Kids and parents plan lunches together, choosing from an online menu of healthy items. Health e-Lunch Kids prepares lunches fresh daily and delivers them to schools and day camps in an colorful, educational lunch box. Schools and camps receive a share of proceeds for each lunch delivered. Health e-Lunch Kids launched in the Washington, DC metro area in 2006. Following pilot testing service to Raleigh-Durham begun in May 2008, the company plans market roll-out to Raleigh-Durham servicing the 2008/2009 school year.

Health e-Lunch Kids Teams with Special Olympics D.C. Summer Games

2008-05-09T19:53:00Z

Health e-Lunch Kids will help fuel athletes participating in the 2008 Special Olympics DC Summer Games.

Fairfax, VA, May 6, 2008 – Health e-Lunch Kids will help fuel athletes participating in the 2008 Special Olympics DC Summer Games, to be held May 20-22, 2008 at Catholic University. As a Bronze Level sponsor and exclusive lunch supplier for the Games, Health e-Lunch Kids plans to serve about 3,000 energy-packed lunches to athletes and volunteers during the three-day event.

“We’re delighted to support Special Olympics DC athletes this year, packing for them the great energy, flavor and nutrition we’ve been offering since 2006 in lunches served at DC-area private schools and day camps,” said Monica Tomasso, Health e-Lunch Kids founder. “The athletes’ strong commitment to their sports will be met by our equal commitment to fresh, healthy meals for them during the games.”

Through its convenient online ordering and delivery service, Health e-Lunch foods offers busy families healthful lunches, fast. Menus, which are designed by a registered child nutritionist to surpass federal nutritional guidelines, feature whole grains, foods low in sugar and salt, and free of hydrogenated oil. “That satisfies parents,” explained Ms. Tomasso, “but we make sure to conduct frequent taste tests so we’re offering options students love to eat.”

For more information about Health e-Lunch Kids, contact Monica Tomasso at 703.402.9064 or visit: www.healthelunchkids.com.

For thirty-nine years, Special Olympics District of Columbia has provided year-round sports training for citizens with intellectual disabilities. More than 1,000 Special Olympics athletes will participate in the 39th annual Summer Games this year, in events ranging from soccer to aquatics to track and field competitions. Vision, dental and fitness screenings will also be provided through the Healthy Athletes® program. To volunteer, or get more information, contact Melinda Dee at 202.408.2640 or visit www.specialolympicsdc.org.

Health e-Lunch Kids Participates in the Food Networks, First of Its Kind Initiative Addressing Childhood Obesity

2008-02-20T17:20:00Z

Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival Adds Children to the Mix With “Fun and Fit as a Family”

Miami Beach, FL – December 2007) – The 2008 Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine Magazine announces the launch of the new interactive community-based initiative – Fun and Fit as a Family presented by South Beach Diet and Travel + Leisure Family – to address the real danger of the obesity epidemic currently plaguing school-aged children.

Taking place February 23rd – 24th, at Jungle Island, Miami’s premiere theme park, the Fun and Fit as a Family “mini-festival” within the main festival will bring together some of the world’s greatest celebrity chefs and personalities, health professionals and fitness experts to educate children and their parents about how to adopt healthier, more active lifestyles.

In partnership with The Parent Academy of Miami-Dade County Public Schools and Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline, Fun and Fit as a Family will welcome families with school-aged children to two days of interactive educational activities that showcase fun ways to exercise and make healthier food choices. This grassroots campaign will also serve to contribute to a school-based healthy lifestyle initiative and after-school program to improve overall academic performance and reduce rates of childhood obesity.

Fun and Fit as a Family Weekend program highlights include: Healthy cooking demonstrations led by Food Network’s Rachael Ray, Jamie Oliver, Tyler Florence, Ellie Krieger and Robin Miller as well as well known chefs Art Smith and Allen Susser. The Children’s Sustainable Food Garden presented by Agatston Research Foundation and the 2008 South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Fun and Fit as a Family will give children the opportunity to explore, touch, smell and taste fruits, vegetables and herbs from the garden while learning from garden guides. Team sports, life-long fitness skill building activities like Pilates and fitness challenges. Food Labs where families don aprons and get their hands messy with local chefs as they experience an extra-sensory understanding of the five major food groups. Interactive exhibits including heart rate and calorie burning monitoring. Parents and children can also walk from food station to food station, trying nutritious snacks and drinks prepared by health-conscious exhibitors, and learn about new products and projects aimed at a healthy lifestyle.

With the help of our program sponsors for this event; Horizon Organic, Earthbound, Florida’s Natural, Snikkidy Snacks, Dr. Kracker and Roberts American Gourmet, Health e-Lunch Kids puts healthy food in the hands of 10,000 school aged children and families this weekend.

Fun and Fit as a Family presented by South Beach Diet and Travel + Leisure Family is brought to you by the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine magazine. Fun and Fit as a Family is also made possible through the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation, The Children’s Trust and Health Foundation of South Florida. The Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is produced by Florida International University and Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida with the support of the Miami Beach Visitors & Convention Authority and the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs. For more information about Florida International University visit www.fiu.edu, for the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management visit www.hospitality.fiu.edu and for more information about Southern Wine & Spirits visit www.southernwine.com.

The Agatston Research Foundation, founded by Arthur S. Agatston, MD, is a non-profit research foundation dedicated to improving the heart health and wellness of the nation through research, education, and prevention. The largest study conducted by the Foundation is the Healthier Options for Public Schoolchildren (HOPS) Study, led by Danielle Hollar, PhD. This study seeks to prevent chronic diseases associated with obesity by tackling obesity in early life through elementary school-based prevention strategies that thematically integrate healthy dietary offerings, nutrition and healthy lifestyle educational curricula, increased levels of physical activity, and other school-based projects, such as school gardens in a replicable manner.

The Washington Post Features Health e-Lunch Kids in "MAKING IT"

2008-02-17T19:30:00Z

You get the kids off to school, she’ll pack the lunch.
For all you busy parents tired of preparing your children’s school lunches, Monica Tomasso has a pitch: Let her do it for you.

Her Falls Church company, Health e-Lunch Kids Inc., allows parents and children to order low-sugar, low-fat and preservative-free boxed lunches online and have them delivered to school for $5 or $6 apiece.

Most of her customers are dual-income, time-starved parents who “can’t seem to make a completely healthy lunch every single day without going to the grocery store every five minutes,” says Monica, 34.

She says she thought of the idea in 2005, while working at ExxonMobil in Fairfax, where she’d spent 13 years in marketing, financial analysis and business development. She doesn’t have children but heard colleagues complain about the daily duty. Having dealt with low self-esteem as an overweight child, Monica says, she cringed upon hearing parents acknowledge that they often resorted to unhealthy foods out of convenience.

Looking to leave the corporate world, she used her business background, self-taught nutrition know-how and some financial help from her father to create Health e-Lunch Kids. She left ExxonMobil in the spring of 2006, after her pilot program took off with several Northern Virginia day camps and 25 schools signed up for the next September.

Employees of a Springfield catering company prepare the meals each evening, and a courier service delivers them the next morning. Popular menu items include baked chicken nuggets, bagel pizzas and quesadillas. Meals come with bottled water, sliced fruit or vegetables, and often containers of sauces for dipping.

“We know when we put these in,” Monica says, holding up a small tub of fat-free ranch dressing, “that they’ll eat their vegetables.”

And, yes, even a healthy lunch gets a sweet, if low-sugar, ending, such as a shortbread biscuit. “The idea is [teaching] portion control, but we fill the sweet tooth,” she says.

The company typically delivers about 400 meals to 15 to 25 schools each weekday, she says. About 40 private schools and camps across the region, most without cafeterias, and one public elementary school in Northwest Washington have agreed to allow meals to be delivered via the front office to students whose parents order them. Most public school systems, including those in Fairfax and Montgomery counties, have rejected the idea, she says, because they say her company would siphon off cafeteria business.

At the British School in the District, about one-tenth of the 300 students receive Health e-Lunch Kids meals, says Marie-Elaine Carroll, vice principal of the elementary level. Packing lunches every day was “getting to be a bit much” for some parents, especially those with several children, Carroll says. The school has no kitchen or cafeteria.

“It took such pressure off parents that their child was going to have a lunch, and that it was going to be a healthy lunch,” Carroll says.

In its first 16 months, the company earned close to $400,000 in revenue, Monica says.

She says it makes about 25 percent profit per meal, after delivery costs. She says her salary “pays my mortgage, and that’s about it.” The rest of the profits go into growing the business.

Monica says she plans to expand to other cities, such as Philadelphia and Boston. They have plenty of private schools and, no doubt, busy parents ready to punt on packing lunch.

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Updates and Announcements

2007-11-28T13:35:00Z

Welcome!

Health e-Lunch Kids is now available in the Raleigh-Durham Market!

Inclement Weather Policy. Click here to view our inclement weather policy

Schools and camps participating in the current school year and the ‘08/’09 school year can be found on the available at my school page. Check back regularly!

Want to pick lunches up? Order lunch online for pick-up at Dinner Zen

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2007-11-13T02:32:00Z

What is your kids' favorite Health e-Lunch?

2007-11-08T16:53:00Z

Health e-Vision

2007-07-17T20:36:00Z

Health e-Lunch Kids’ goal is to help parents easily provide the highest quality nutrition to their children, so they can achieve their full intellectual and physical potential. We strive to support parents as they teach their children about healthful choices – building good dietary habits that can last a lifetime.

Health e-Lunch Kids nutrition standards:

low in sugar
low in salt
free of trans-fat
no artificial flavors or colors
no high fructose corn syrups
portions are appetite appropriate
use of fresh, organic ingredients

Help parents raise healthy, successful, confident kids!

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2007-07-17T20:32:00Z

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2007-07-17T20:28:00Z

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