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A vegetarian taco bowl developed by South Lakes High School students could soon reach cafeterias across Fairfax County after winning a new culinary competition and earning a spot at a districtwide food show.

Nearly 200 students attended the third annual Office of Food and Nutrition Services food show in December. They sampled 20 concepts and offered feedback on dishes that may appear on future school menus.

Three student creations were among the event’s highlights: South Lakes High School’s Fiesta Crunch Taco, Annandale High School’s Nacho Average Spaghetti, and Jackson Middle School’s Caramelized Banana Parfait.

Jackson students developed the parfait for the 2025 Real Food for Kids Culinary Competition. The South Lakes and Annandale dishes emerged from the first Mystery Basket Throw Down, organized by Food and Nutrition Services and Consumer Sciences last fall.

The competition brought together 10 culinary arts students from Marshall, South Lakes, and Annandale high schools. Working in teams of two, they had to design, prepare, and present an original entrée to judges.

Each team received a mystery basket containing proteins, grains, and vegetables, along with access to a supplemental pantry. Their ingredients had to meet school nutrition standards, and they worked with the same limited equipment available to FCPS cafeteria cooks.

South Lakes won with a vegetarian taco bowl featuring a custom seasoning blend. It was the competition’s only vegetarian entry, helping it stand out for its creativity and originality.

The winning entrée is slated to appear on school menus throughout FCPS. Food and Nutrition Services plans to make the Mystery Basket Throw Down an annual event.

Recipes from both South Lakes and Annandale were presented at the December food show. The student chefs worked with FCPS Chef Tim Jones and registered dietitian Jenn Knepper to scale up their dishes and collect feedback directly from other students.