Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners (Beyond Green) was founded in 2011 by Greg Christian, a chef of forty years. Greg made the transition from restaurants and high end catering to making delicious food for kids. The company began with the mission to set young people up for success in life through healthy, scratch-cooked food. We remain committed to our mission by making more than 95% of our menu from scratch. 

In one word: quality. Many preschool catering companies have lofty claims about their foodservice quality that don’t always match up. Whether it’s all organic food, always fresh fruits and vegetables, or their unmatched customer service, many companies put these buzzwords on their website, but they don’t back up these claims with real data. 

More than 95% of our menu is cooked from scratch. This means you will recognize and be able to pronounce the ingredients, and your kids will feel good eating their meals. Beyond Green prides ourselves on maintaining transparency with our partners. We have never claimed to be an all organic company, as that is nearly impossible to accomplish! We promise to use 50% or more “clean” food, which we define as foods that are organically grown, raised hormone or antibiotic free, or locally sourced. All of our food purchases are tracked and coded, to compile into a monthly data report that is available for clients upon request. 

In addition to our commitment to quality food, we operate a zero waste kitchen. The majority of our waste is composted or recycled, and all waste data is tracked to feed into the monthly data report. We also offer composting services to the schools we partner with. 

We offer a wide range of allergy friendly meals, and strive to have allergy meals look as similar to the standard meals as possible, so that no child feels left out! At each meal time we provide at least one standard option, and one option that is free from the Top 9 Allergens. Lunch options will include a standard option, a gluten free option, a vegetarian or vegan option, plus the allergy option that’s free of the Top 9 Allergens. We also work with schools that have students with less common allergies on an individual basis to plan appropriate meals. 

At Beyond Green, we are passionate about providing kids with high quality food that they love. We prepare scratch cooked meals using locally sourced ingredients when available, in an effort to help kids to crave nutrient dense foods, instead of the highly processed foods that flood our grocery stores. We know the importance of good nutrition at this critical developmental period in your child’s life, and we take it very seriously. All BGP meals and snacks follow the IL Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) rules & guidelines.

We serve kid friendly favorites, such as chicken tenders and cheese pizza, but unlike other companies that reheat frozen, “healthier” versions of these items, we start from the beginning. Our cheese pizza begins with preparing fresh pizza dough (regular & gluten-free!) and homemade marinara sauce. We use local mozzarella cheese when available, and always grate it in house for the freshest taste. 

We are also open to parent feedback and suggestions! Per a parent suggestion, we recently made a switch from primarily using corn oil in our meals, to using sunflower oil and olive oil exclusively. 

In addition to our commitment to serving fresh, high quality preschool meals, we also aim to connect kids to their food and where it comes from, through interactive education lessons. Led by Beyond Green’s registered dietitian, students are introduced to various food topics through lively discussions, engaging games & activities, and taste tests. Some of our topics include: Eat the Rainbow, Taste Buds & Flavors, Farmers & Local Foods, and Vitamin Superheroes. 

We deliver breakfast, lunch, and multiple snacks on weekdays to Chicago and its suburbs. Some of our delivery locations have included Deerfield, Crystal Lake, and Schaumburg. We promise to be on time with your delivery no matter your location. Many of our cooks are cross-trained to drive allowing us to promise on time delivery. In addition, we use GPS to monitor drivers' arrival and we track this information daily. You can also count on us for friendly, helpful drivers who are committed to safe food. All our drivers have a food handler certification. 

We share a vision with our school partners to promote children’s health and well being. As such we do not see ourselves simply transacting business. We are partners first and foremost. We listen and value the feedback we receive from the schools we work with and continually focus on the highest quality food for kids.

Alexa, our registered dietitian, is the primary person to answer the phone during business hours. She is the most familiar with the menu and the allergies to address any questions. If she happens to be at a school teaching a lesson, the company owner or head chef will answer the phone. We know you are busy and if you have a question you need an immediate answer. 

Through consistent, high quality, accurate meals delivered on time, our goal is to proactively communicate with you. In addition, we utilize taste tests, educational materials, and on site programming to enhance your student experience.

We have a team of trained professional cooks to prepare meals each day. We have a 100% retention rate among our cooks. We focus on hiring accountable team members who value excellence in their work. We cross-train team members to maintain a smooth running operation attentive to on-time, accurate, deliveries of high quality food.

Beyond Green Partners is a mission driven company. We were the first Certified B Corporation in Illinois. As such, we have proven our commitment to our employees, customers, community, and environment in how we govern as a business. The company values we measure and for which we hold ourselves accountable include:

Safety - From delivery in our kitchen to your kids plates, we make food that meets the nutritional and allergy needs of each individual child and is prepared in a way that meets health department requirements. 

Quality Work - We procure the highest quality fresh ingredients and use professionally trained chefs to make delicious food from scratch for kids. With more than 14 years of business, we have refined production systems to promise on time, accurate, delivery of high quality food.

Communication - We provide you with the information and resources to proactively answer all your questions and those you didn’t even anticipate to ensure smooth delivery of services. Our goal is to be the easiest, most reliable part of your day.

Honesty - We are accountable to the health of your kids and are 100% transparent about our operations. We make great food and deliver accurate orders on time, and we have nothing to hide. 

Respect - You have busy, demanding jobs taking care of young ones. We respect your commitment to your kids by working with you to meet your needs while sticking to our mission. 

Parents and school administrators often share with us that their children will only eat certain foods at school. They have asked us “how do you make your broccoli taste so good”, “my son will only eat macaroni and cheese from Beyond Green, please help!”, and when asked for feedback to improve the menu, parents have said, “My child eats better at school than at home.” As such, we make recipe videos like this one, attend family events at schools, share nutritional flyers, and offer educational programming to support busy parents and teachers.