Eloisa Trinidad's parents moved her family from the Dominican Republic to New York City when she was 11. At the time, eating in her elementary school's cafeteria was one of the most jarring experiences. Back at home, Trinidad's family had largely grown what they ate — a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and a little fish. Meals were locally sourced and devoid of many of the processed and unrecognizable ingredients that had become staples of the Western diet. So when Trinidad got her first look at American school lunch — mainly hamburgers, pepperoni pizza, and breaded chicken sandwiches — she was disgusted.
"Because I didn't want to eat animals, there was nothing for me to eat," recalls Trinidad. "My parents were cleaning houses to get by and depended on school food for my nutrition — but I didn't eat it."
