. . . A Tofu Dog, and Hold the Mayo

Heightened awareness of the need to start eating right at an early age has helped to improve school lunch menus; still, it’s a good bet that most youngsters don’t rush to the school lunchroom in search of broccoli or fresh carrots.

Nonetheless, Los Angeles’ Sandy Gooch, the health food market founder, and some of her culinary companions are preparing to do battle with youth staples such as cholesterol-heavy burgers and oily fries. They are out to prove that the institutional fare hauntingly familiar to most U.S. elementary and secondary school students can be, if not cuisine to remember, at least cheap, tasty and nutritious.

Studies show that nearly one-third of U.S. children from 3 to 17 are overweight. Though bad eating habits generally begin at home, many schools don’t help by serving up food laden with fats and sugar.

Starting this fall at Venice High, students will be offered recipes by Gooch and her gastronomic dream team, which includes renowned chef Wolfgang Puck and other high-end restaurateurs. They will help turn beans, grains and other healthful foods into casseroles, purees and pates that they hope will appeal to young palates. (Can tofu dogs be far behind?) All, they promise, at prices no higher and sometimes less than current school fare.

If the experiment works, the Los Angeles Unified School District--which serves 350,000 lunches a day--should add the recipes to the menus of all its schools. Students would have more choices in the lunchroom, a bit of education in good nutrition and maybe even better health.