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Shaking It Up for National School Lunch Week in Georgia

Dade County Schools in Georgia didn’t let fall break and parent conferences get in the way of celebrating National School Lunch Week (NSLW). School nutrition and food service staff planned NSLW celebrations a week early this year, holding the annual event from October 8-12 to help educate students and parents on the importance and value of school lunch!

Staff members throughout the district wore fun apparel with this year’s NSLW theme, “School Lunch – Lots 2 Love”. Chef hats, t-shirts, aprons – everything they wore celebrated healthy school lunches and all there is to love about them! Cafeterias were decorated with Lots 2 Love messaging. Read more…

October Brings Local Taste To Washington Schools

A perfect kick-off to Farm to School Month, Highline Public Schools (WA) celebrated Taste Washington Day on Wednesday, October 3, featuring locally sourced foods on the menu and cafeteria visits from farmers and producers across the state.

43045352_2038853192815333_810410343925809152_n — Guests for “Taste of Washington Day” included local farmers, local celebrities, nutrition professionals from Highline Public Schools and representatives from the Washington Department of Agriculture, Washington School Nutrition Association and FEEST Seattle.

Parents Take A Peek Inside The Cafeteria

A great way for parents to learn about their child’s school nutrition program firsthand, National Take Your Parents to Lunch Day started in 2011 by Kiwi Magazine together with School Nutrition Association. Typically during National School Lunch Week in October, schools invite parents to eat lunch with their children and see what has changed over the years. Read more…

Locally Sourced Foods A Major Presence On School Menus

With the growing popularity of farmer’s markets and community-sponsored agriculture, schools have also upped their game with locally sourced foods on their menus. Read more…

Schools Reduce Food Waste in Creative Ways

Schools are employing a variety of strategies to reduce the amount of food thrown away in the cafeteria, including implementing share tables, donating to local organizations or composting leftovers. Read more…

Taste Tests and Salad Bars Open Minds & Expand Palates

Parents know that children’s palates can be finicky, especially when trying to expose them to healthier foods. The same challenge exists in schools, but many nutrition professionals have identified creative ways for students to experience new foods and ingredients in the cafeteria. Read more…

Feeding Students On The Go with 21st Century Technology

When walking the exhibit floor of the School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC) in Las Vegas last week, it was hard not to notice that technology and making school meals more mobile friendly were two of the biggest trends discussed. Read more…

Buddies Program Brings Companionship to the Cafeteria

Melissa Anderson is always looking for ways to improve her students’ lunch experience – she had wondered if inviting extra adults to eat lunch in the cafeteria would help smooth out the process. As it turns out, she was right on. The idea for the “Lunchtime Buddies” program came to Anderson, the foodservice director of Holdingford Public Schools in Minnesota, about a year ago. Read more…

Nutrition Pros Earn Their Capes on School Lunch Hero Day

Cafeteria employees are the heart and soul of lunch-time experiences for students of every age, but they don’t often get recognized for their efforts. It’s that time of year again – School Lunch Hero Day celebrates those deserving lunch ladies and gentlemen! The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) received hundreds of nominations of stellar school nutrition professionals and awarded six Regional Employees of the Year. The award was created to recognize outstanding school nutrition employees who influence the quality of school meals through customer service. Meet the 2018 winners: Read more…

School Lunch Hero Day Celebrations Marked By Author Visit in Virginia

It’s not everyday an award-winning author and illustrator visits an elementary school to celebrate their cafeteria staff, but who better than Jarrett Krosoczka, creator of the popular LUNCH LADY graphic novels series to kick off School Lunch Hero Day!