Special Guests Serve Up Meals During National School Lunch Week

This year’s National School Lunch Week (NSLW) theme, “Recipes For Success,” encouraged schools to share tried-and-true healthy recipes students love, as well as introduce new and innovative recipes to school menus. Each day, parents and special guests joined students to eat or help serve lunch – local celebrities such as firefighters, superintendents, teachers, local government officials and coaches helped spread the lunchroom love in cafeterias across the country!

Some schools sent invited parents or family members to visit the cafeteria during NSLW as part of the nationwide Take Your Parent to Lunch Day initiative supported by School Nutrition Association and KIWI magazine. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles accepted, paying their child a visit and re-living the school cafeteria experience all over again.

Dr. Jan Irons Harris, superintendent of Dade County Schools (GA), visited Dade Middle School and served students.

Students at Loudoun County Public Schools (VA) were welcomed to NSLW by guests from out of this galaxy! 

Personal trainer Tammy York visited Warren East High School (KY) during NSLW as a special guest in the cafeteria.

Curt Posey, Hoover City (AL) Councilman, visited Bluff Park Elementary during NSLW to serve lunch.

State Representative Diego Bernal served lunch at Harmony Hills Elementary School (TX) for NSLW.

Cafeterias were visited by school mascots, famous super heroes, walking/talking fruits and vegetables and even some movie characters. A Star Wars Stormtrooper served fresh fruits and vegetables to eager students at Legacy Elementary in Loudoun County Public Schools in Ashburn, VA.

Healthy meals are the focus of National School Lunch Week, highlighting balanced recipes and lunch tray with whole grains, lower sodium, lower sugar and more fresh fruits and vegetables. Local celebrity and personal trainer Tammy York also reminded students at Warren East High School in Warren County Schools (KY), that being fit is more than just eating healthy – but also staying active. She met with students and school staff, discussing her workout routine and fun activities for students to get moving and stay healthy!

There are a variety of ways school nutrition professionals are promoting healthier choices on their menus. Weeks of preparation go into planning NSLW celebrations and having guest servers in the cafeteria is just one way that school nutrition/food service professionals help make the cafeteria a healthy, fun and educational place for students to eat and socialize.