Spring ISD Proves Even School Breakfast Is Big in Texas
When serving nearly 20,000 breakfast meals a day, the foodservice department must be a well-oiled machine. In the case of Spring Independent School District (TX), it’s more like a massive food workshop. Read more…
Lunch Participation Jumps When Students Learn About Local Ingredients
One school district increased school meal participation by educating their students about the local, healthy options they were already sourcing from local Kentucky Farmers. 
Fayette County Public School’s (FCPS) Nutrition Department (KY) worked closely with their Farm to School program to coordinate the Fayette Farm to School Challenge, a weeklong program filled with taste tests, cafeteria guests and educational programs to help increase student participation.
The Fayette Farm to School program worked to promote the educational aspect to families, students and staff, while the FCPS School Nutrition Department procured and prepared local menu items for the week. They featured recipes including cheesy chicken étouffée, an original created by District Chef Todd Gorrell, containing Kentucky sweet potatoes and butternut squash. The week also showcased how kid-favorites, like hot dogs and Sloppy Joe’s, could be made healthier, using locally-sourced produce and local farm-raised meats. Read more…
Dietitians Say Plant-Based Menu Options Important To Incorporate In Schools
Close to 6,000 school nutrition professionals from around the country gathered at the Annual National Conference of the School Nutrition Association, this year held in St. Louis, MO. Education sessions were held for members to share ideas and insights, while also providing the latest in skills and knowledge about school meal trends. Read more…
Students Produce and Host School Lunch Madness Contest on Weekly TV Show
Students at Sussex Central High School (DE) held a first-ever school lunch contest on their student-produced weekly show, Central Access TV. Staff and students gave candid interviews describing their favorite school meals and sharing their predictions for a segment called Lunch Madness, a play on the popular March Madness basketball tournament. Read more…
Survey Prompts Major Updates to Nutrition Program
Wayzata Public Schools‘ (MN) nutrition professionals spent the summer of 2018 overhauling the nutrition program in the district’s Culinary Express. They created new school menus, with delicious scratch-made recipes, including homemade chicken noodle and chicken wild rice soup, vegetable lo mein, spicy black beaned burgers, baked ziti and pork carnitas burrito bowls.
While revamping the Culinary Express website, school nutrition staff worked with a local food hub and marketing company to help provide more opportunities for nutrition education, including new graphics, cafeteria posters, food mascots, etc. The innovative changes to their school nutrition program were prompted by survey feedback from parents and staff.
Vertical Hydroponic Farming Takes Elementary School To New Heights
Students at Hopewell Elementary School (HES) in New Jersey have cultivated an impressive Farm to School program that incorporates important school lessons while also providing produce for school cafeteria menus. 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…
Schools Don’t Let Fall Break Sideline Lunch Week Celebrations
Fulton County Schools in Atlanta (GA) didn’t let their Columbus Day holiday break get in the way of celebrating the importance of National School Lunch Week (NSLW). Even though schools were closed October 9-13, Fulton County honored NSLW October 16-20 with a whole week of exciting events and school meals. Roughly 7.9 million healthy school lunches are prepared for more than 91,000 Fulton County students each year.
“School lunches are healthier than ever, with more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and less fat and sodium,” said Alyssia Wright, executive director of the district’s School Nutrition Program. “National School Lunch Week helps us educate parents and students about all the benefits of our lunch program, and the appealing choices we offer.” Read more…
Menu Planning for More Vegetarian Options in Jefferson County Schools
A brave middle school student presented a need for more vegetarian options to the Jefferson County School Board in Kentucky. The plea, which Nutrition Service Center Manager Dan Ellnor said was “heartfelt and well researched,” made the district take a closer look at vegetarianism as a food service policy. Vegetarian options would not only increase the number of healthy, fresh options, but it would help entice students and staff who wouldn’t otherwise purchase school meals. Read more…
Cooking cart delivers interactive classroom lessons
Carrollton City Schools‘ (GA) new cooking cart creates a mobile classroom where students learn about healthy recipes through fun, interactive demonstrations, lessons and taste-tests. Read more…
