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Learning Extends to the Lunchroom in Minnesota

The cafeterias of Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (MN) not only serve nutritious foods, they also work to offer students experiential learning opportunities in the cafeteria. The nutrition program introduces students to culturally relevant foods through a monthly program and has developed a life skills lesson component to a coffee delivery program at the high school. Through regular sampling in the cafeteria, events with local farmers and student gardens, the nutrition program engages students of all different ages in nutrition education.

College Menus Served in GA High School

Students in Thomas County Public Schools are getting exposed to the college experience without leaving their high school cafeteria. The district’s creative school nutrition team puts together an event called Taste of College featuring dining hall favorites from area colleges and universities in Georgia.

School Nutrition Employees Honored for Outstanding Work

They are often the first people students see when they grab their school breakfast or offer a familiar smile to greet students for lunch. On School Lunch Hero Day, these regional winners of School Nutrition Association’s Employee of the Year award are being recognized for their job well done!

School Nutrition Managers Recognized for Making a Difference

Across the country, school nutrition managers positively impact the children who come through their cafeteria lines for breakfast and lunch each day. The School Nutrition Association’s Manager of the Year award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity and compassion shown by cafeteria managers who have excelled in providing high-quality, nutritious meals to students throughout the school year.

Celebrating School Nutrition Directors for their Dedication

In conjunction with School Lunch Hero Day, School Nutrition Association is highlighting the achievements of those named Director of the Year from regions across the country. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions of directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students.

School Lunch Heroes Recognized Nationally

The non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) is celebrating the efforts of school nutrition professionals all week leading up to School Lunch Hero Day on May 5. During an online award ceremony on May 2, SNA President Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE announced national Director, Manager and Employee of the Year award winners, recognized for their dedication and outstanding commitment to the school nutrition profession.

VA Team Engages Students Outside the Cafeteria

The school nutrition team in Harrisonburg City Public Schools (VA) prepares more than just healthy school meals during the school day. Team members engage with their students through community initiatives, enrichment programs, after-school meal service as well as weekend programs. According to the nutrition director, members of the team love extra opportunities to work with the students, even if it means volunteering after school hours.

Harrisonburg’s nutrition team supports an Emerging Chefs program for young members of the community involved in the On the Road Collaborative. The non-profit organization based in Harrisonburg works with underserved youth and shows them different career paths.

Celebrating National School Breakfast Week

The first week in March is set aside to recognize the important role school breakfast plays in helping students succeed. School nutrition teams nationwide celebrated National School Breakfast Week with this year’s theme “Dig In To School Breakfast” with a variety of special activities, from putting big trucks on display to re-naming nutritious foods, such as “dirt parfaits”.

Aprons and hair nets were traded for safety vests and hard hats in Alabama. The Hoover City Child Nutrition program brought in tractors and treats for students as they started school with the most important meal of the day.

Tennessee Students Get Hands-on for Breakfast Week

Morgan County students really dig school breakfast – more than 90% of students in the eastern Tennessee district have breakfast at school every day. To celebrate the benefits of school breakfast, Morgan County Schools planned a jam-packed week of celebrations for National School Breakfast Week (NSBW), March 6-10, 2023. They are embracing the theme “Dig In To School Breakfast” at all seven schools in the district.

Working toward zero waste in the cafeteria

One Florida school district has been making great strides toward its goal to reduce the amount of waste it sends to the local landfills. Alachua County Food & Nutrition Services is enlisting its youngest community members to help get there!

Students at Stephen Foster Elementary School separate their lunch leftovers and trash for compost and recycling, with some food scraps repurposed to feed pigs at a local farm. The Food & Nutrition Services department received a grant from the State of Florida to launch its new accelerated composting system.