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When Collaboration Serves Everyone By Gaia
How Culturally Familiar Foods Strengthen School Nutrition Programs by Reducing Waste By Leslene Gordon, PhD, RDN, LDN How Media is Feeding Gen Alpha’s Food Interests By Butterball Foodservice
The Right Partner for School Nutrition's Cold Storage Challenges Polar King's Summit City Symposium 2026
CAN RESTAURANT CHEFS HANDLE THE SCHOOL LUNCH CHALLENGE? Top K-12 school chefs go head-to-head with restaurant and foodservice chefs, but there’s one catch—every meal must meet USDA school nutrition guidelines. Then, the toughest judges decide the winner: students and parents.
Who will come out on top?
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CONTENTS
EARN CEU’S
How Culturally Familiar Foods Strengthen School Nutrition Programs by Reducing Waste By Leslene Gordon, PhD, RDN, LDN
06 12 20 30
How Media is Feeding Gen Alpha’s Food Interests By Butterball Foodservice
When Collaboration Serves Everyone By Gaia
The Right Partner for School Nutrition's Cold Storage Challenges Polar King's Summit City Symposium 2026
FROM OUR PARTNERS
28 The Social Corner: Video Content By Rachel Dreslinski and Kariss Harvey 32 The Global Plate: Bringing International Flavors to School Menus with AmTab
08 Global Flavors as seen from the ANC 2026 show floor
10 More than a Meal Helping Seattle tell its story
14 The STOVE Leadership Framework for Leading, Supporting, and Inspiring Your Team with Institute of Child Nutrition
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34 Celebrating Culture Through the Ohio Proud Recipe Initiative with Pisanick Partners 36 Maine DOE Farm-to-School Cook-Off Showcases Local Blueberries and Beef in School Meals Fresh Content from FSD Quarterly
18 Podcast Spotlight New episode! The Miami-Dade Difference
22 #THISisschoolmeals Recipe Exchange Recipes from J.T.M., Chobani, Health-e Pro, and National Peanut Board
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JANUARY 9TH Hillsborough County Public Schools Center for Nutrition and Culinary Services
FROM THE EDITOR
The Global Plate
This month's issue of the Served Digizine is all about the Global Plate! School nutrition programs across the country are incorporating variety, cultural diversity, and global flavors into their menus resulting in innovation and inclusivity! Dive into this issue to learn how school nutrition programs are achieving all of this and more!
-Stefanie Giannini, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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* Must be a Prime-eligible district to qualify for bonus points.
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Served Digizine™ is a publication of NxtGen Network. Served Digizine™ releases eight issues annually. This publication is free of charge to our subscribers and can be opted-out at anytime. Copyright 2025 Served Digizine™ and NxtGen Network. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph, or illustration without written permission from the published is strictly prohibited. Opinions and advertisements in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent management views. The digizine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs, or any errors or omissions that might occur.
THE GLOBAL PLATE
How Culturally Familiar Foods Strengthen
School Nutrition Programs by Reducing Waste
L ike many others, I have total- ly enjoyed the World Cup. Visitors from other countries have also enjoyed not just the soccer games but the culture and food scene in the US. You could not have missed the news reports on the many foods that foreign visitors have fallen in love with. I mean, who would have guessed that visitors to our country would fall in love with ranch dressing? That's part of the joy of exploring different cultures. It's fun, you learn new things, and it brings people together. We all feel pleased when either our culture or our cultural foods are honored, recognized, and ap- preciated. Even children with par- ents from another culture feel seen when their cultures are highlighted or recognized in some positive manner. As school food service pro- fessionals, you are uniquely pos- itioned to bring this kind of positive atmosphere to your schools. When menus honor those cultural identi- ties, something powerful happens: students eat more, waste less, and feel more connected to their school community. School cafeterias are one of the most culturally diverse spaces in any district. Cultural food accept- ance is not just about taste; it’s about identity. Students are more likely to try, and to finish foods that feel familiar, comforting, or cultural- ly meaningful. Research consistent- ly shows that cultural relevance in- creases participation and reduces plate waste. How Culture Influences What Students Eat • Flavor expectations: Students ac- customed to bold spices, stewed dishes, or rice based meals may reject bland or unfamiliar tex- tures.
• Leverage staff cultural exper - tise. Many team members know how to prepare culturally mean- ingful dishes authentically. • Highlight student recom- mended dishes. When students see their cultural foods featured, they eat more and waste less. • Take advantage of culturally aligned celebrations and holi- days. They can bring joy and rep- resentation to the cafeteria. • Feature culturally significant produce. Plantains, bok choy, sweet potatoes, mango, jicama, collard greens—these fit beauti - fully into USDA fruit and vege- table subgroups. • Use respectful naming. Ex- ample: “Caribbean Inspired Brown Stew Chicken”. • Partner with teachers for cross curricular learning, if possible. Cultural food days can connect to geography, literature, art, or so- cial studies. • Highlight staff cultural contri - butions. Staff are sometimes as diverse as the student body. Fea- turing recipes or traditions from team members builds morale and strengthens workplace cul- ture. Culture isn’t just a flavor profile; it’s a powerful tool for building health- ier, happier, more inclusive school nutrition programs. When school nutrition programs embrace cul- tural diversity in their menus and celebrations, they create cafeterias where students feel seen, respect- ed, and excited to eat. Culturally familiar foods improve acceptance, reduce waste, and strengthen par- ticipation—while cultural celebra- tions bring joy and representation to the school community. And with thoughtful planning, all of this can be done in full alignment with USDA guidelines.
• Naming matters: “Arroz con Pol- lo” resonates differently than “Chicken and Rice,” even if the in- gredients are identical. • Food memories: Dishes that re- semble home cooking—dump- lings, plantains, pozole, biryani, collard greens—carry emotional significance. Food waste is a persistent issue in school nutrition programs. Nation- al data show: • Schools waste an estimated 530,000 tons of food annually, according to USDA and EPA analy- ses. • Studies published in Public Health Nutrition and Journal of the Acad- emy of Nutrition and Dietetics re- port plate waste rates between 27% and 53% , depending on grade level and menu item. • Vegetables and unfamiliar entrées have the highest waste rates. Culturally familiar foods can mean- ingfully reduce these numbers. Why? Because students will finish meals they recognize. Even famil- iar authentic ingredients and sea- sonings can enhance acceptance. Cultural relevance increases par- ticipation, which stabilizes produc- tion forecasting and reduces over- production waste.
Practical Strategies for Waste Reduction
• Use “anchor ingredients” stu- dents know. Build global dishes around familiar staples. • Offer customizable global bowls. Students choose sauces, toppings, or proteins, reducing plate waste. • Conduct culturally sensitive taste tests. Gather feedback from students who identify with the culture represented.
Leslene Gordon, PhD, RDN, LDN | CEO of Culture Competence & Care LLC Dr. Gordon delivers food and culture educational content as a writer and speaker. Her work experience is extensive and includes academic faculty, public health senior administrative positions, and private practice. She is passionate about population health issues and is active on several national and local boards and committees.
Los Cabos Mexican Foods Pepper Jack Cheese Enchiladas
International Food Solutions Japanese Cherry Blossom Chicken
GLOBAL FLAVORS ANC 2026 AS SEEN FROM THE ANC SHOW FLOOR
High Liner Foodservice
International Food Solutions Chicken Dumplings
J.T.M. Food Group Pastelón (Caribbean Lasagna)
International Food Solutions Thai Curry Chicken & Pad Thai Noodle Kit
Across the country, school districts are bringing peanuts back for their students while maintaining a strong focus on safety. Our comprehensive guide outlines the approach – from allergen-aware protocols to staff training and parent communication. Schools everywhere are lining up for peanuts.
Download the guide and put peanuts back on your menu.
MORETHAN
A
HELPING SEATTLE TELL ITS STORY E very school nutrition program has incredible stories to tell. The challenge isn't finding them—it's knowing how to capture them. That was the focus of NxtGen Network's recent visit to Seattle Public Schools , where
we spent two days working alongside the district's Culinary Services team to build confidence in content creation, storytelling, and social media strategy. Rather than sitting through traditional presentations, participants rolled up their sleeves and learned by doing. Staff explored the fundamentals of smartphone photography and videography, practiced interviewing one another on camera, experimented with lighting and composition, and learned how to transform everyday cafeteria moments into compelling stories that resonate with families and their communities.
A MEAL
importance of communication. Families want to know where food comes from, communities want to understand the people behind every meal served, and school nutrition professionals deserve a platform to showcase the care, creativity, and expertise that go into feeding students every day. Strong storytelling helps build trust, increase participation, celebrate staff, and reshape perceptions of school meals. For NxtGen Network, that's exactly what these trainings are about. They're not simply photography or video workshops—they're investments in people. By equipping school nutrition professionals with the tools and confidence to tell their own stories, districts like Seattle Public Schools are strengthening their connection with the communities they serve while helping elevate the profession as a whole. Because when you change the story, you change the perception.
One of the highlights of the training was taking the learning into real school kitchens. Participants put their new skills into practice by photographing and filming authentic moments of food preparation, culinary craftsmanship, and the teamwork that powers Seattle Public Schools' meal program. It was a reminder that the most compelling stories don't need to be staged—they're already happening every day. Throughout the training, the Seattle team brought incredible energy, curiosity, and creativity. Team members embraced the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, ask thoughtful questions, and sharpen skills that will continue to benefit their program long after the cameras were packed away. As school nutrition continues to evolve, so does the
BRING THIS TRAINING TO YOUR DISTRICT
Interested in offering a similar training for your team? NxtGen Network's hands- on content creation and storytelling workshops are now available through the Cool School Cafe Catalog or can be booked directly with NxtGen Network. We'd love to help your district tell its story.
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C hildren are like little sponges, soaking up influences that shape their tastes and food preferences. Pop culture is an especially powerful driver of Gen Alpha’s interests, helping to spark their curiosity around new flavors and dishes. Whether it’s mashups or global cuisine, operators who stay on top of the food trends students are seeing can create exciting menus. POP FOOD CULTURE While millennials were more adventurous diners than previous generations, Gen Alpha may just have them beat. Over half (58%) say they’re more adventurous with food than their parents, who likely grew up seeing items such as fish sticks and mac and cheese on kids’ menus. These simple dishes have given way to flavor fusions, innovative formats and global fare, thanks in part to screens large and small. For example, after the popular children’s movie, K-Pop Demon Hunters , was released, online searches for “Korean food” increased by 75%, revealing the impact of media on dining interests. Digital foodie content is also inspiring young people to broaden their culinary horizons, as 70% of Gen Alpha say they’ve tried a new food they saw on social media, and 45% say they watch people eat new things online. To keep up with students’ evolving tastes, operators should watch for cultural moments like these and find creative ways to incorporate them into fun, themed dishes.
HOW MEDIA IS FEEDING GEN ALPHA’S FOOD INTERESTS
Salsa Suiza Turkey Vampiros
TURKEY FUELS K-12 VARIETY Trends change fast and students’ preferences shift along with them, so having versatile proteins like Butterball turkey for multiple recipes is a must. With adaptable ingredients that can fit different dayparts and formats, operators can maintain compliance and control costs. From handheld wraps to customizable bowls and global items , Butterball’s range of commodity turkey products makes it easy to add menu variety. Turkey is a hardworking protein in diverse recipes such as Jerk Turkey Street Tacos with Butterball Turkey Thigh Roast , coleslaw and pineapple, or a Hawaiian-inspired Turkey Loco Moco with a Butterball Fully Cooked Turkey Burger . Today’s students crave the foods and flavors they’ve seen on their screens, desire personalization opportunities and value the experience of trying new things. Operators in the know can capture their hard-won attention and give them fresh reasons to enjoy school meals. Explore K-12 trends, tips, recipes and more at butterballfoodservice. com/k-12 . Sources “Gen Alpha is Rewriting the Family Menu” – Razorfish – 2026 “Gen Alpha Tweens Hold Significant Sway Over Parents’ Purchases: Study” – 2025 – MarketingDive “Generation Alpha Food Trends in the U.S.” – 2025 – Innova Market Insights “Alpha Bites: Diving into Gen Alpha’s Food and Flavor Adventures” – 2025 – FlavorSum “Meet Gen Alpha: The Next Generation of Food Consumers” – 2025 – Mintel
Miami Mango Turkey Burger
saying they’ve prepared meals at home. On their own turf, they can customize meals to their liking, blending new and familiar ingredients and experimenting with flavor mashups . To play into this trend, schools can offer more personalization options , such as toppings, sauces and dips with bold, global flavors and fun textures.
PLAYING WITH PERSONALIZATION
Gen Alpha also brings food interests to the family dinner table. As many as 61% say they influence what their families eat at home, and 85% say they like trying different types of food in their own kitchens. Many kids are taking an even more active role at mealtime, with 62%
LEARN MORE ABOUT BUTTERBALL FOODSERVICE HERE!
STRONGER TOGETHER
The STOVE Leadership Framework for Leading, Supporting, and Inspiring Your Team
The hardest moment in any school nutrition kitchen is rarely the moment of failure. It is the quiet shift that comes before it. A manager who used to ask questions stops asking. A cashier who once made eye contact with every student starts looking past them. A team that used to move in sync starts working around each other instead of with each other. By the time those shifts show up in the data, the conditions that produced them have been building for months. Through my work at the Institute of Child Nutrition, I keep coming back to a single observation. Strong teams are not built through
personality, luck, or hope that things will improve. They are built through consistent leadership behaviors. And those behaviors can be named, taught, and refined. It was through this lens that the STOVE Leadership Framework was born. STOVE is not a checklist. It is a diagnostic. Think of it as a dashboard for the conditions your team is operating under. When one area shifts, even slightly, performance shifts with it. The work of leadership is not to react to that shift after the fact. It is to notice the pattern early and adjust before the team feels the weight of it.
The five conditions are Shared Purpose, Trust, Operational Clarity, Visible Leadership, and Energy and Recognition. S, Shared Purpose. Does your team understand why your program matters beyond compliance? Compliance gets you through the audit. Shared purpose gets you through the difficult day. When a cashier knows the meal she just served may be the most reliable thing a child eats that day, that is shared purpose. When the connection is missing, you feel it in the energy of the kitchen long before you see it on a report. T, Trust. The test for trust is not whether your team likes each
other. It is whether concerns can be raised directly and professionally. Can someone walk into your office and tell you something is wrong without rehearsing it for three days first? The trust that protects your program is the trust that allows for difficult conversations on a normal Tuesday. O, Operational Clarity. Are expectations consistent? Are processes clear? Ambiguity is expensive. It costs you in food safety, compliance, retention, and most of all, during transitions. When a long-tenured manager retires and her processes leave with her, you pay the price for years of ambiguity no one had time to address. V, Visible Leadership. Your team is reading you all the time. They know whether you show up on the line during service. They know whether you respond to a difficult email the same day or three days later. Visible leadership is not about being everywhere at once. It is about being consistent in the
places that matter to your team. E, Energy and Recognition. Are strengths named? Is effort acknowledged? I am not talking about employee-of-the-month programs. I am talking about whether you can name, out loud, the specific strength of the person standing in front of you. That is the foundation of mentorship, retention, and the long-term health of your team. This framework was developed in response to what I kept hearing from leaders in the field. They did not need another model that explained leadership in the abstract. They needed something they could carry into a Monday morning huddle and use. STOVE is meant to be exactly that. You will not get all five right every week. No one does. The goal is not perfection. The goal is to notice which condition is slipping and to address it before it becomes the next problem you have to manage. I want to leave you with the
diagnostic itself. Print the five letters. Tape them where you will see them. And the next time something feels off in your kitchen, do not start with the symptom. The conditions are always there. Leadership is the practice of paying attention to them. That is what it means to lead, support, and inspire. Leading is choosing purpose over routine. Supporting is building the trust and clarity your team stands on. Inspiring is noticing what is working and saying so out loud. Start with STOVE, and you are already doing all three.
Looking for More Support? Visit theicn.org to access ICN’s trainings, resources, and tools. Questions? Contact the ICN Help Desk via email at helpdesk@theicn. org or by phone at 18003213054.
ICN Website
Dr. Danielle Barrett, Ed.D, MDA, RDN | Institute of Child Nutrition Dr. Danielle Barrett is an instructional designer, registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN), and education leader with more than a decade of experience in adult learning, public health, and culinary nutrition. As an Education and Training Specialist II at the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), the nation’s only federally funded center dedicated to child nutrition programs, she develops and evaluates evidence- based trainings that advance the skills of child nutrition professionals nationwide. Passionate about culinary nutrition and instructional innovation, Dr. Barrett is committed to promoting healthy eating and fostering wellness in our nation's children.
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THE MIAMI-DADE DIFFERENCE
What happens when a Food & Nutrition Officer spends 25 years inside one of the largest school districts in America — and refuses to settle for "good enough"? You get Angie Kasselakis, RDN, SHRM-SCP — and a school meal program feeding 156,000 kids a day across 360+ schools in Miami-Dade County. In this episode, Marlon Gordon sits down with Angie Kasselakis, Food & Nutrition Officer at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, to talk about her 25-year journey from part-time food service worker to leading 2,500 staff across one of the most complex school nutrition operations in the country. They dive into how Miami-Dade was removing food dyes, MSG, and HFCS before it was a national conversation, how a 15-student nutrition ambassador program is already reshaping the menu, what a 600- kid food show with 60 vendors actually looks like, why she'd tell aspiring RDs to go into business, and what scratch cooking jambalaya at scale taught her team about leadership.
Getahead ofthe curve.Studentswantm ore than the sam e lunch rotation — theywantbold,exciting f lavorsfrom around the world. IFS m akesiteasy to build a diverse m enu lineup before the school yearbegins,so yourteam is ready,yourstudents are excited,and youroperation runssm oothlyfrom dayone.
Our ChipotleChicken , ThaiCur yChicken , and Pad ThaiNoodle bringbold,globalyinspired f lavorsto K-12 cafeterias— m akingiteasierthan everto servestudentsthevarietyand excitem enttheylove.Crafted with the qualityand conveniencefoodserviceoperatorscounton,thesenew item sarereadyto elevateyourm enu.
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WHEN COLLABORATION SERVES EVERYONE
R ich Products has been developing library covers a wide range of products, built up over more than a decade by a team that understands what works in a school kitchen. The problem was never the recipes. As Katie Iglewski, K-12 Marketing Manager, described it: “Something we weren’t able to provide to our recipes for K-12 school nutrition programs for a long time. Their customers that they really wanted was the nutritional aspect of those recipes and the crediting. We were always coming up with new innovative ideas, but we weren’t able to provide that aspect of it.”
needs, and download. The compliance piece is what makes this worth doing rather than just a nice gesture. As Adam Jordison, SNS, K-12 District Manager West, put it: “You can create recipes that are phenomenal, look amazing, taste amazing, sample them with customers, they’re great, but if they don’t meet the regulations, if they don’t meet the standards that those school districts are required to meet, you just basically had a good lunch with somebody.” The crediting work that used to fall to an already stretched district team now sits with Rich Products, done properly, before the recipe ever reaches a director’s desk. That is what it looks like when everyone takes the relationship seriously. The directors who helped build Gaia contributed to a tool that manufacturers can now use to serve them better. Rich Products invested in making their library usable rather than just available. And districts get the benefit of both, without having to ask for it or do the work themselves. This kind of outcome does not happen by accident. It happens when the people involved treat their partnerships as something worth building on, not just maintaining. You can try the recipe scaling calculator and browse Rich Products’ recipe library at info. gaiak12.com/partnerships/ rich-products .
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE EXAMPLES
That gap is familiar across the manufacturer side of the industry. A recipe without crediting and nutritional analysis is not something a K-12 nutrition director can put on a menu. It is a starting point at best, and a starting point that still requires significant work from a team that partnership with nutrition directors and dietitians. The crediting logic, the compliance structure, the way the tool handles scaling and USDA meal components, all of it was developed with and refined by the people who do this work every day. That investment in is already stretched. Gaia was built in close
the operator relationship is what made the tool useful rather than just functional. When Rich Products and Gaia started working together, it was because the investment both had already made in their respective relationships created the conditions for something useful to happen. Rich Products brought their recipe library and their deep understanding of what K-12 kitchens needed. Gaia brought the infrastructure that nutrition directors had helped build. Together, they produced something concrete: a fully credited, nutritionally analyzed recipe library that districts can access directly, scale to their
LEARN MORE ABOUT GAIA'S PARTNERSHIPS HERE!
RECIPE CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A RECIPE FOR FUTURE SERVED TM ISSUES! EXCHANGE
QUESO CHICKEN CHILI
TOTAL SERVINGS: 28 SERVING SIZE: 8 OZ.
INGREDIENTS 5 lbs J.T.M Queso Blanco Sauce (5718, 5742) 2 lbs Corn Mixture, thawed 5 lbs Shredded Chicken, thawed 16 oz White Beans, canned, drained, rinsed 4 oz Garlic Powder 4 oz Cumin This savory, cheesy chicken chili comes together in a snap. Made with a combination of queso blanco sauce, chicken, corn, beans, seasonings and vegetable stock, this one-pot dish is simply irresistible.
DIRECTIONS 1. Thaw chicken, J.T.M. Queso Blanco Sauce and frozen corn under refrigeration for 24-36 hours prior to use. 2. Using a 4-inch steam table pan, combine all the ingredients above. 3. Heat until temperature reaches 155°F. 4. Place in a hot hold cabinet until ready to serve.
Crediting: 3 m/ma.; 1/8 c starchy veg
4 oz Taco Seasoning 2 oz Oregano Flakes 8 oz Water 6 oz Vegetable Base
RECIPE COURTESY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA
PINEAPPLE STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS 120 oz. Chobani ® Vanilla Blended Greek Yogurt 7.5 cups 100% pineapple juice
SERVING SIZE: 10 OZ
DIRECTIONS 1. In a blender, purée yogurt and juice until smooth. Then add fruit and purée again until desired texture is reached. 2. Pour 10 oz. of smoothie into each cup. (Lid, label, and date each cup, if needed.)
10 cups pineapple chunks, frozen 5 cups dices strawberries, frozen
Crediting: 1 oz. m/ma.; 2.25 c Fruit
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHOBANI ®
MINI PIZZAS
YIELD: 11 SERVING SIZE: 3 EACH
INGREDIENTS 11 Biscuits, Dough, Whole Grain-Rich, Easy Split 1pt., 1tbsp. Sauce, pizza, canned, ready- to-serve 1 lb. Cheese, mozzarella, low moisture, part-skim, shredded 1⅛c. chopped Peppers, sweet, green, raw 11 oz. Turkey, Ground, Crumbles, FC 1⅛c. chopped or sliced Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average 4 DIRECTIONS Crust: 1. Thaw biscuit dough, covered either at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, or refrigerated overnight. 2. Cut biscuit dough into 3 equal parts; roll on a flour-dusted bench to 1/8-inch thick rounds using a flour- dusted rolling pin. 3. Place on parchment-lined sheet pan; prick small holes on the entire surface of the pizza crust with a fork. 4. Bake as directed and allow crusts to cool before assembly. Convection Oven: 350°F for 5-7 minutes Standard Oven: 400°F for 9-11 minutes *Rotate pans baked in convection oven one- half turn (180°) after 3 minutes of baking . 3
Assembly 1. Place cooled Crusts on parchment-lined pan; spread approx. 1 Tbsp Sauce to within 1/4-inch from edge. 2. Top with 1 Tbsp cheese, 1 1/2 tsp sautéed green peppers and 1 tsp cooked sausage. 1. Bake as directed. Convection Oven: 375°F for 5-7 minutes Standard Oven: 425°F for 11-13 minutes *Rotate pans baked in convection oven one-half turn (180°) after 3 minutes of baking.
Finishing Garnish with 1 1/2 tsp fresh tomatoes and serve warm.
Crediting: 2.25 oz. m/ma.; 2.25 oz. whole grain-rich
RECIPE COURTESY OF GENERAL MILLS
CHICKEN SHAWARMA BOWL WITH PEANUT HUMMUS
Prepare Rice: 12 pounds 8 oz brown rice, long-rain, parboiled (2 oz eq per servings) (1 gal 2 qt 1 1/3 cups) 320 fl oz water, hot (0.2 cup per 1 oz rice, dry) (2 gal 2 qt) ¼ cup turmeric, ground ¼ cup cumin, ground ¼ cup granulated garlic Prepare Hummus: 7 pounds peanut butter, creamy (USDA or Commercial) (3 qt ½ cups) 7 pounds Greek yogurt, nonfat, plain (3 qt 2 cups (3 ½ - 32 oz containers)) 1 quart 3 tablespoon lemon juice, bottled Prepare Vegetables, Pita Bread, & Peanuts: 8 pounds 8 oz tomatoes, fresh, grape or cherry (1 gal 2 qt 1 cup) 8 pounds 4 oz cucumbers, fresh, unpared (1 gal 2 qt 1 cup) pita bread, whole grain-rich (at least 1 oz eq) (100 each) 2 pounds 2 oz peanuts, no salt added, chopped (1 qt 2 3/8 cups)
INGREDIENTS Prepare Chicken: 6 pounds 4 oz chicken breast, diced, cooked (USDA or Commercial) 3 cups lemon juice, bottled 2 cups vegetable oil (USDA or Commercial) This bowl pairs seasoned chicken shawarma with turmeric rice, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, creamy peanut hummus, pita and chopped peanuts for a flavorful, globally inspired meal students can customize.
1 cup granulated garlic 1/3 cup cumin, ground 1/3 cup paprika, ground
1/3 cup oregano leaves, dried 2 tsp cayenne pepper, ground 2 sprays nonstick cooking spray
RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF BRENDA WATTLES
TOTAL SERVINGS: 100 SERVING SIZE: 1 CUP RICE IN BOWL, TOP WITH #20 SCOOP SEASONED CHICKEN, ¼ CUP TOMATOES, ¼ CUP CUCUMBERS, ¼ CUP HUMMUS, AND GARNISH WITH 1 TBSP CHOPPED PEANUTS.
DIRECTIONS
Thaw Chicken: Thaw under refrigeration for 48 hours. Hold at 41° F or lower. Season and Marinate Chicken:
Place chicken in 12” x 20” x 4’ steamtable pan. Toss chicken with lemon juice and vegetable oil. Mix dry seasonings together. Toss seasonings with chicken and cover. Marinate in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. Hold at 41° F or lower. Cook Rice: Preheat oven to 350°F. For 100 – 1 cup servings: Spray 2 - 12” x 20” x 4” steamtable pans with cooking spray. Place 6 lb 4 oz rice, 2 Tbsp turmeric, 2 Tbsp cumin, 2 Tbsp granulated garlic, and 1 gal 1 qt hot water in each pan. Stir to combine and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Cook Chicken: Steam chicken breast in steamer for 15 minutes. Remove from steamer and stir. Place back in the steamer for 10 more minutes or until internal temperaturereaches 165°F. Heat to 165° F or higher for 15 seconds. Hold at 135°F or lower. Prepare Hummus: In a mixer, whisk peanut butter, yogurt, and lemon juice. Hold at 41° F or lower Prepare Vegetables: Halve tomatoes (makes about 1 gal 2 qt 1 cup) and dice cucumbers (makes about 1 gal 2 qt 1 cup). Warm Pita Bread: Place pita bread in warmer for 30 minutes. Remove and cut into triangles. Serve: Place 1 cup (8 oz spoodle) rice in bowl, top with #20 scoop (about 1.4 oz) seasoned chicken, ¼ cup (2 oz spoodle) tomatoes, ¼ cup (2 oz spoodle) cucumbers, ¼ cup hummus (#16 scoop/2.1 oz), and garnish with 1 Tbsp chopped peanuts. Note: Some kid taste testers enjoyed the flavors, however, they did not want them mixed together. Recommend a bento box to separate ingredients for picky eaters or younger children.
Want to stop the scroll? Rachel and Kariss explain why adding more video content to your social media can help your school nutrition program stand out. The Key to Standing Out on Social Media VIDEO CONTENT THE SOCIAL CORNER
Rachel Dreslinski Social Media Manager, NxtGen Network Rachel specializes in social media strategy and management for brands in the K–12 school nutrition and food and beverage industries. With nearly two years of experience, she focuses on creating story-driven content that builds genuine connection with audiences.
Kariss Harvey Social Media Manager, NxtGen Network Kariss Harvey is a Social Media Manager at NxtGen Network, specializing in content creation and strategy for K–12 school nutrition and foodservice brands. Kariss brings a creative, people first approach to content that feels authentic, engaging, and impactful.
THE WAIT IS OVER... ...watch the crowning moment.
of
The Road to the Crown has come to an end, bringing the 2026 Crave Competition: Tournament of Champions to a thrilling close at ANC Charlotte. After an incredible competition, the final results were remarkably close . Every finalist brought bold creativity and outstanding flavor to the competition, making this one of our closest finishes yet. Watch the video to see who earned the crown!
THE FINAL FOUR: 4 incredible finalists, but only 1 champion!
Ready to see who wears the crown? Watch the reveal.
North Crawford School district
palm beach county School district
Get Inspired! Download the 2026 Crave Collection and discover a full lineup of on-trend, student-tested recipes crafted to keep school menus fresh, exciting, and craveable.
roane county School district
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS of 2026
Visit www.jtmcravecompetition.com to learn more about our competitors, and their recipes!
troup county School district
800.626.2308 jtmfoodgroup.com
THE RIGHT PARTNER FOR SCHOOL NUTRITION'S COLD STORAGE CHALLENGES
largest school nutrition programs in the country. A second session, led by the Polar King team, connected those program-growth strategies directly back to the infrastructure that makes them possible: reliable cold storage that keeps inventory protected and service running smoothly, no matter what's happening with supply chains or staffing. A visit to Kuehnert Dairy Farms, hosted by American Dairy Association Indiana, gave attendees a rare view into where their dairy products originate — reinforcing just how critical it is that every link in the cold chain, from farm to freezer to cafeteria line, holds up to the same standard. It's a reminder that equipment decisions don't happen in isolation; they affect food quality and safety at every stage. An Investment in School Nutrition Leaders Every element of the symposium was designed to make this knowledge accessible: participants earned CEUs for each educational session attended, and travel costs were fully covered through a scholarship provided by NxtGen Network. There was no sales pressure and no expectation to purchase — just an opportunity to learn from experts, see Polar King's manufacturing process up close, and evaluate whether Polar King is the right fit for their district's specific needs. A riverboat cruise on night two gave attendees more time to connect and network, offering a relaxed way to unwind after a full day of learning. For the K-12 foodservice leaders who attended, the symposium delivered a clear takeaway: Polar King's combination of durable, American-made construction, decades of industry experience, and a genuine commitment to educating (not just selling to) school nutrition professionals makes it a cold storage partner districts can trust to solve the challenges they're facing today — and the ones still ahead. Polar King is hosting 2 symposiums in 2027 — be on the lookout for more information soon!
S chool nutrition programs across the country are facing the same pressures at once: rising costs, product and labor shortages, and unpredictable delivery timelines. The Polar King Summit City Symposium, hosted this past June in Fort Wayne, Indiana, gave K-12 foodservice decision- makers a firsthand look at how Polar King's outdoor refrigerated solutions are built to meet those challenges head-on — and why more districts are choosing Polar King as their cold storage partner. Attendees toured Polar King's 251,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, where every walk-in cooler, freezer, and refrigerated trailer is built with seamless, American- made fiberglass construction. For foodservice leaders who've dealt
with equipment failures, delayed repairs, or units that can't hold up to outdoor conditions, the tour offered concrete proof of Polar King's 40+ years of durability and craftsmanship — and a clear answer to the question of why fiberglass construction matters for districts that need equipment to perform, season after season, without fail. Education sessions gave attendees more than product information — they walked away with strategies they can put to work immediately, fueled by morning coffee courtesy of symposium sponsor Java House. Angie Kasselakis, MPA, RDN, SHRM-SCP, Food and Nutrition Officer for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, led a session on engaging students and growing program participation, drawing on her experience running one of the
Interested in attending a Polar King Summit?
BRINGING INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS TO SCHOOL MENUS The Global Plate
S chool communities reflect a wide range of cultures, backgrounds, and lived experiences. As a result, school menus are evolving to of- fer students more variety and new op- portunities to experience flavors from around the world. Introducing interna- tionally inspired dishes into the cafete- ria expands students’ palates, encour- ages curiosity, and makes mealtimes more dynamic and memorable. Food has always been a powerful con- nector. A single dish can tell a story, carry tradition, and open the door to meaningful conversations. When stu- dents see their cultures represented in the meals served at school, it reinforc- es a sense of belonging. At the same time, offering globally inspired options invites all students to explore some- thing new, encouraging open-mind- edness and a sense of connection. Whether it is a Latin-inspired rice bowl, a Mediterranean grain salad, or an Asian-style noodle dish, these offer - ings create moments of discovery that extend beyond the lunch tray. However, creating a globally inclusive menu is only part of the equation. The environment in which students gather to enjoy these meals plays an equal- ly important role in creating a space where students can engage with each other. The cafeteria is one of the few spaces during the school day where students can interact freely with peers, exchange ideas, and learn from
one another in a natural, social set- ting. When thoughtfully designed, this space supports not just nourishment, but connection. AmTab believes that flexible, stu - dent-centered dining environments help bring these experiences to life. A variety of seating options allows students to choose how they engage during mealtime. A mix of table con- figurations supports both group inter - action and shared meals, while also providing space for quieter, more per- sonal conversations. This flexibility en - courages students to connect across cultures, building relationships that might not otherwise form in a tradi- tional classroom setting. Visual elements within the dining space can further enhance the expe- rience. Signage, Graphics, and Decor that reflect global themes or high -
light featured menu items can spark interest and provide context for new dishes. These subtle cues help turn everyday meals into opportunities for learning and exploration. By pairing globally inspired menus with welcoming, adaptable dining en- vironments, schools can transform the cafeteria into a space that reflects and celebrates the diversity of their stu- dents. It becomes more than a place to eat. It becomes a place where stu- dents learn from one another, share new experiences, and feel a stronger sense of connection to their school community. Through thoughtful design and in- tentional menu planning, the global plate becomes a meaningful part of the school day; one that supports both cultural appreciation and student be- longing.
Theresa Paschall | AmTab Manufacturing Theresa is a devoted advocate for transforming the landscape of school nutrition through the modernization of cafeteria spaces. With a passion for enhancing the dining experience for students, she strives to create environments that not only nourish but also inspire. Through her work, Theresa is on a mission to revolutionize the way schools approach food, ensuring that every meal served is a step towards a healthier future for the next generation. AmTab.com
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JANUARY 9TH Hillsborough County Public Schools Center for Nutrition and Culinary Services
WHERE IDEAS BECOME ACTION. Immersion brings together forward-thinking school nutrition professionals and industry partners for a day of hands-on learning, meaningful connections, and real conversations that inspire what’s next. Whether you’re looking to grow your network, share your expertise, or discover innovative solutions, this is where it happens.
OPERATORS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING?
MANUFACTURERS INTERESTED IN BEING A SPONSOR? Email DOsberg@realtime-solutions.com · marlon@nxtgennetwork.com
Our team welcomed students and guests
during the Chicken Sugaar taste-testing event, where feedback helps determine whether recipes are ready for school cafeterias.
Edible Education | Slicing up Inspiration for your Menu and More! Your trusted source for thoughtfully curated, practical strategies helping food service professionals turn great ideas into practical action Celebrating Culture Through the Ohio Proud Recipe Initiative
School nutrition professionals have a unique opportunity to do more than feed students - they can help students discover new cultures while cre- ating menus that better reflect the communities they serve. As Ohio's student population continues to be- come more diverse, culturally inspired recipes offer schools an opportunity to introduce au - thentic global flavors while supporting nutrition standards and celebrating the rich backgrounds represented in today's classrooms. As part of the Ohio Proud Recipe Initiative, our team developed two Somali-inspired recipes - Chicken Cagaar and Suqaar . The project chal- lenged us to create recipes that honored tradition- al flavor profiles while incorporating Ohio-grown or produced ingredients and meeting USDA meal pattern requirements for school nutrition pro- grams.
RESEARCH BEFORE THE RECIPE Creating culturally inspired recipes begins with understanding the food itself. Our development process included researching the origins of each dish, traditional ingredients, cooking techniques, and the flavors that make these recipes recognizable within Somali cuisine. While recipes often vary from family to family, understanding the core characteristics helped guide recipe development. From there, our culinary team adapted the recipes for school nutrition operations by considering in- gredient availability, production methods, serving sizes, and nutritional requirements. The goal was never to duplicate a family recipe exactly, but rather to create school-friendly ver- sions that respect the culinary traditions that in- spired them.
BLENDING TRADITION WITH SCHOOL NUTRITION
Developing recipes for schools re- quires balancing authenticity with practicality. Every recipe developed through the Ohio Proud Recipe Initiative must: • Meet USDA meal pattern require- ments. • Be practical for large-scale school production. • Utilize ingredients that are readily available, with an emphasis on Ohio- grown products when possible. • Appeal to students while main- taining the character of the original dish. That balance allows school districts to introduce students to new cuisines without creating recipes that are diffi - cult to prepare or serve in a cafeteria setting.
Students sampled Chicken Sugaar during a taste- testing event, providing valuable feedback that helps determine whether recipes are ready for school menus.
Food has the unique ability to introduce students to new cultures, celebrate the diversity within our schools, and create meaningful connections - one meal at a time." “
THE IMPORTANCE OF TASTE TESTING
Our team welcomed students and guests during the Chicken Sugaar taste-testing event, where feedback helps determine whether recipes are ready for school cafeterias. Once development is complete, the next step is letting students decide. Student taste testing is one of the most valuable parts of the recipe develop- ment process. Using a simple digital survey, students rated the recipes im- mediately after sampling them. Their feedback provides meaningful insight into flavor, acceptance, and overall ap - peal before recipes are finalized. Taste testing also creates an opportun- ity for students to experience foods they may have never tried before. For
some students, these recipes may feel familiar. For others, they offer an intro - duction to another culture through one of the most universal experiences: sharing a meal.
classrooms while exposing all students to cuisines from around the world. The Ohio Proud Recipe Initiative dem- onstrates that school meals can ac- complish much more than meeting nutrition standards. They can spark curiosity, encourage cultural appreci- ation, and create memorable dining experiences for students. When thoughtfully developed, cul- turally inspired recipes become more than menu items - they become oppor- tunities to celebrate the communities our schools proudly serve.
MENUS THAT REFLECT OUR COMMUNITIES
The Columbus region is home to one of the nation's largest and fastest-grow- ing Somali communities. As school dis- tricts continue to evolve, culturally in- spired recipes can help menus better reflect the diversity found in today's
Pisanick Partners
Pisanick Partners is a nutrition and operations based consulting firm with decades of experience in Child Nutrition. We have refine our approach through creation of cycle menus, training and development of staff, and implementing strategies that take on the task of not only attaining nutritional excellence, but also financial success in the K-12 environment. Our experience not only supports a school district in meeting all state and federal mandates for implementing the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, but also the menu creation with an eye for detail and meticulous organization. The objective is to quickly and accurately evaluate, analyze and organize a district’s nutritional program to insure compliance and easy on-going maintenance.
FRESH CONTENT FROM
T he Maine Department of Farm-to-School Cook Off. The annual competition invites school foodservice teams from around the state to go head-to-head to create K-12-friendly menu items that incorporate local ingredients. Education (DOE) has crowned the winner of this year’s DOE This year, participants in the final round held at Bangor High School had to create a breakfast dish and a lunch dish using local blueberries and local beef. The dishes were judged based on taste and flavor, creative use of the local ingredients and more. Chef Manager Hannah Liberty and Staff Member Brenda White from RSU 22 were declared the winners. They prepared a yogurt-and-fruit parfait for their breakfast dish and a beef burrito with a side salad for their lunch dish. “Child nutrition is so important to me,” RSU 22 Chef Manager Hannah Liberty said in a statement. “Growing up in a rural community in Maine, we are trying to do our best with what we are given and making sure that we’re giving our kids the best possible food, with the best
Maine DOE Farm-to- School Cook-Off showcases local blueberries and beef in school meals
possible ingredients, that we possibly can.” Liberty and White received a plaque and certificate in honor of their win, and each of the event’s participants were given a cookbook with the recipes used in the competition. The recipes will also be available online for other school nutrition teams to use. This is the 11th year the state’s Department of Education has hosted the competition. The state has placed an emphasis on local foods in schools for years. School nutrition teams in the state who use local ingredients on their menus are eligible for state reimbursement through the state’s Local Foods Fund. School nutrition programs in the state have been reimbursed just under $385,000 in local foods purchases since the program began in 2021, according to Maine DOE. “We aim to highlight the incredible innovation happening in Maine schools through the Farm-to-School Cook- Off,” said Stephanie Stambach, Maine DOE child nutrition supervisor, in a statement. “What you see here is just a glimpse of the creativity, dedication, and strong local partnerships that are transforming school meals across the state.”
BY BENITA GINGERELLA
RSU 22 Chef Manager Hannah Liberty and Staff Member Brenda White were crowned the winners of this year’s Farm-to-School Cook-Off. Their winning dishes were a yogurt parfait and beef burrito prepared using local ingredients.
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