Served Digizine™ - Your Program: Is it Sustainable?

Look to the future and ask yourself, is my program sustainable? This issue is full of ideas on all different aspects of sustainability. Equip yourself with tools to run a long-term successful program.

Issue No. 15 April 2022

Real Talk The Sustainability of the Cafeteria Worker

WASTE NOT WANT NOT How To Minimize Your Food Waste to Sustain the Earth AND Your Program

Getting to the H.E.A.R.T of a Great Leader

Contents

08 The Sustainability Conversation WE ARE NOT HAVING.

20 chicken bowl

Sustainability at the Forefront Creating Spaces

4c’s sizzle reel

This is a four-part series that was inspired by a LINQ’D UP podcast featuring Shannon Solomon from Aurora Public Schools. In this series, Shannon will be the guest host and will be joined by Jessica Shelly, Katie Cossette, and Roy Pistone where they speak about what it takes to successfully run your child nutrition program as the business it is.

PODCAST SPOTLIGHT Each edition we’ll bring you the freshest podcast content to boost your programs, your knowledge, and hopefully your mood. Grab a coffee, wine, or even your walking shoes and listen in.

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About Next Up

8 | IPS Rebates

include a live in person audience or a live virtual audience to engage with in real time. The concept of the show revolves around “breaking bread” while building relationships, building each other up, and solving problems through collaboration to create a better tomorrow.

Next Up is a talk show featuring some of the most successful leaders, educators, and influencers from around the world serving in different sectors. Guests will be chosen by NxtGen Network and can also be suggested by sponsors. All episodes will be filmed in a studio with a multi-camera setup, be converted to podcast, and can

There’s More

Contents

02 06

Podcast Spotlight with Next Up and USFA Chicken Fiesta Bowl with Bites with Applewhite by Bettina J. Applewhite, SNS This is Really Going to Shake Your Eggs Up by Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS Served Edition Recap Edible Education Waste Not Want Not with Pisanick Partners

Next Up The 4c’s behind the business of child nutrition

WASTE NOT WANT NOT How To Minimize Your Food Waste to Sustain the Earth AND Your Program Edible Education:

Letter from the Editors & Served Highlights Ready-to-Use Tips

This is Really Going to Your Eggs Up! Shake

The Rundown of Diary-Free Milks with Ready Foods by Annelise McAuliffe Soares The Sustainability Conversation we are NOT Having with Lunch Assist by Angela Gomez, RDN, SNS Creating Spaces Sustainability at the Forefront with AmTab by Conor Doyle ICN Resource of the Month

22 24 26 28 30

12 13

USFA: From the Blog Transformational Procurement with USFA by Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS The MOMologue by Stacy Cardinale

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The Heart of Leadership by Ervin Watson

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9 The Rundown on Dairy Free Milks Ready-to-Use Tips

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with Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS

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Welcome to the age of the Digizine! Here are your April Highlights.

Co-Creators & Co-Editors Amanda & Marlon Say

“Developing those capable of being the light in a word of food insecurities”

Spring! Finally, the dawn of new life and all those tulips we planted with hope and prayer are ready to grace us with their beauty. What ideas are ready to be harvested? What energy are you excited to activate? Do you have a new program or are you just looking forward to ending the year with an eye towards the rest and relaxation of summer? No matter what seeds you’ve planted, we need to sustain our programs whether that is in the form of our budgets financially, our people emotionally, or our employees professionally. Now is not the time for complacency or just waiting out this bid year. We must actively engage in our goals as the fiscal year closes, looking toward the future but remaining present in today’s success. Whatever your individual goals, this spring has brought hope anew to the possibility of continuing to provide school meals at no cost to parents next year. Behold the

NxtGen Pro is a national professional development, networking, and mentorship program that will provide the highest level of education to those in foodservice. When we say foodservice, we mean ALL of foodservice. We don’t care if you are a chef, a restaurant owner, if you work in colleges and universities, if you’re a Child Nutrition Professional or any food industry. There is something to gain from collaborating and learning from/with those in other verticals, and tons of innovation to follow. Everybody will have the ability to apply to the program as a mentee or a mentor and pairings will be made based on personalities and goals. NxtGen Pro will be the place where the best and brightest future leaders (and new leaders!) come together and will include in person and virtual meetups. For more information on NxtGen Pro as it becomes available, register below.

Below are a few of our first mentors:

Support Kids Not Red Tape Act of 2022 (insert Easter Resurrection music here for full effect). Last week I was resigned to the return of meal charge policies, PLE forms, and debt collection. This week my Inbox is full of call to action emails. My response? Let’s go! Folks, this is our last effort to continue serving our communities and feeding our students. We will reap what we sow. So, let’s plant the seeds of change and support this newest piece of legislature.

Shannon Solomon, MS, SNS

Donnette Worthy, SNS

Beverly Girard, PHD, MBA, RD, SNS

Stefanie Giannini, MA, SNS

Ervin Watson, MBA

Jessica Shelley, MBA, SNS, REHS

- Amanda

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Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Annelise has spent her career making sure food sounds appetizing on paper, looks good in pictures and tastes amazing when you order it. Her day-to-day consists of working as Marketing Manager at Ready Foods to connect food service operators with ready-to-use kitchen solutions that are easy to incorporate into a kitchen flow and bring great flavor to menu items. Her favorite hot lunch in elementary school was always nacho day. Ready Foods Annelise McAuliffe Soares Ready-to-Use Tips!

on Dairy- Free Milks The Rundown

It’s 2022, it’s typical that every foodservice kitchen has at least one diner who is dairy-free, vegan, lactose intolerant, looking to decrease their carbon footprint or just straight up prefers the taste of milks that don’t come from animals. So how does one choose what to stock in your kitchen? We look at just a few of the factors to consider for each dairy-free option: the carbon footprint, the allergens, the nutritional density. Almond, rice, oat, pea, flax, coconut, hemp, soy… how does one choose?! Some facts to get us started… According to Fior Markets, the dairy alternative market is supposed to increase by 11.7% by 2028, it’s time to get educated. The US Department of Agriculture reports that 80% of our water goes to agriculture, a fact we need to monitor. No matter which milk you choose, know that all agriculture for diary-free milk production is reported to use less water and land than raising cattle for milk. Almond Milk Almond Milk packs the calcium punch, like cow’s milk. While it uses less water than cow’s milk to produce, almonds are one of the neediest nuts when it comes to water, increasing its carbon footprint. The other strike against this milk option is that it is, of course, made with a top nut allergen. (Walnuts and pistachios are also high water usage nus. Peanuts and cashews tend to use less water.) Rice Milk This dairy-free option is great, when it comes to keeping your kitchen allergen-free. However, rice milk is relatively high in calories and low in nutrients. Because rice has to be grown in pools of water, its carbon footprint is rather large, although still smaller than almond’s. Oat Milk Oat milk is a good choice from a nutrient and low-

water usage standpoint. It touts a label that is high in fiber and some brands certify their product as gluten- free. Pea Milk A newer option on the dairy-free scene, pea milk is made from yellow peas and tends to have more protein than the other options. It is often loaded with calcium. A bonus, these milks tend to be allergen- free. Peas also require much less water to grow than almonds. Flax & Hemp Milk We find flax milk to not be as naturally sweet-tasting as other options, like oat milk. It’s a great alternative in savory recipes, plus both hemp and flax are not on the top allergen list. Most flax and hemp milks are loaded with healthy omega-3’s. Both are fairly hearty crops and do not require a ton of water or pesticides to thrive. Coconut Milk Coconut allergies are common, so proceed with caution, although they do require less water to grow. Combined with its bold flavor, coconut milk is fairly high in saturated fat, which gives it two more negative marks. Soy Milk Like pea milk, soy milk is high in protein and overall has great nutrition. Its water usage is relatively low, but it does require a lot of land to grow soybeans. Soy is also a top allergen, so use with caution. As you can see, there is no one-size-fits-all option. Choose a dairy-free milk that suits your students and your sustainability and nutrition goals. Don’t be afraid to switch it up and test the waters.

Learn More

The Sustainability Conversation WE ARE NOT HAVING.

School Lunch Hero Day on May 6th, I want to ask: how are we showing up for Cafeteria Workers? How are we positively impacting their daily lives? How are we using our power to leverage a better life for Cafeteria Workers? Because as it stands today, the role of the Cafeteria Worker is

Cafeteria Workers throughout the country do the best they can with what they have. They are making it work while being underpaid, overworked, and burnt out from a worldwide pandemic as a frontline worker. Making it work isn’t the same thing as thriving. Making it work isn’t sustainable, it’s just surviving. Cafeteria Workers deserve more, not because they are Cafeteria Workers but because they are human beings. Their role in School Nutrition and the labor they produce are integral to our industry, the communities they live in, and, most importantly, to the students they serve. But Cafeteria Workers are more than their labor and it is time that we take care of the people who care for our children. When we advocate for Cafeteria Workers, we are also advocating for the students they serve. The truth is, we need Cafeteria Workers more than they need us. So sure, let’s make moves towards sustainability, but we

not sustainable. We can’t just want it to change, we need it to change. The sustainability of our programs, the wonderful humans who make our programs possible,

School Nutrition Coordinator, LunchAssist Angela Gomez, RDN, SNS

We all have that “one” friend. That friend that brings up the conversation you are not having, but should be having. Today, I am that friend. More and more, School Nutrition Professionals are starting to talk seriously about sustainability. However, there is one huge piece of sustainability that we are not talking about. That is the sustainability of the Cafeteria Worker. You know, our

frontline workers, our School Lunch Heroes, our bread and butter.

The labor shortage being felt throughout the country should be School Nutrition’s blaring warning sign. Cafeterias all across the U.S. have plenty of vacant positions with very few people, if any, lining up to fill

and the students who rely on these meals depend on it.

those positions. Now if you are in the School Nutrition world, it is no secret that the job of a Cafeteria Worker is a skilled position that is physically demanding, fast- paced, and (as care-work carried out by mostly women) is generally under-appreciated.Many Cafeteria Workers don’t make a livable wage and don’t have full-time hours or the benefits that come with working full-time.

can’t have true sustainability without equity. You can’t have equity without prioritizing the very humans who ensure our School Meal Programs exist.

As you gear up to celebrate

Angela is a second-career Registered Dietitian and recently transitioned out of her role as a Nutritionist at an Arizona school district to the School Lunch Coordinator position with LunchAssist. She started her career as a Dietitian over 4 years ago after unexpectedly falling in love with School Nutrition during her dietetic internship. Angela sees School Nutrition as the ideal place to bridge her passion for tasty food, nutrition education, health equity, and food justice. She loves any opportunity to be creative and feels that the world of School Nutrition continues to be a great place to flex those creative muscles. Angela Gomez, RDN, SNS LunchAssist; School Nutrition Coordinator

Conor is actively involved in the school nutrition company who helps provide valuable insight on café modernization projects across the country His favorite part about working with schools is knowing that students and staff will love their modernized spaces. Being able to transform ordinary environments to extraordinary ones that students love being a part of is amazing! Conor graduated from DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. Find Conor on LinkedIn Here! Digital Marketing Specialist, AmTab Manufacturing Conor Doyle Creating Spaces

Sustain the Earth and Your Program with Farm to School Program (F2S) Resources from the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) and the Child Nutrition Sharing Site (CNSS)! CNSS is an online information center providing Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs) with ameans for sharing effective programoperational resources. Thiswebsite is a collaboration between the ICN and the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (USDA, FNS) and gives child nutrition professionals access to resources that support current Federal regulations, policies, and guidance. Within the Farm to School Topic Area of CNSS, users can access free resources categorized under the following sub-topics: • Building Your Farm to School Team • Defining and Finding Local Foods, Procurement Guidance and Regulations • Farm to School at Home • Farm to School Nutrition Education, Curriculum, and Careers in Agriculture • Menu Planning, Taste Testing, and Promoting Local Foods • Promoting Your Farm to School Program • Resources for Producers and for Working with Producers • School Gardens • Traditional/Native Food Resources

Sustainability at the Forefront

AmTab, in case you are not familiar, is a world- class American designer, manufacturer, and furnisher of high-impact food courts. Our main mission is to help create modern, popular, and fun spaces for students to enjoy. An underlying driving force that helps define who we are as a company is being a sustainable friendly company . From the designing, manufacturing packing, transportation, all the way to the furnishing process we follow all local, state, and federal environmental standards. It’s amazing what a company can not only accomplish for schools across the country, but also helping the environment with each food court completed. AmTab takes into account the impact that our products have on the environment and strategically designs them to maximize their sustainability. We incorporate renewable, recycled, and recyclable materials; use

innovative technology to make design considerations for the environment; and, address the end-of-life management and recovery options for the materials that make up our products. There is purpose in everything we do as a company. Sustainability is and has always been at the forefront of our fundamental values. Collaborating with the right manufacturer that not only can deliver state of the art furniture, amazing designs, but also is good for the environment is important. When looking to modernize your food court be sure to look at all aspects of the company. See what they do well, meet with the team who you will be working with and see their core values. Those values will help define and create a wonderful space for your students to be a part of.

And while you’re on the CNSS, submit your own F2S resources! Visit the Submission Form and under “Type of Program,” choose

Farm to School, and complete the form. Your resources will be reviewed by the USDA, FNS Office of Community Food Systems staff. You will receive an email notification if there are questions and when the resource has been added to the Resource Hub.

You can access all of the current F2S Resources at NO COST!

You can also find Farm to School Webinars on iLearn! Each 1-hour webinar features Farm to School topics and presenters.

Click here to Learn how your food court can be transformed!

Subscribe to ICN Newsletters and Resource Update Emails Here!

The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), part of the School of Applied Sciences at The University of Mississippi, is the only federally funded national center dedicated to applied research, education and training, and technical assistance for child nutrition programs. The Institute’s mission is to provide information and services that promote the continuous improvement of child nutrition programs. ICN Website About ICN

7-10-22 | ORLANDO, FL

We have officially opened up the Wait List for LINQ’D UP 2022! NxtGen Network is partnering with your favorite industry partners to celebrate School Nutrition Professionals for all of your accomplishments these past two years on July 10, 2022 in Orlando, FL! The evening will start with the live filming of the finale episode of The 4c’s Behind the Business of Child Nutrition featuring Shannon Solomon as the guest host and Jessica Shelly, Katie Cossette, and Roy Pistone as her guests. Following the episode we’ll have short announcements from our industry partners, the Lunchroom RockStars award ceremony, and a full night of dancing and some other surprises. Oh yeah…the educational portion of LINQ’D UP also qualifies for a CEU!

https://vimeo.com/686458403

Show, Don’t Tell. We believe in showing, not telling. We are proud to introduce Served, K-12’s newest platform for sharing your story. Served is a Digizine. This is a living breathing platform that you can read, watch, or listen to. It is easily consumable information in audio, video, and written format brought to you by school nutrition professionals monthly. Engage, educate, and inspire others through Served Digizine™ . By the Numbers Distributed to over 50,000 school nutrition professionals each edition. 15,000 social media reach monthly.

Shannon Solomon, MS, SNS Director of Nutrition Services, Aurora Public Schools, CO Event Host

Jessica Shelley, MBA, SNS, REHS Director of Student Dining Services, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH

Katie Cossette, MDA, RDN, SNS Director of Nutrition Services, Englewood Schools, CO

Roy R. Pistone II, RD, M.Ed., SNS Director of Food Services, Citrus County School District, FL

LINQ’D UP Co-Sponsors:

New co-sponsorships will be announced as they are added!

Articles & News: info@ServedDigizine.com

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Parent Company: info@NxtGenNetwork.com

have had an eye for new young talent. How do you know when someone has the potential to be a real talent? Mr. Washington simply responded, “I know it when I see it.” Similarly, we may not always be able to identify when we are in the presence of a great leader but, like Denzel said, we “…know it when we see it.” At the heart of great leadership is a dogged determination to ensure that the people who report to and depend on us as leaders are first in our focus. Below are five habits that great leaders demonstrate so frequently that they have become habits for them. These five habits are the H.E.A.R.T. of great leadership.

Here’s what I’ve found…” You may have been on the receiving end of this type of canned response to your expression of how you feel about a thing. Unlike this rehearsed response, empathy is the ability to understand what someone else feels and to see things from their point of view. Empathetic leaders try their best to engage in what their teammate is experiencing. The interesting thing is that the same situation can be different for each person. The empathetic leader recognizes the presence of these differences and while they may not know what to say or do, they can communicate the sentiment that says, “I see you and I care.”

Acceptance One of our deepest felt human needs/ desires is the need for acceptance. People are attracted to acceptance and repelled by rejection. This is the

Humility Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less (frequently). As a leader, there is nothing wrong with putting others ahead ourselves. In fact, a leader who constantly puts

Speaker, Trainer, and Business Consultant Erv Watson

need that many gangs exploit in their recruitment efforts. They realize that many young people are neglected so they can gain their loyalty by feigning love and appreciation. People desire to be accepted as their authentic selves. When leaders appreciate and accept the person as they are, it empowers and engages them on an emotional level. That is not to say that we should excuse poor performance, but we can accept the person while holding them accountable for substandard performance.

themselves ahead of their people will find themselves with a team of people who do the same. If your people are not putting the customer first, you are already in a downward spiral, but you may not know it yet.

Empathy In a previous life, I had sales training that taught us how to respond to potential client questions/ rejections. We were told to say “I know how you feel. I’ve felt the same way.

Leadership can be a “hard-to-describe,” nebulous thing that we experience in our lives but one thing is for sure, when we see poor leadership, we know it but

Read On

when we see great leadership we don’t simply know it but we FEEL IT! I was recently at a leadership summit where Denzel Washington was asked, “You

Relationships Relationships are the only real currency in life. As we went through the pandemic, many of us came to have a greater appreciation for our work relationships. The

rooted in themost basichuman desires. We want to know that the people with whom we are connected can be trusted and are telling us the truth. Andy Stanley says that when there is a gap in people’s understanding or expectations, what they fill that gap with depends on the culture of the organization and the nature of the relationship with the leader. People will either fill the gap with trust or suspicion. As a leader, how and what you communicate to your team will engender one of these two reactions. Great leaders will work to establish a culture of trust that starts at the top and works its way throughout the organization. While this is not a list of the five things you should do to be a great leader, it is five things that can help you and your team make strides moving from good to great. This is the season for great leadership and great leaders know how to capture the HEART of those they lead.

The Wendyverse Our friends over at Nation’s Restaurant News had a conversation about Wendy’s entering the metaverse arena on an episode of the Extra Serving podcast. Being the techy futurists we are, we had to check it out! Join Marlon, Amanda, and Mike on their adventure to Wendyverse!

great leader has great relationships with their staff. That doesn’t mean that they are “BFF’s” with everyone on their team, but it does mean that they have an individual connection with as many of their team as possible. Like relationships outside work, each one is unique. Great leaders recognize relationships that are not well established and are comfortable making intentional efforts to strengthen those relationships. This is not a fake attempt to “befriend” someone but an authentic effort to connect with a teammate who may be on the fringe.

18 min

Nation’s Restaurant News

https://youtu.be/D0a7JXOT9nY

NxtGen Network

About this podcast - The Next Up Podcast series is the landing place for those interested in thought leadership. We focus on having real, and open conversations with the most inspiration, intellectual, innovative, individuals from across the globe that share a common desire to help others be the best version of themselves.

Trust To build trust it is key for leaders to operate in truth. Trust is the foundation on which a thriving organization and every successful relationship is built. Truth is

Great Kids Farm with Baltimore City

Public Schools 36 min Welcome to the Urban Update podcast! On this episode I had the opportunity to spend some time at the Great Kids farm which is operated by Baltimore City Public School’s Food and Nutrition Services Department. Joining me I have Anne Rosenthal, their Farm to School specialist, Monique Rolle (Role), the Manager of Menu Planning and Procurement, and their Executive Director, Elizabeth Marchetta. You’ll learn more about the history of the farm, how FNS is using it to educate students, and why it’s important to have fun innovative programs such as this one within child nutrition programs.

the fuel that will drive them forward and it can also elevate a mediocre leader to the next level because it is

Ervin Watson is a 17-year veteran of school nutrition, having served at the local and state level as manager, program administrator and education specialist. He is an enthusiastic professional speaker, trainer and business consultant who is one of the most sought-after speakers and trainers at the local, state and national level. He has twice been selected to present at SNA’s annual conference as part of the Richard B. Russell leadership series. He is currently working on the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access task force for SNA, and he brings a unique perspective to the challenges our industry is facing. Ervin says that the reason he stays so busy is that “…he loves what he does and loves the people he does it for”. Ervin Watson, MBA Speaker, Trainer & Business Consultant | ErvinWatson.com

Great Kids Farms

Baltimore City Public Schools

Urban School Food Alliance

About this podcast - The Urban Update Podcast is brought to you by the Urban School Food Alliance. The USFA was created in 2012 to address the unique needs of the nation’s largest school districts. As a 501c3 nonprofit, we share best practices, develop procurement strategies, and advocate for the health and wellness of students.

chicken bowl

All the veggies and such flavorful chicken. It’s easy to make and yummy for all ages!

Recipe

Slow-Cooked Shredded Verde Chicken Makes 6 servings

What’s Needed • 3 chicken breasts, skinless • 1 Tbsp Cumin • 1-1/2 Tbsp Garlic Powder • 1-1/2 Tbsp Onion Powder • 1 tsp Pepper • 16 oz Jar Salsa Verde

Baltimore County Schools (MD) Bites With Applewhite Bettina J. Applewhite, SNS

Eating meals in bowls are all the craze right now. And I definitely understand why. It’s fun. I get to add whatever ingredients I want to my bowl. Choosing exactly what I want in my dish gets me so excited. Just imagine how much of a feeling of independence and individuality creating your own meal will be to a young person. It also creates less waste and a better chance of eating everything. In my school system, we created the “Burrito Hut.” It’s the same concept as many customizable and made to order restaurant chains. The base is either a bowl with 2 scoops of brown rice or a tortilla shell with brown rice. From there you can add beans, chicken or beef, corn, and sour cream. I’ve made my chicken fiesta bowl with a base of brown rice. I used shredded slow-cooked chicken and black beans for my protein. I’m not big on adding shredded cheese to my burrito bowls so I left it out of this recipe. You can surely add in shredded cheddar or jack cheeses if that’s what you’re into.

Steps 1. Season chicken breasts with cumin, garlic, onion, and pepper. Place inside your slow-cooker. Cover chicken with salsa verde. Cook on low for 5 - 6 hours. 2. Using 2 forks, shredded the chicken into the salsa verde. This chicken is perfect as part of the chicken fiesta bowl above or in tacos, enchiladas, in salads. *School lunch has many requirements to make sure we are serving the best possible meals to the students. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates all guidelines for the National School Lunch Program. Sodium is restricted to no more than 1420 mg for high school students. High school lunch meals are limited to 750 - 850 calories a day. All grains like bread, pasta, rice, and even the breading on chicken are limited to whole grains. Milk must be low fat. Even the vegetable offerings are regulated so that a good variety is offered every week. Beans and legumes must be included on the menu each week. Different vegetables offer varying nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Offering a variety throughout the week will help students get all of the nutrients they need.

Bettina is a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist, School Nutrition Specialist, and all-around Foodie. She’s had a passion for food and sharing that love of food with others since childhood. In her teenage years, she started cooking at home for her mom. She learned from watching cooking shows and studying cookbooks. As she continued to cook family dinners, I was able to explore more foods and exotic dishes. When I had to start a career, It was important for her to blend her love of science with her love of food. Bettina gained her masters’ degree in Integrative Bioscience with a concentration in Nutrition and became a Registered Dietitian- Nutritionist. School nutrition is where she’s found her niche and became a credentialed School Nutrition Specialist. She enjoys sharing her love of food with younger generations. Seeing students taste something new sparks joy in her life. Bettina J. Applewhite, SNS Baltimore County Schools (MD) | Bites With Applewhite

Your Eggs Up! Shake

This is Really Going to

If you aren’t worried about meeting any component requirements and want to offer a true dessert, try this Easter Smores Dip I saw on TikTok. Spray the bottom of a baking dish with non-stick spray or lightly coat with butter. Pour in some chocolate chips and layer with the classic Peeps marshmallows alternating colors between rows. Bake in a conventional oven 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes. Serve with graham crackers. YUM! This would be a fun recipe to send home with students or parents for some holiday weekend fun that the family can enjoy together. Bake sugar cookies in the shape of eggs or bunny rabbits, decorate and viola! Make your own fruit carrots by adding orange food coloring to melted white chocolate. Leaving the green stem on strawberries, dip them into the orange chocolate covering the red skin completely. Let it dry. Fill a piping or plastic bag with more orange chocolate, and in a sweeping motion, drizzle chocolate over strawberry to add dimension. If you wanted to, you could sprinkle it with crushed oreos to give the illusion of a fresh carrot pulled straight from the soil. How fun?! Another fun dessert would be Peeps Rice Krispies Treats! Make your Rice Krispies Treats using Peeps marshmallows.When done, sprinkle the top with colorful edible sprinkles. Students are sure to love this one! These ideas can extend into the entire Spring season! As I said in the beginning, there are endless possibilities. Ones that can meet meal pattern contributions and ones that do not. Whichever direction you choose, remember to have fun! Let the colorful passion you have for school nutrition shine through the work you do! Happy Spring!

Self-Proclaimed Recipe Concoctor Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS

One thing I love about Spring is the bloom of various colors. From garden beds to the candy aisle, I love seeing the bright colors flood my surroundings welcoming the new season. When celebrating Spring and the Easter holiday this month in your cafeterias, there are endless ideas. Anything colorful can be associated with the Easter Bunny himself, including Jellybeans and Captain Crunch cereal. If you like to serve special treats on holidays like Halloween, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, continue reading for Easter fun! Colorfully dyed boiled eggs can be served at breakfast and lunch in a protein pack container with a handful of nuts, string cheese and a muffin or on a bed of lettuce in a salad. Jazz up a basic parfait by turning it into a bunny rabbit’s garden. Layer the bottom of a clear parfait cup with 2 oz granola to create dirt. Add green food coloring to your vanilla yogurt and portion on top. Toss coconut shavings in the same green food coloring to create the illusion of grass and sprinkle atop yogurt. Now you’re ready to nestle in a small rabbit-shaped chocolate and arrange two to three Whoppers Mini Robin Eggs or Cadbury Eggs. There’s your bunny paradise. You can’t tell me a student wouldn’t want that! Use this parfait idea to create your own design and layers of a yummy breakfast treat. Easily switch out the bunny-shaped chocolate for a bunny-shaped marshmallow or substitute 2 oz grain equivalent cereal for the granola. Instead of dying the yogurt green, use strawberry yogurt or leave it white and line the inside perimeter of your cups with strawberry slices. The goal is to keep it colorful, and you can’t go wrong!

May 1-5, 2022

FIND CONNECTIONS . BUILD COMMUNITY. At The Youth Mental Health Project, we work every day to ensure that families have support to care for and strengthen their children’s mental health. Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week -- held every year during the first week of May , is a national campaign that raises awareness and funds to promote better mental health for children. Please join our FREE events this year!

Fami ly St ory Time May 1 st - 7pm

Broadway Cabaret Night May 2nd - 7pm

Young Men ’ s Mental Heal th Forum May 3rd - 7pm

xoxo Gal Pal Val

6pm - Ha r r y Pot t e r Tr i v i a 7 : 30pm - Ment a l Hea l th Tr i v i a l Pur su i t

Tr ivia Night May 4th - 6pm & 7:30pm

Genet i c Test ing for Mental Heal th May 5th - 7pm

Growing up in a family of 6 children with parents and older siblings that cooked, I have always been curious in the kitchen. My love for food and fitness led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Dietetics and Nutrition from the University of Mississippi. During my internship I had a spark of interest in school nutrition. Now, as a director, I try to create and menu at least one new recipe each month, whether it be a taste test at one school or something menued across the district. In my spare time, I love to create my own recipes at home, prepare and review other’s recipes, and talk about all things wellness on my Instagram page: @val.weivoda_rd. Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS Child Nutrition Department Director, Lee County School District (MS)

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Edible Education: Slicing up Inspiration for Your Menu and More!

Prioritize versatility in your menu planning. Streamline your center of the plate items to use one protein multiple ways. Get creative with base salads that can be used each day with leftovers from the previous day such as: taco salads, Asian salads, or buffalo chicken salads. Hamburgers need not just be served on a bun, but can be ‘deconstructed’ into a burger salad or rice bowl that kids will love. Getting the most out of your commodities while boosting the flavors on your plate can help diversify your menu without bogging down your inventory or loading your dumpster. Offer choice. We know that when students are given choices to select what foods go on their lunch trays they are much more likely to consume the food. Bar concepts and ‘Build-a-Meal’ offerings give students the opportunity to select from options and choose what they are most likely to eat. Utilize production records and forecasting. The tool of our trade extraordinaire is the production record. If it is done well, it holds the power to minimize time and overproduction while maximizing efficiency in the back of the house.Ordering“light”and using FIFO (first in first out) are great ways to keep the inventory flowing out onto the tray vs. into the garbage. Have time to “dig deeper” with a little spring cleaning? Use this Cafeteria Waste Reduction assessment to help you not only tighten up your waste but SAVE money too. Get creative with your leftovers. My father-in-law says I can take Thanksgiving leftovers and make them into a banquet! With a little planning and effort, using your leftovers doesn’t have to look and feel like yesterday’s cast offs. Create new and exciting dishes that keep everyone excited and even looking forward to what’s for lunch. Leftover chicken and veggies can be used to create this Thai Shaker Spaghetti Salad or this Yakisoba Noodle Salad - swap out with various leftover veggies or chicken types…it doesn’t matter. Find ways to use even imperfect produce. Even produce that is blemished, bruised, or getting past its prime can find a place on your menu. Cherry tomatoes that are getting too soft for eating fresh can be roasted and tossed in a pasta. Bananas that are getting brown spots can be frozen and used later

in smoothies, or sliced and mixed with commodity strawberries (secret: the strawberry juice masks the brown spots).

Buy in season and local when you can for superb taste and shelf life.

Pisanick Partners

Tina Hastings Maureen Pisanick, RDN-LDN &

Regional supports that connect cafeterias to local buying cooperatives can help partner regional scale while securing a competitive price. Investigate and build connections in your neck of the woods for growing economies of scale and support near you!

Waste Not Want Not. Looking for a little inspiration to help boost your menu cycle into the new year? Welcome to our column featuring bites of nutrition knowledge and insight for your team’s menu creation needs. Here you can digest four menu recipe categories to customize, create and expand your cycle for improved customer satisfaction. How about an easy to use cookbook with “Harvest of the Month”, “Simply Fresh”, “Global Trends’’, and “Comfort Classic” recipes to fill your team’s idea basket? These recipes are sure to help inspire dishes that students will love and can easily be created in your kitchens to increase participation.

Train your staff and optimize your fresh produce with quick bites of education.

Knowing how to properly freeze excess produce that isn’t utilized before it spoils and results in wasted food and money can be a valuable skill. Wilted celery and carrots past their prime can be diced and frozen to be re-purposed later for soups and sauces.

Minimize Waste Through Caring and Sharing

Don’t get overwhelmed - get inspired!

Engage all stakeholders. Hone the passions of your environmentally conscious students and parent groups by having proactive conversations to build a village of support for minimizing waste in your community. Think about ways to work together and keep the responsibility of stewardship a team effort! Utilize share tables. We love these ready resources for stopping waste with share table training videos and guides! Consider donating. USDA does not prohibit Child Nutrition program operators from donating leftovers. Check with your local health department for specifics on how food must be handled to be donated. If food waste is an issue in your cafeteria, start with one or two of these strategies to tackle the problem. School food service programs have an obligation to be good stewards of the resources under our umbrellas and reduce our contribution to the 30-40% of food that is wasted in the United States each year.

In this edition we’ll focus on minimizing food waste to not only sustain the earth but your program as well! There are several steps that can be taken throughout the purchasing, preparation and serving process that can help control food loss. Even in our own homes we see wonderful foods “go bad” or that are wasted due to poor planning, preparation and organization. Contemplate how your kitchen stacks up in these strategies to help prevent food waste.

Minimize Waste Through Purchasing and Menu Planning

Use a well planned shopping list. ‘Don’t shop when you’re hungry’ is a bit of personal advice. You might find you overload your cart with items just because everything looks good when you’re starved! This same phenomenon can happen if you place unnecessary orders without having a well planned menu, an accurate sense of current inventory, a plan for use of commodities, space, and organization in your storage areas! Here’s a look at one of our shopping lists that is created with USDA software it generates the list directly from recipes on the menu using distributor coded ingredients for ease of placing orders. This ensures that ONLY items that will be used on the menu are purchased.

Pisanick Partners is a nutrition and operations based consulting firm with decades of experience in Child Nutrition. We have refined 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.

FROM THE BLOG

Transformational Procurement, add it to your lexicon. We are no longer subject to the marketplace. We will drive the marketplace. “

our knowledge of the program and what we want. Most importantly we have the courage to make a bold move. We took the highest volume protein item (chicken) throughout the 18 member districts, hired a firm to help us develop OUR recipe, meeting all the standards and specifications of OUR choosing (including eliminating the items in the Ingredients of Concern Guide and making sure it is NAE), and preparing a small sampling for kid testing in three of our

with Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS

Through all this talking resulting in a toolkit, more talking resulting in another toolkit, we still see vendors frustrated with antiquated and incomplete bid documents, paying high costs for a constant demand for samples that don’t result in sales, and districts not buying what was on the bid. On the demand side, we see school nutrition directors frustrated with product shortages, substitutions, and incomplete or inaccurate product formulation sheets. It is time to stop talking and take action!

Transformational Procurement, add it to your lexicon. We are no longer subject to the marketplace. We will drive the marketplace. We are the biggest restaurant in the country. Don’t worry – just jump and be transformational on the way down to the net. See you next month!

Spring is on its way. The sun is high and temperatures are warming up. Spring brings new life, new beginnings, and a time to reset. It is the perfect setting to talk about transformational procurement. No, it is not another “toolkit” to adorn your shelf with hopes that you can miraculously breathe in the information. We have plenty of toolkits and we have done plenty of “talking” about procurement over the decades of my career – but what has changed? Very little has changed. We are still gathering in groups to “talk” about procurement! Transformational Procurement

districts. Next step is to Commit at least 500,000 pounds to that recipe. The key is Commitment. No turning back, once it is committed it is committed. We will work with a COOP to send out an RFP for producing two breaded products and like magic – we will have OUR chicken products that are not substitutable. Just like chain restaurants.

To Learn more about USFA and read additional blog posts visit USFA online here.

The solution is…. transformational procurement in school nutrition. But guess what – chain restaurants have been doing it for years. So, the Urban School Food Alliance has decided to jump into a new way of doing business. We don’t have a toolkit – we only have

Dr. Wilson has dedicated her career to improving access to healthy school meals for all children, presently serving as Executive Director for the Urban School Food Alliance . She has spent 23 years as a school nutrition director in three Wisconsin public schools, five years as Executive Director for the Institute of Child Nutrition, two years as USDA Deputy Under Secretary of Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, appointed by President Obama. Dr. Wilson holds a BS in Dietetics, a MS in Food Science and Nutrition and a PhD in Foodservice and Lodging Management. She has received many peer nominated awards and is considered one of the top experts in school nutrition. Dr. Katie Wilson, SNS Executive Director, Urban School Food Alliance

The MOMologue by Stacy Cardinale

T I ME T O TA K E YOU R State Association Publications

Hi. I’m Stacy. I ammany things, including but not limited to, a mom, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a creator, an amazing lip- syncer, an empath, and an overall good time. I have an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and I enjoy painting, photography, drinking wine, eating french fries, and crafting. I have been married for 10 years (cocktail please!!) and together we have made two amazing humans (another cocktail please!!). Our son Anthony (7) and our daughter Sloan (4) have non-stop energy and in the rare instance they are not talking they are eating all the snacks. I am typically the “go-to” person for my friends who are seeking advice, a non-judgmental ear, perspective, a good venting session, or even just a hug (I am also a master hugger). I believe that human connection is of the utmost importance and that kindness is cool.

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April is here and that means Earth Day is upon us! It’s the perfect time to celebrate Mother Earth and teach our children just how important she is! First things first. Do you know the history of Earth Day? Well, today’s your lucky day because I’m about to school you. The first Earth Day was established on April 22, 1970 by a junior senator from Wisconsin named Gaylord Nelson. Around this time there were many environmental disasters happening, like fires, oil spills, and continued climate change. Nelson declared Earth Day in an effort to bring this problem to light! He wanted the masses to be more aware of what was happening. Nelson would later receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his part in what would become the catalyst for the passing of the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and many others. Pretty amazing right?! We may not all be trailblazers like Nelson, but I have some ideas on small ways we can do our part. Here are some fun ways to involve the whole family in making our Earth a healthier place: • Start a garden! Flowers are so beautiful and really help the environment. Consider

perennials (they come back every year). It’s the gift that keeps on giving! Flowers not your thing? Plant some veggies! Not only are they yummy but there’s a sense of pride in cooking with food you’ve grown yourself. • Plant a tree! More trees equal more clean air. I remember my parents telling me that they planted a tree when I was born in the yard. I love this tree to this day, and I love watching it grow along with me. • Try a family challenge! For instance, see if you can go a week without waste. This is a fun way to get everyone to try to use things more efficiently. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Get creative! • Take a field trip to your local recycling center. Most offer educational tours in the process. Virtual tours are also available online! • Build a birdhouse. Creating a wildlife habitat is a fun way to include the whole family. Not handy? Make an environmentally safe bird feeder! Either way, the birds will thank you. Plus, you get to enjoy watching them! There are many things we can do to celebrate our planet, but the most important is prioritizing it. Together we can accomplish so much!

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