Sleighin-It
FOR SANTA
of a new dining space! Give the gift
Self-Proclaimed Recipe Concocter Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS
FOOD COURT of the Month!
The Christmas break is quickly approaching, and chances are you’ve spent every moment since Thanksgiving counting down the days until you’re vegging out on the couch, getting hot chocolate wasted, and not worrying about food, supply and labor shortages….or is that just me? You’ve been chasing styrofoam offshore and collecting plastic forks out of front yards since Halloween. In case you don’t realize it, you’ve been sleigh-in it . Santa is winding down on production, and I say we join him! There is absolutely nothing wrong with admitting that you need a break to recharge. It’s healthy for the body and mind. When your family and friends start those group chats about who’s bringing what to the holiday party, you’ll find it easy to volunteer for this no-bake, adorable charcuterie tree. You can customize it any way you like making it savory or sweet. Here’s what’s on my savory board:
Over a long Thanksgiving weekend, the AmTab team worked tirelessly to finish this café modernization project. Everyone loves Thanksgiving because it allows for students and staff to unwind and spend quality time with their loved ones. What better way for students to return to school than with a brand-new cafeteria! The same way families prepare delicious meals on Thanksgiving that their sons or daughters love, it’s important for schools to create spaces that students want to be a part of. This school took the initiative and delivered a home-run for their students when they returned from their Thanksgiving break. We would like to offer a very lucky school the opportunity to be a part of a process that without a doubt positively affects students’ daily lives. But before we do that, we wanted to go over some of the benefits of a brand-new dining space. Benefit #1: Participation numbers increase when you add new furniture, and designs to your food court. Students get excited going into a brand-new space that is warm and inviting. Being able to go into a cafeteria and enjoy meals with their friends is so very important in building friendships. We all have our favorite restaurant that we like to go to. It could be your favorite because of the food menu, the ambiance, the great design of it or a combination. That is no different than the food court at your school. Creating a great place for your students
and higher in some cases. Now, who doesn’t want to be a part of that statistic? Benefit #2: Happier students. The simple fact of the matter is school can often times be hard and stressful. Students spend long days in the classroom. It’s moments when they go to the cafeteria that they can really let loose. Walking into a bland and drab environment naturally does not have the same impact as walking into a bright and vibrant one. Helping students smile and enjoy themselves in the cafeteria involves putting them first. Creating a space like this is possible and your students will thank you for it. Benefit #3: In today’s day and age furniture needs to be flexible. Whether it’s to move furniture around for a flex space, setting up for an event or to help the janitorial team clean products; there is always an importance on having flexible furniture. A huge advantage of AmTab is that all our furniture lines, especially inside the food court are all fully mobile. Set-up and cleanup have never been easier and more efficient for your staff. There are a lot of great benefits in incorporating new furniture and designs to your food court. Seeing your students smiling and enjoying their environment takes the cake as the best one on this list. Projects like modernizing your café are very affordable. It’s not something only the big districts can
• Raspberries • Green Grapes • Red Grapes • Rosemary, fresh from my garden (tree twigs)
• Genoa Salami • Pepperoni • Hamcola • Colby Jack Cheese
14
• Medium Cheddar Cheese • Provolone Cheese (stars)
Try making it sweet and fun with layers of fruit, pretzels, chocolate, peppermint bark, candy canes and marshmallows. M&M candies would make adorable ‘ornaments’. If you’re like me, being creative in the kitchen is fun and relaxing. You deserve to enjoy yourself. So get ready for some down time. The holiday break is almost here, and I’m shouting, “Full steam ahead, Rudolph!”
xoxo Gal Pal Val
to be comfortable and happy will keep them coming back for breakfast and lunch programs. Post modernization surveys tell us their participation has increased anywhere from 15% to 25%
have. You too can be a part of positively transforming students to live with a modern, popular, and fun new food court! So, what are you waiting for?
Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS Child Nutrition Department Director, Lee County School District (MS) 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.
Conor Doyle Digital Marketing Specialist, AmTab Manufacturing
He is actively involved in the school nutrition company who helps provide valuable insight on café modernization projects across the country.
Conor’s 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!
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