Served Digizine™ "Adversity Brings Growth" | January '21

Welcome to 2021 and the first edition of Served Digizine™!

Issue No. 1 January 2021

Growth THROUGH Adversity. You NEED one to get the other. We’re Obsessed... With Plant-Based Proteins! Diving Into Digital Marketing: why and HOW!

Contents

8 For Your Students, the Food Obsession is Real. And the proof is in the

AmTab is your one stop shop for all your cafe needs.

proteins

through ADVERSITY Growth

Diving into Digital Marketing for YOUR Program.

AmTab Video

In This Issue

Letter from the Editors 4 Served Digizine Team 6

Nutrition & Fitness with Callie & Kaylee 26 for YOUR Program 22 Lessons Learned Along the Way 25

Diving into Digital Marketing

Our modernization projects with school districts help increase school revenues, increase participation in breakfast and lunch programs on average by 25%, drastically improve school pride, raise staff morale, and reduce school costs in the long-term. Students will love their new learning environment! All of our furniture and interior signage can be customized with logo branding, colors, shapes, sizes, and more. We look forward to partnering together! Learn More About AmTab Here!

Highlights & Updates from the

Growth Through Adversity 14 Developing Your Leader Identity. 19 For Your Students, the Food Obsession is Real. And the proof is in the plant-based proteins. 8 A Challenge for 2021: What is Your Word of the Year? 12

So, what is digital marketing anyway?

Momologue 27 your friends 28

Shout-Outs from

Sharon Schaefer 29

The Last Bite with Chef

A Note From Public Health to My School Nutrition Colleagues 21

From Our Partners

Pg 2: AmTab Pg 5: Chef Jason Smith Pg 10: Dick & Jane Baking Co. Pg 10: What’s-4-Lunch Pg 11: Kellogg’s-Morning Star Farms Pg 13: Venducation

Pg 17: Bar Fresh Pg 17: MenuLogic K12 Pg 18: Tyson K12 Pg 20: Brookwood Farms Pg 20: IVATI Pg 24: Hartland School Solutions Pg 30: NxtGen Network

Amanda & Marlon Say Co-Creators & Co-Editors

Joy And Hope. By Marlon Gordon

Served Digizine

2020 has been a difficult year for all but I’m a firm believer that “Adversity Brings Growth” . A lot of you who know me may say that I’m forever the optimist and you’re right. I am, because I choose to be. And I’m going to show you the light that I saw in the darkness that is the year 2020. I’m not here to talk about all the bad things that happened in COVID’s wake.We all know about the deaths, the loss of jobs, the emotional and mental hardships, the solitude, the depression, and too many other negatives to list here. I want to talk about the positives. How about we start with all of the child nutrition professionals who were put on a pedestal for their response to the pandemic? You all have been some of the hardest working, unwavering, loving leaders throughout the pandemic. Excuse me, you all have ALWAYS been hard working, unwavering, and loving leaders. Now people across the country know this due to the recognition which you earned during the COVID crisis. For goodness sake, even TIME Magazine recognized you on its cover (shout out to my friends at Dallas ISD). It is high time people put respect on your names! Along with the pedestal, and probably more importantly, I feel like there is a new sense of confidence buzzing throughout the ranks of operators. Programs realized they can survive the worse and some arguably thrived. Sometimes this confidence is silent,

but let it be known that not even a pandemic can stop this industry from feeding children. Regardless of rain or shine, staff or not, you all found a way to feed our future. And let’s not forget about all the vendors out there who found ways to support the operators during this time of need! It is much appreciated. Innovation... one of my favorite words. The pandemic allowed us to innovate, as it forced us to evolve. Never before have I seen so many changes in our industry happen so rapidly. IW foods became more abundant and higher quality. Policies and procedures that were out-dated began to change. We all started to understand and rely on technology more because of the efficiencies it can provide. As an example Indiana SNA actually held a fully virtual training on how to leverage technology and it was a huge success. In my opinion when it comes to innovation and technology, child nutrition programs as a whole were 20 years behind corporate America in 2019. Now I would say we’re only 15 years behind. That is progress, folks! It’s true what they say about hindsight, it really is 20/20. And

what I realized looking back is 2020 had some serious positives. During the past year I grew personally because of all of the travel restrictions and quarantine. Being forced to stay home allowed me to spend some much needed time with my wife and children (I’m somewhat of a workaholic). I was also blessed with the opportunity to grow professionally because I didn’t focus on the negatives. Instead I sought to provide positive growth opportunities to those in need. Through hard work and grit my team evolved, we brought forth innovative ideas like First Taste TV™, From the Show Floor with New York SNA , Served Digizine™ and more. If I hadn’t been met with adversity, I wouldn’t have evolved professionally or personally to the next level of myself and more importantly, neither would have School Nutrition. It’s like Erv Watson said in his article titled “Growth Through Adversity”, and I’m going to paraphrase. “It is the problems and adversities that the people we admire faced that propelled and prepared them to be the people you know them to be.” Who are you going to be in 2021? You all already have my admiration.

Teamwork.

| Amanda@NxtGenNetwork.com | Co-Creator Co-Editor Amanda Venezia

| Marlon@NxtGenNetwork.com | Co-Creator Co-Editor Marlon Gordon

| Melissa@NxtGenNetwork.com | Co-Creator Creative Director MelissaMayer

| Michael@NxtGenNetwork.com | Executive Editor Michael Mang

| Breanna@NxtGenNetwork.com | Assistant Editor Breanna Gustafson

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Stacy Cardinale | Chef Sharon Schaefer | Kaylee Myers & Callie Neumann EDITION CONTRIBUTORS: Stefanie Dove, Erv Watson, Breanna Gustafson, Stefanie Gianini, Leslene Gordon, Joe Pettit, Scott Reitano

& ServedDigizine.com NxtGenNetwork.com Contact: Articles & News: info@ServedDigizine.com Ads: sales@ServedDigizine.com Parent Company: info@NxtGenNetwork.com

Served Digizine is a publication of First Taste TV and NxtGen Network. Served Digizine is releasedmonthly for a total of 12 issues annually. This publication is free of charge to our subscribers and can be opted-out at anytime. Copyright 2020 Served Digizine, First Taste TV, and NxtGen Network. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph, or illustration without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Opinions and advertisements in themagazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent management views. The digizine is not responsible for unsolicitedmanuscripts and photographs, or any errors or omissions that might occur.

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Welcome to the age of the Digizine!

Reading & experiencing content with Served Digizine is an all-new experience! For a quick tutorial on how to get the most out of each Served Digizine Edition watch this quick video with Breanna.

January Highlights

Digizine How-to

Just-a-Bite: Problem solving in adversity How Hernando County Schools Made Coffee Reimbursable!

Over the summer, we tested a few recipes and found one that worked! We made sure that each 12oz cup contained 8oz milk (M&B), ½ cup fruit (Juice Alive Mocha) and a 6 pack of donuts (Super Bakery). Along with other school districts nationwide, we were faced with product shortages, but these items came in strong for us. Once school got rolling, we decided to launch our 180 Café coffee and donut combo to each of our high schools. Since unveiling a few weeks ago, this reimbursable item has been a solid hit with the students! We offer one hot grab and go reimbursable combo along with the coffee and donut combo daily to our high schoolers and the kids are loving the cold choice by a longshot! One high school prepped 30 on day one (they were unsure of how the kids would take it) which was increased to 172 by the third day! Our next project coming soon… is a reimbursable hot cocoa combo!

Before diving in... Watch this quick recap video of our January 2021 Edition!

Hernando Video

Bre Served Edition Video

Susan Triola, MBA, RD/LDN, SNS

Rather than local coffee and donut shops enticing our customers with scrumptious coffee drinks of frothy goodness, why not tempt these students to our own high school cafes by offering a reimbursable competitive taste of sweet java? We realized that enrollment was going to be down compared to years passed due to the new COVID options of e-school and distance learning. So, we pondered how we could capture the brick and mortar students that were in attendance. After realizing that grab and go was the only way we were allowed to serve our students this year, we quickly reassessed our circumstances. We decided to capitalize on the situation at hand and figure out “Plan F,” at that point! Knowing that we needed to maintain or try to increase participation, we were well aware of the coffee and donut trend. We decided to figure out a way to make a coffee combo recipe that was reimbursable.

Just-a-Bite: A large district with a focused vision! An interview with Greenville County Schools Culinary Specialist

Just A Bite with Brea Greenville Co. Schools

In this podcast, Brea gets the First Taste of what’s going on in Greenville County Schools. From BBQ to Local Food, Greenville is going above and beyond to give their students a five star dining experience. Join Brea as she interviews Lauren Couchois, Culinary Specialist at Greenville County Schools as they discuss social media marketing, farm to school, and being innovative during COVID-19!

Greenville Video

For Your Students, the Food Obsession is Real. And the proof is in the

Food & Health Inspiration

Plant-based proteins check all of their boxes.

Plant-based proteins can meet your students’ growing demand for nutrition, sustainability and craveability. Just ask Barbara Harral , Director of the Division of Food Nutrition Services with Montgomery County Public Schools who’s seen success with menuing plant-based proteins.

Calculate the difference your school can have on the environment by menuing plant-based proteins and show your students how their craveable favorites canmake an impact with this MorningStar Farms Sustainability Calculator.

proteins.

Kellog’s Partner Stefanie Dove, MBA, RDN, SNS

Learn more about how to connect with GenZ through plant-based and get Continuing Education Units from Kellogg’s Away From Home. Upon completion of the educational session, you can request a certificate of participation by emailing kelloggk12@kellogg.com. In the email, please identify the session you completed. Your certificate of participation will then be emailed within 10 business days.

Students’ hunger for plant-based proteins is on the rise with 2/3 of GenZ and over half of Millennials showing interest 7 .Not tomention 33%are interested in eating more plant-based burgers and over 29% are looking to eat more plant-based chicken 7 . The simple truth is that plant-based is a $296M market in foodservice that’s growing at 50.3% 8 . And it’s not just for vegetarians and vegans – it’s all about flexitarians. They make up 42% of the global population 9 and are more likely to be GenZ 10 .

Because Gen-Zers were raised as foodies, they want bothflavorandfunction 1 .For them,foodgoesbeyond nutrition – it’s a major source of entertainment 2 so they’re into trying different types of cuisines more than any generation before them 3 .

to deliver the experience younger consumers want, from fresh and flavorful options all the way to new and exciting 5 . But GenZ’s need for healthy nourishmentdoesn’t stopthere.Theyalsowantmore organic and natural foods compared to millennials – and are more likely to be vegetarian 6 .

It’s no surprise then, that GenZ is looking for nutritious foods away from home 4 – but it better be crave- worthy – with 81% of GenZ wanting foods that are ‘craveable’ and 61% interested in new flavors 4 . In fact, away from home operations are jumping at the chance

They care about the planet, too. GenZ is raising expectations around sustainability so foods that align with their values are a win as they’re willing to pay a premium for ethically and sustainably sourced ingredients 7 .

Stefanie Dove, MBA RDN SNS is a Registered Dietitian and K-12 Wellbeing & Regulatory Business Partner for Kellogg. Prior to working for Kellogg, she was the Coordinator of Marketing & Community Outreach for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia. She has worked in the school nutrition sector, specializing in marketing and communications since 2015. Prior to working in School Nutrition, Stefanie lead the marketing efforts for several food companies in and was the social media manager for two nutrition lifestyle blogs. Stefanie has contributed regularly to consumer publications on topics ranging from school nutrition, young professionals in the workplace, heart health, food allergies, consumer trends, childhood nutrition, marketing and branding.

Stefanie Dove MBA, RDN, SNS

1-2018 The NPD Group, Inc; 2-2019 The Hartman Group Inc; 3-“The Food World’s Next Big Question: What Does Generation Z Want to Eat?” Forbes 2019; 4-Technomic Foodservice Planning Program Survey, 2019; 5-Technomic, Gen Z Report, July 2019; 6-Packaged Facts Report 2019; 7-IFMA Datassential CPP survey, February 2020; 8-NPD SupplyTrack Latest 12 Months, Feb 2020 – Exl Tofu; 9-The Rise of Vegan and Vegetarian Food, Euromonitor, November 2020; 10-2020 U.S Grocery Shopper Trends study, conducted by the Hartman Group

EASY TO SERVE PLANT-BASED DELICIOUSNESS MorningStar Farms ® makes it simple to give students the plant-based proteins they crave!

Crispy vegan MorningStar Farms ® Chik’n Nuggets combine with crunchy lettuce and creamy ranch dressing in this plant-based take on a classic wrap Chik’n Ranch Wrap

Sweet and sour orange sauce transforms MorningStar Farms ® Chik’n Nuggets into the star of this bowl with brown rice and broccoli Orange Chik’n Bowl

Burger meets quesadilla in this mashup that wraps a MorningStar Farms ® Spicy Black Bean Burger in a whole grain tortilla Burgerdilla

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Christie White, Director

What’s 4 Lunch is a unique, onsite, in-depth equipment training tailored to meet your programs needs. This training is on existing and new equipment, includes “Training the Trainer”, Menu Development, Competitive Cuttings, how to best utilize your equipment funds based on staffing and menus, in-service training and much more! Best part is What’s 4 Lunch is going to train and serve amazing meals right alongside you! This new deep dive training service is just what you have been looking for!

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Personal Development

A Challenge for 2021... What is YOUR Word of the year? Join Joe as he shares what helped him push through 2020 - A year no one expected.

Joe relied on one simple word to help him persevere professionally and personally - listen to find out what helped him stay resilient in tough times.

Learn More

Joe Pettit Inspires - LEAD Speaker Joe Pettit

Venducation

Joe Video

CALLING ALL CONTRIBUTORS

Share Your Word Of The Year (WOTY) on Social! #ServedDigizine #WOTY21

We Want YOUR Voice in

Joe’s inspirational speeches drive immediate, lasting change and inspires audiences to take a deeper look within. Seeds of Greatness is a thought-provoking, inspirational keynote planting hope, motivation, and belief in each audience member. It sparks a renewed purpose and increases your team’s productivity when they “pull the weeds and plant the seeds.”

Have a story that needs to be told? Click HERE to request our contributor spec sheet!

Joe Pettit JoePettitInspires.com

Rolling with the Punches

Unlike identical twins, who are difficult to tell apart, these fraternal twins not only look different, but they feel different in every way. Like most twins, the two of them cannot be separated and to do so would have an adverse effect on both. Many of us spend so much energy trying to avoid problems and adversity, but the reality is that it is only through adversity that we can experience real growth! In fact, adversity is like a hallway that leads from one room to another. Some hallways are short. Others are long. But they share this simple truth, the hallway is the only way to get you from where you were to where you are going. You cannot be in two rooms at the same time. This is the essence of the CHANGE that is brought about by adversity. When problems arise, our natural inclination is to solve the problem and get things back to “normal” as soon as possible, but the truth is that once you have an experience, you are not the same as you were before. You now have a new experience and new exposure that you can use to inform your future.Unfortunately,

from adversity or avoiding problems, what if we faced them head on and saw them as opportunities to become wiser quicker? If you are like me and you look back at the life lessons that taught you the most, they did not come when things were easy but when things were difficult and challenging. We are in one of those special times of adversity right now. This global pandemic has taught us all lessons that we will take into the next chapter of our lives, our careers, our relationships and so on. The inability to gather with people we like, has given some of us a greater appreciation of the times we can spend together. The financial challenges have taught some of us better financial stewardship. The changes to our business models have uncovered creative solutions we would have never considered. Virtual meetings once thought to be impersonal, have become a real way to connect and stay connected. This adversity has forced us to examine gaps in our approaches to life and business and to create even more avenues in order to be effective. Many of us cannot wait to get the opportunity to pursue these new strategies without the hurdles presented by COVID-19 precautions.

through ADVERSITY Growth

LEAD Speaker Ervin Watson, MBA

14 That title “Adversity Brings Growth” sounds like both a cliché and an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Cliché because it sounds like something that a motivational speaker might say

(present company included). Oxymoron because on the surface, growth feels like something positive, but adversity feels like something negative. I would even go on a limb to say that adversity IS always negative. . . AT FIRST!

As I shared earlier, adversity is like a hallway that takes you from where you were to where you are going.

Remember that you cannot be in two different rooms at the same time. Adversity/resistance/challenges force us to re-examine a situation and to overcome it we must consider Einstein’s words, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it”. Put another way, a popular story in the book of Mark (2:22) says that “. . . no one puts new wine in old wineskins.” These both give us the same admonition that we must change the way we are thinking. To get something different we must do and think differently. Adversity is often the catalyst that helps us (sometimes forces us) to think differently. I am not trying to tell you that adversity and growth are comfortable or convenient (because they not) .

Let’s be honest, when faced with a challenge, resistance, or trouble, none of us has the initial reaction of “Yeah, I was waiting for that!” Instead, our usual response is one of reluctance instead of exuberance.But if we lookat our lives or the lives of the people we admire or aspire to be like, it is the problems and adversities they faced that propelled and prepared them for the person you know them to be. If you asked them how they got to where they are now, most if not all will tell you that it is the mistakes, problems, and adversity they experienced that helped them to grow and develop them into who you now know them to be. Truth is to

experience real growth; adversity is a must. Growth and Adversity are like twin sisters, fraternal twins because they look nothing alike, but come as a pair.

many of us overlook the tremendous blessing that adversity can bring. Problems/adversity arise to help us grow at a faster rate. Instead of running away

Rolling with the Punches

but they are NECESSARY. Humans might be the only animal who seek to find ways to avoid the natural process of growth because it is uncomfortable. You have heard how the caterpillar goes into the cocoon and comes out a beautiful butterfly? Well,

As we begin this new year, let us consider looking at the challenges and adversities not as something to avoid but as a gift that will speed up our ascent to the next level. In 1974, Quincy Jones and Bernard Ingher produced the classic “Everything Must Change.” The next line says, “. . .Nothing stays the same.” This is a principle of life. Many times, there are changes we need to make in order to grow but we are reluctant to change. So, life can and will throw you a little adversity and trouble, but these are sent to build you, not kill you. In 2020 we have all experienced some things we could have never imagined but as we crack the seal on 2021 let us celebrate the following: 1. We made it this far! Survival is a victory and a lesson all by itself. 2. We are wiser, better, more resilient than we were at the same time last year! 3. We learnedmore in 2020 than we can pinpoint. The challenges of the past only prepare you for what is coming. Embrace 2021 with all that you are and all that you have become.

Our memory REPLAYS your past but your imagination PRE-PLAYS your future! “

have you ever heard about how a lobster grows? If you have ever seen, touched, or eaten a lobster, you know that its outer shell is hard and unforgiving. Since they are not full size as adults, how do they grow? When a lobster’s shell is no longer sizably suitable, it hides under the rocks on the ocean floor to protect itself from predators. It then sheds its old shell and

produces a new shell by a process called “molting.” This process repeats itself 20-25 times in the crustacean’s first years of life. The lobster is growing but it is the friction of the shell and the adversity of the surroundings that compel the lobster to act. Instead of becoming complacent with the status quo, accepting this uncomfortable situation as normal or worse yet, waiting for an old normal to return, the lobster leverages its adversity to move onward and upward.

ARTICLE RECAP Hear from Ervin himself on the topic of adversity - and how he found the greatest amount of growth during the times of greatest adversity. Join Marlon & Amanda in this short conversation and walk-away with a new perspective.

Interview Video

“Engaging,” “Informational” and “Insightful” are a few of the words used to describe Ervin’s presentation and training style. After his career as an Education and Training Specialist at the GA Dept. of Education he returned to his roots at the local level where he currently serves as School Nutrition Coordinator for Douglas County Schools in GA. Ervin is a recognized leader who frequently is invited to present at local, state and national conferences and has been selected multiple times as a Senator Richard B. Russell Leadership Series presenters at the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference! His personal and business mission is to enable positive transformation through every exchange and he lives his mantra, “People are amazing, leading them should be amazing also.”

Ervin Watson, MBA

Personal Development

The most common misconception regarding leadership is that only certain people are capable of being leaders; if you don’t hold a specific role, title, salary, or personality trait, then you can’t possibly be a leader. The idea that being a leader is exclusive to only certain individuals ultimately creates ineffective (bad) leaders, because too many people are leading blindly with the self-perception that they aren’t even a leader to begin with! If there is one statement that cannot be stressed enough, it is that every single person is a leader. To lead means to influence; leadership is about relationships. Whether you’re leading your family, your coworkers, your community, or simply leading yourself: you are a leader. How we view ourselves as leaders is a concept called leader identity ; establishing your leader identity is the first step in your leadership journey. While some people may consider themselves “natural born leaders”,most people need to work on forming their leader identity through self-reflection, positive self-talk, and real-life experiences including both successes and failures. In addition, it is important to note that effective leaders are just as diverse as humanity itself; variety in leadership is necessary to accommodate different situations. Every individual has a place as a leader, but you must first acknowledge that you are one! If you are struggling with your own leader identity, start by practicing the following steps below. (Remember: it takes time and repetition to change our thoughts and self- perception so don’t give up!) Developing Your LEADER identity IVATI - LEAD Speaker Stefanie Giannini

Stefanie Video

Listen as Stefanie talks personally about Leader Identity and the journey she went on to find her own Leader Identity. ARTICLE RECAP

SAY , “I am a leader” every morning when you look in the mirror. (Yes, this sounds cheesy, but it will start to sink in!) READ books and articles on leadership including the biographies/memoirs of various leaders to learn how leadership can be executed in different ways. LISTEN to podcasts on leadership development and personal development. OBSERVE those around you; ask yourself why you either gravitate towards or distance yourself from them? DISCUSS with others what being a leader means to each of you and how you can learn from each other’s leadership journey. REFLECT on your successes, failures, strengths, and weaknesses as a leader and how you can learn from your past experiences as a leader. WRITE down your thoughts, both negative and positive, surrounding your leader identity throughout this journey including your leadership development goals.

Great Products, Innovative Packaging & Amazing Performance For Schools. We offer school foodservice operators simple menu solutions that kids love and can fit any feeding model. Tyson K-12 is committed to serving your mission of feeding children across the U.S. and help you meet the demands of your program. Use the button below to see great recipes you can use in your cafeteria. You are school lunch heroes!

Check Out Our K-12 Recipe Website!

Stefanie Giannini, founder of IVATI, is a speaker, educator, and content creator on a mission to inspire and cultivate every individual’s identity and development as a leader; she holds a fierce passion for personal and professional growth, critical reflection, and building quality relationships. Stefanie holds a Bachelor’s in Food & Nutrition Management from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Learning from George Washington University. In addition to her work with IVATI, she works in the school nutrition industry as the Assistant Director of Food & Nutrition Services for a K-8 school district in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago.

Connect With Us

TysonK12Schools

#servingyourmission #feedingthefuture

Stefanie Giannini MA, SNS

www.tysonk12.com

Serving Your Mission

Truth Time

A Note from Public Health TO MY

BARBEQUE BUILT FOR K-12 Brookwood Farms offers restaurant- quality, pit-cooked barbeque made for K-12 nutritional guidelines. We make it easy to create a nutritionally balanced lunch plate that students will love with delicious entrees such as Lower-Sodium Texas Western and Vinegar Marinade Pork BBQ on your menu! As a trusted USDA Commodity Processor for selected states across America, Brookwood Farms is committed to serving your students a flavorful and fun lunchtime. Enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you are serving hearty, delicious meals that fuel your students for success in their classrooms. Learn more about Brookwood Farms’ K-12 products by calling us directly at (800) 472-4787.

COLLEAGUES

“In this country that grows more food than any other nation on this earth, it is unthinkable that any child should go hungry.” Actress Sela Ward

“Reduce household food insecurity and in doing so reduce hunger” from a 2018 baseline of 11.1% of households in 2018 to 6% by 2030. According to data from the USDA, in 2019 prior to COVID-19, 13.7 million households, or 10.5% of all U.S. households, experienced food insecurity at some point during that year. More than 35 million Americans were either unable to acquire enough food tomeet their needs or were uncertain of where their next meal might come from. The pandemic has escalated the problem. It’s now estimated that food insecurity more than doubled to 23% of households in 2020. Like healthcare workers and first responders, school nutrition leaders and their staff are on the front lines and are essential in the response to, and the recovery from our COVID-19 experience. Despite the many challenges with processes, bureaucracy and financial burdens, many have found creative ways to meet the growing needs of children and families. School nutrition initiatives have an essential role to play in reducing food insecurity and in achieving national objectives. monumental difficulties. Your efforts to protect and improve the health of the public have not gone unnoticed. “ Thank you for your dedication and hard work in the face of

Florida Dept. of Health Leslene Gordon, PHD, RD, LDN

School Nutrition programs have from their very inception played an integral role in our nation’s efforts to eliminate hunger and food insecurity. As a result of the current pandemic families will be relying even more on this essential program as school closures, unemployment, and financial hardship have an increasing impact. Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as, “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Hunger is an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity.” Simply put, it is an inconsistent access to enough healthy foods. Food insecurity is linked to negative health outcomes and may cause children to have trouble in school. Food insecure households may not be food insecure all the time. They may be households that must sometimes make trade-offs between important basic needs, such as housing or medical bills, and purchasing nutritious foods. Data shows that households with children are more likely to be food insecure. Food insecurity has in fact become a national concern. Healthy People 2030, an initiative that sets data driven national objectives to improve health and well-being over each decade has set national objectives targeting food insecurity. They have an audacious objective to,

Brookwood Farms

Learn More

Get to know Ivati. Stefanie Giannini is a speaker, consultant, and content creator on a mission to inspire and cultivate every individual’s identity and development as a leader.

Ivati youtube video

Leslene Gordon, PhD, RD, LDN serves as the Community Health Director of the Florida Department of Health – Hillsborough County. Responsibilities include leadership of the agency’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program, Sterilization Program, Health Promotion and Education, Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, Office of Health Equity, School Health, Epidemiology, Family Planning and Community Dental Program. Dr Gordon has held faculty positions at Pasco Hernando Community College, the University of North Florida and the University of South Florida. She continues to be active on several local, state and national community and professional boards.

In addition to the free content I provide on IVATI’s YouTube Channel, I offer several services that allow me to help you and your organization on a more personal and customized level. Believing in the power transformational leadership, I center the work we do together around your individual and/or organizational needs and goals. I’m not here to provide you a cookie-cutter program, presentation, or plan; I’m here to support you in transforming you and/or your organization through leadership development. Looking forward to working with you! - Stefanie

Leslene Gordon PHD, RD, LDN

Diving into Digital Marketing for YOUR Program.

part one

Digital Marketing Pro Breanna Gustafson

Happy New Year! While I am glad 2020 is behind us, we all grew and evolved to do the absolute best we could with the resources we had while rolling with the punches. We aren’t leaving 2020 behind without a story to tell, that’s for sure. It’s your story. My passion is helping you tell it. I like to say that I’mamarketing girl living in a school nutrition world. My professional background is in communications, film, and journalism. It turns out that those skills go a long way when you’re in a marketing role. In 2018 I fell into marketing at a large school district for their school nutrition program. I realized quickly that there is a need for this type of storytelling across the country. That role has led me to where I am today. School nutrition operators have the advantage of having a packed cafeteria lunch rush every single day. You literally have a captive audience. You don’t need to find them. They’re there! But are you capturing the attention of potential new customers and engaging current ones? Let’s explore some of my favorite digital marketing tools! So, what is digital marketing anyway?

a creative and interesting way. There are 5Ds of digital marketing. These are digital devices, digital platforms, digital media, digital data, and digital technology. Digital Devices The best camera is the one in your pocket! Unless you’re on the crew of First Taste TV, chances are you aren’t walking around with a SONY A7. That’s okay. You don’t need a high-end mirror- less camera. You can shoot great video from your smartphone. When shooting on your pocketed device, consider how you’re planning to use the video. This will determine in which orientation you want to capture the video. For example, I shoot with my phone on its side (landscape) because more than likely that’s how the video will be watched. There’s a place for vertical video too. For example, vertical video can be shot when filming an Instagram story, or Facebook live. Digital Media Made Easy Multimedia videos or digital stories are made up of several components. Digital stories may include some or all of the following: Photos Video Audio (interviews, music, natural sound) Lighting Text Graphics (logos, titles) Try these mobile video editing apps to put it all together! Adobe Premiere Rush iMovie FilmoraGo If you prefer to edit on a computer, Adobe Spark or iMovie are two simple editing programs. Congrats!YouhaveaDigital Story…nowwhat? You need a distribution plan!

Enter Digital Platforms . If you send out email newsletters to your audience, your email platform likely has an option to embed a video. If your video is uploaded to YouTube (depending on the email campaign platform you are using) you can simply paste the link into the email. Imagine being able to evolve your monthly newsletter into a monthly multimedia news show?! Let’s take it a step further. You’ve got to get social. Social media offers many platforms designed for sharing your content with your audience. Sharing content on social media will allow your program to get noticed. Did you know that you’ll reach a different audience on each social media platform? Facebook: This is where your parents hang out. According to Hootsuite (another one of my favorite marketing tools), in the U.S., 18- 29 year olds are the largest cohort on Facebook with 75% of users being women. Instagram: Join the Instagram worthy food culture and show the foodies of the world just how innovative and delicious school lunch can be! On Instagram, you’ll reach your 18-24 year olds with 43% women and 31% men. Twitter: If you want attention from your local press, Twitter is a great way to share what you’re up to. School district staff such as teachers, coaches, and principals use Twitter to communicate important information quickly.

Steve Jobs once said “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.” I can assure you of this; if you implement digital marketing into your program, your story is just beginning. Pro Tip Finding your story One of the challenges in starting your digital marketing journey might be nailing down a story. I’m often asked what type of content should be shot. My answer: “Anything!” Start with a time-lapse of your entire lunch period. You can use your phone for this. Set it and forget it ( just don’t forget it for too long, or you’ll have a lot of editing to do!). Think about this. Anywhere you can replace text with video, you should. Cough… cough… this digizine… While there is still a place for press releases and newsletters, what if we communicated with our parents at home harnessing the power of digital video? Show parents what their children are offered at Stay Tuned for Part II In February’s edition of Served Digizine! In the next edition, we’ll dive into digital data, and digital technology. lunch, instead of telling them. YOU CAN change the perception of school meals through the power of digital marketing.

Digital marketing utilizes all things multimedia to s t r a t e g i c a l l y reach and engage an audience to promote products and services. In simple terms, digital marketing involves telling your story in

Breanna’s story in K-12 Marketing started in 2018. Breanna filled Lee County’s first marketing role for Food & Nutrition Services in Fort Myers, FL and worked with her team to build a nationally recognized school foodservice brand. Breanna’s undergraduate degree is in Communications with a concentration in Film, Video, and Media Studies and she currently attends Southern New Hampshire University working on her Master’s degree in New Media & Marketing. Breanna specializes in brand storytelling through multimedia platforms.

Breanna Gustafson NxtGen Network

Reitano Design Group Scott Reitano Lessons Learned

Word to the Wise

Be present. This is important at home and this is important within your own organization. We all have busy schedules and full agendas. If we are so concerned about what is next or distracted by issues outside our current circumstance, we will miss what is right in front of us. Adversity does not need to dominate every minute of every day. Stay in the moment, as often as possible. Share Life. Joys are magnified and pain is bearable when you share them with others. Life is meant to be shared. Beyond laughing together and crying together, deep conversations can lead to deeper understanding and personal growth. Sometimes, just having someone listen, without offering their “solution,” is the win. Be kind. In the last conversation I had with a dear friend and business colleague before his sudden death, I said, “Wait a minute. I think being nice is actually a solid business strategy.” He responded, “I know. Right?” Leading with kindness in all circumstances costs you nothing and leads to opportunities to connect with others in a more meaningful, personal way. “You gotta give love to get love.” - John Turco (1924-2013) My grandfather impressed this upon me at a young age. He reinforced it through who he was and how he lived his life. Even in seasons of adversity, when we focus on others and pouring into their lives, it is amazing how much lighter our load seems. For me, it has been important to remember that how we respond in times of adversity has a greatest impact on my personal growth and on the growth of those around me. As a leader, your team is watching. As a parent, your children are watching. Who you are in these moments will impact their lives for years to come. You are up to the challenge. Lean into your faith and lean on those who you love. The next season of life is right around the corner. Along the Way

Scott Video

Predict the unpredictable

In this article Pre-cap Marlon & Scott get candid about life lessons that could only be learned through times of adversity. ARTICLE PRE-CAP

Like many of us, I have faced significant adversity in 2020. Honestly, the last two years have presented new and different adverse circumstances in my life. I hope to share a few thoughts and offer a unique perspective on where this has led me. We control so little in life. I shared a thought with a friend recently that it seems that the slice of the pie that I control is getting smaller and the pie is getting larger. The reality of that thought is that we do not control much at all in this world. So, why do we spend time worrying about those things? Why do we obsess over matters we cannot change past or present? It is truly freeing to let go of issues that are not in our power to change or influence. The goal is to thrive, not just survive. When our organization went into quarantine with the rest of the country in the Spring of 2020, I told my team that this was our goal. Once that was our stated and often repeated goal, we got to work making it happen. Amid circumstances that we cannot control, how do we thrive? How do we impact the people in our sphere of influence and move our organization forward?

Introducing Heartland Meal Orders Planning your production counts may be tricky this year. But with our new Meal Orders solution, students, parents, and teachers can order their meals in advance so you can plan with confidence.

Scott Reitano is the Principal for the Reitano Design Group (RDG). This foodservice design firm is on a mission to entice children to eat healthier and to shine a light on the important role foodservice plays in the educational success of our children. Through his 34 years in the foodservice industry, Scott has become highly regarded for his change leadership, creativity, and his passion for serving others. He brings energy and enthusiasm to all the opportunities and challenges afforded him in life. RDG Studio One is located in Indianapolis, IN with remote offices in Chicago, IL and Toledo, OH. The eight-member team has well over 180 years of foodservice industry experience.

Find out more at HeartlandSchoolSolutions.com

Scott Reitano Reitano Design Group

Learn More

& Nutrition

Join Marlon, Amanda, Breanna, and Kaylee for a workout recap. WITH CALLIE & KAYLEE Fitness

Written by a Mom? Yes. Something for Everyone? Also Yes.

Focusing on the Silver-Lining in Times of Adversity

The holidays were…different…and I hope you were able to make the best of “the most wonderful time of the year”. On the bright side, 2020 is OVER!! It was the cinematic equivalent of Voldemort, so good riddance! Even though it’s a new year that unfortunately doesn’t mean that there isn’t residual 2020 still hanging on like yesterday’s mascara. The road ahead is still bumpy but what we can do is remember that we have proved to be resilient and that even if the world got flip turned upside down (like the Fresh Prince said) believe it or not there is silver lining under all this adversity. NO REALLY! Think about it… Introverts are psyched! They don’t have to make excuses for not going out, hosting events, or being around people in general, SCORE! We can’t be around extended family for the holidays?? Stupid COVID-19 (hehe) New mothers aren’t having to make themselves feel awkward for asking people to not touch their babies (seriously why is this even a thing?!?). And, if you are Amazon, Netflix, or wine…you are doing better than ever!

Joking aside, so many parents have said that there are some amazing and POSITIVE opportunities that would never have happened if not for this pandemic. For instance, parents are so grateful that they can see firsthand how their children learn and it is PRICELESS. They can observe their child’s individual learning styles and even recognize and get ahead of any challenges their children may be facing. This has been a win-win for so many. We certainly cannot ignore the gift that is time. Families have been able to spend so much quality time together! We’re flexing our “creativity” muscle and even having some FUN. There are amazing nature walks my family has been on that we didn’t know were right in our own backyard (fresh air is good for us all), household projects we could never find the time to get around to completing, and we’re able to do all of this on our own schedule! Have we ever been able to do that before?? Listen, I know it’s easier said than done but let’s start this new year with an optimistic mindset. We’ve lived through something HISTORICAL (not bragging, ick) and it takes more energy to be negative than positive? So, let’s conserve our energy for the fun stuff, deal? Together, we can all grow during this time of adversity. Cheers!!

Workout Video

Join Callie and Kaylee each month to discuss all things nutrition and fitness. Callie is your go-to gal for any nutrition-related questions and Kaylee will keep you in shape with workouts and fitness facts. Click Here to Watch the FULL Video!

Callie Neumann RD

Kaylee Meyers Camp Gladiator

Callie graduated with a degree in Nutrition-Dietetics from The College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, MN and completed her Dietetic Internship at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. She currently works as an Assistant Child Nutrition Director for Anoka-Hennepin Schools in Minnesota. She enjoys creating nutritionally balanced

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.

I was born in Saint Joseph, MO and grew up on my parents’ 15 acre estate. My early years

mostly consisted of gymnastics training. After years of competition, I was lucky enough to earn an athletic scholarship to Eastern Michigan University and received my Bachelors Degree in Exercise Science. Upon graduation, I had the opportunity to complete a sports performance internship in Tampa. I was hired as a Performance Specialist and I fell in LOVE with training others! When I found Camp Gladiator 4 years ago, I knew it would allow me to impact thousands of lives. CG has been amazing and I cannot wait to see what the future holds!

menus for students to enjoy in school. Callie is a firm believer in a well balanced diet to fuel academic and athletic performance. Nutrition is a very complex topic, but Callie looks forward to helping you understand what your individual needs are!

Stacy Cardinale

Kitchen Call Outs The Importance of Last Bite the with Chef Sharon Schaefer

Tell us what is happening in your district or business and get featured in our Shout-Outs section!

out Behind You keeps moving at a normal safe pace and all other coworker(s) stay stationary. This is key; everyone needs to know to stay in place and work fairly still to allow the person on the move to navigate the kitchen without obstacles. Hot Behind You and Sharp Behind You are used in the exact same way but add another detail of the hazard by sharing that the person on the move has hot pans or sharp knives in hand.

As a chef I started learning call outs early on in my career. Even if you’ve never used a kitchen call out, the concept is familiar to most thanks to TV shows like Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen and others. The culinary team often calls orders and the line hollers back a hearty “Yes, Chef!” Chefs can definitely be prone to the dramatic (I say lovingly as one of them) but in this case call outs are not created for TV drama, they are an important communication system. Looking beyond the familiar “order up” and “Yes, Chef ”, the most important calls to implement in your school kitchens right away are “behind you” and “coming through.” These two call outs are designed with kitchen safety in mind. Kitchens are busy places with lots of hazards. Hot pans, knives, and equipment are obvious safety issues. One risk that is often over-looked is simply our coworkers and the fact that we all move around in a fairly small space. Each person in a school kitchen has an important role and is on the move. This presents the opportunity to collide, bump, step back into, trip over, you name it. . . we’ve all been there right in the way of a coworker’s path and vice versa. Since the eyes in the back of our heads seem to only work for our own children, a different approach is needed in our kitchens. Making your unpredictable movements predictable by communicating well takes that potential hazard and transforms it into part of your school kitchen’s strong safety efforts.

Shout Out to The Lancer Eats Team Thank you, Laurel Presher and your team for all the great work feeding our kiddos during these

Submit your Shout-Out for our next edition HERE! Don’t wait, spots fill-up fast!

Coming Through • Hot Pans Coming Through

Shout Out to the BPS Chartwells Dream Team

Coming Through is used to announce yourself when you are approaching doorways, coming around corners, or navigating crowds. This important call out helps everyone avoid kitchen blinds spots. Pushing rolling carts of hot food or even carrying one pan can create an unwelcome surprise around a blind corner. Transform that scary moment and potential drop, spill, or crash into a well-heard announcement. Just like the previous call out, Coming Through puts the announcer in the driving seat and on the move. A coworkers response to Coming Through is very different from the previous freeze tactic. If you are not the person that made the call out, you should move out of the way. Hot Pans Coming Through can alert others to simply step out of the way and provide safe passage. Sounds simple enough, right? As in all communication if you’re not speaking the same language, nothing is happening. Implementing these two types of call outs should be practiced with staff and reinforced regularly. To get started role play is one of the best methods to simulate how and when to call out to each other. Recreate common situations in each kitchen that collisions can occur and practice together letting different people call out and respond appropriately. Make sure after Behind You everyone freezes and after Coming Through everyone moves out of the way of blind spots.

challenging times. The families in our

Our Dream Team has served

community are most grateful!

100,000s of meals in snow, sleet, rain and sun. With a little bit of Pattie’s positive pixie dust we all keep big smiles on our faces! The Dream Team loves feeding all the

kids in our community healthy nutritious meals. Thank you Dream Team Love Pattie Guck Director of Dining Birmingham Public Schools Michigan. Submitted by Pattie Guck

Submitted by Anonymous

Behind you • Hot behind you • Sharp behind you

You Did It! We want to give a huge shout out to all of the operators for making it through 2020! You guys are the heart of child nutrition! Keep up the good work!

Use a hearty call of BehindYou to announce your presence. It might be your natural habit when someone is behind you to try to step out of their way, but in a kitchen, this can lead to a dangerous collision. The person that calls

Shout Out to the Lunch Ladies at Bunker Hill CUSD8! These ladies have ROCKED this CRAZY school year! They are 100% dedicated to our students. They have done an awesome job of being flexible and ready to go at every curve we have taken! They are always ready to jump in and rock out every wild/last minute addition I throw at them. I thank them from the bottom of my heart!

Resident Chef, NxtGen Network; Owner of Evolution of a Lunch Lady, LLC Director of Food & Nutrition Services, Gretna Public Schools Since childhood Sharon was on a quest to make healthy food taste great! That love of all things delicious led her to The Culinary Institute of America. After completing her externship at The Food Network, Sharon discovered a world of how to share great food through media.

Your Friends at NxtGen Network

Submitted by Rachelle

Owner of Evolution of the Lunch Lady, LLC, and Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Gretna Public Schools, Chef Sharon Schaefer, SNS frequently takes her culinary chops and K12 experience on the road as a highly sought after Key Note Speaker and school nutrition trainer. Sharon Schaefer, SNS

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