time, and it never stops being impressive. What surprises people most, when I try to explain what this job is actually like, is how much heart you put behind something as ordinary as school lunch. It’s easy for outsiders to assume nutrition programs run on autopilot — the same routine, every day, nothing new. But you’re the ones constantly pushing that idea aside. You’re the ones saying yes to something untested, reworking logistics around a new idea, building trust across departments so something like a student-run beverage program can even exist in the first place. That kind of leadership doesn’t always get talked about, but it should. So if you’re reading this as a director, a manager, a cafeteria staff member, or anyone doing the quiet, unglamorous work that makes a program run: I hope this is a reminder that someone is watching, and someone thinks it’s remarkable. I do, every single time I get to be in the room for it. Getting to watch this industry from the outside has given me a genuine appreciation for everything that goes into a single tray before it ever reaches a student. Thank you for what you do and letting people like me stand off to the side and see it.
Healthy Harvest Fall 2026 | 15
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