Served Digizine - Take Time to Celebrate

Let's celebrate!

Issue No. 6 June 2021

SUCCESS FROM STRIFE Celebrating

READY TO LINQ UP?

We are!

FARM TO SCHOOL

For the Win!

“POP YOUR TRUNK” Reflecting on Pandemic Heroes

You’ve Been Served is a digital story-telling platform for First Taste TV. We partner with companies to inform and inspire viewers through engaging stories from school nutrition professionals.

CONTACT JIM DILLINGHAM JIMD@VENDUCATION.COM WWW.VENDUCATION.COM 800-633-1200

An Interview with Londonderry School District

Amanda Venezia (Londonderry School District) , Jim Dillingham (Vend-ucation) , and Marlon Gordon (First Taste TV/NxtGen Network)

School Meal Lockers

Venducation YBS

Contactless meal pickup that is simple and afforable! Increase lunch line efficiency, feed at a separate location, personalize pickups with pre-ordered lunches, etc. Offer greater meal access across campus without investing in additional staffing with these convenient, simple School Meal Lockers. Pre-ordered meals and ala carte can be picked up by students and school staff at their convenience with a pickup code or a student ID.

Happy customer,Amanda Venezia, shares her experience working with Vend-ucation to increase her a-la-carte sales AND provide more ways to capture reimbursable meal sales to her students. Londonderry High School is beta-testing the new School Meal Locker by Vend-ucation and Amanda has already seen a return on the product investment. Join Marlon as he talks all-things-vending with Jim and Amanda on this episode of You’ve Been Served.

• Software support and hardware warranty included with local hardware technical support • $225 per month on an annual rental agreement • $1500 deposit year one for delivery, setup, and training • Return at the end of any year and only pay shipping

• Standard electrical outlet and Wifi or ethernet connection • 1 control panel with digital display • 35 individual lockers: 6.75”h x 12.75”w x 16.75”d • Easy to use • Time out capability • Adds a point of service • ADA Compliant

Students and teachers love this technology “It’s like an Amazon locker. I love waiting to see which door will open up!” - Cassie, Student “It’s easy and I don’t have to wait in line with my students. I can just grab my lunch and head back to my office.” - Mr. Secor, Assistant Principal

Vend-ucation, Dunbarton, NH | Venducation.com | Jim@Venducation.com

Vend-ucation provides automatic cafeterias, offering student access to meals, fresh food and Smart Snack compliant refreshments through school lunch POS integrations wherever students congregate. Based out of New Hampshire, Vend-ucation is focused on K12 vending and has a large variety of machines in schools across the United States. Contact Jim to learn more today!

Get In-Touch With Venducation

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Contents

SUCCESS FROM STRIFE Vice President of Nutrition Services, LINQ Carol Weekly

16 22

Menu Design Trends Talk

FARM TO SCHOOL

New York SNA Executive Director Jennifer Martin, MBA, CAE

In This Issue

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Letter from the Editors 6 You’ve Been Served with Vend-ucation 2 Highlights & Updates from the Served Digizine Team 8

from Strife 22 the Month 26 LINQ’D UP 20 with Valerie 27

NxtGen Network Presents

Celebrating Success

ICN Resource of

Hot Summer Days 11

TikTok Tortilla Trend

Cool To-Go Lunch Ideas for

A Day in the Life of Our School Meal Heroes! 15 Farm to School - For the Win! 16 “Pop Your Trunk” - Reflections from a school nutrition volunteer during the pandemic 12

Nutrition & Fitness 29 The Momologue 30 The Last Bite with Chef Sharon Schaefer 31 Food Court of the Month from our AmTab Partner 28

“POP YOUR TRUNK” Reflections from a school nutrition volunteer during the pandemic.

Participation 19

Preparation + Presentation =

From Our Partners

Pg 4: J.T.M. & MenuLogic K12 Menu Design Trends Talk Pg 10: Grow Your Business with Us! Pg 14: Calling All Contributors!

Pg 14: School Nutrition Collaborative Pg 24: Eaton Marketing Pg 25: Linq/Titan

School Nutrition Partner MATT UPTON

Get In-Touch With J.T.M.

Get In-Touch With MenuLogic K12

Co-Creators & Co-Editors Amanda & Marlon Say

Don’t forget to look for this Symbol!

WE MADE IT. WE DID IT. WE ARE ALL ROCKSTARS!

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said it couldn’t be done and we did it. Let’s celebrate our accomplishments and the way that we have been shaped into stronger leaders, better problem solvers, and more caring humans. We are a nation of school nutrition professionals who deserve a pat on the back, a high five, a kudos, a party, and certainly an alcoholic beverage (wait, can I say that???).

Looking at the calendar I think simultaneously “that flew by” and “that was the longest year of my life!” It doesn’t matter what you did or how you got here. It’s time to celebrate! Celebrate every time you faced adversity and created a new system, every time you thought you would not survive another call out and did, every time you came home late or went into work

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early, every time you answered a phone call or an email on your own time. BREAKING NEWS: FY21 is O-V-E-R and we are all still standing… or shall I say serving? We stood tall as essential members of our school community and continued to serve and love our stakeholders with healthy school meals. We started new programs. We changed procedures. We made SOPs and the next day we changed them. Now is not only the time to reflect but to take a bow! Put on some music and dance it out.

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However you choose to celebrate big or small, do it. Share it with someone who has been by your side, supporting you at home, or cheering you from their doorstep. You are incredible. You made a difference to children and families. You are amazing and we toast to you! Celebration Playlist: Celebrate (Kool and the Gang) We Are the Champions (Queen) Don’t Stop Believing (Journey) All I Do Is Win (Remix) (DJ Khaled) Roar (Katy Perry) My Shot (Hamilton)

Teamwork.

Amanda GIF

| 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 | Conor Doyle | Valerie Weivoda EDITION CONTRIBUTORS: Jennifer Martin, Lisa Hayes, Tina Hastings/Maureen Pisanick, Annelise McAuliffe Soares, Matt Upton, Carol Weekly

- (Lin Manuel Miranda) Survivor (Destiny’s Child) Can’t Stop the Feeling - (Justin Timberlake Happy (Pharrell Williams)

& 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 2021 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.

We look forward to FY22… no! Not yet… I refuse. Let’s sit in this moment and feel the awe of the inspiration and commitment each member of your team portrayed. Let’s reflect on the times we

Tag us on your celebration dance party video. We want to see you celebrating!!! #ServedDigizine

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Enjoy this video from... Lunch Lady Land

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

Lunch Lady Land

Before diving in...

School Lunch Heroes across the country and here in Klein have gone above and beyond over the past year to feed our students and community. Our administrative team was looking for a way to make our annual staff appreciation special and fun. Adrian Hansell had an idea to remake an old Saturday Night Live skit and perform it for our team members. She rewrote the lyrics, choreographed the skit and sang during the event. The other supervisors eagerly joined in on the fun including Brandon Lee as the “lunch lady” and John Ceballos as the “chicken.” Everyone had a great laugh and went away singing “chicken wing, chicken, chicken wing”. Please enjoy this amazing team that I have the privilege to direct.

Watch this quick recap video of our June edition!

Served Recap Video

We Innovate to Support YOU!

Submitted by: Doug Massey, Klein ISD, Director – Nutrition & Food Services

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Fulton County Schools in Georgia celebrates the end of the year by highlighting their many successes in this video! Congratulations on a great year! Celebrating Together!

Our first edition of the LINQ’D UP Expert Guide is now available. This completely free new Digizine is a collaborative educational resource for creating better programs - curated just for you by partners in your industry.

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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.

Fulton

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Food & Health Inspiration

Cool To-Go Lunch Ideas for Hot Summer Days! Ready Foods Annelise McAuliffe Soares

With Us.

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us all happy thoughts of the state fair or roasting marshmallows. Try assembling fruit kabobs featuring seasonal berries, apples and more for a colorful presentation, served with a vanilla yogurt on the side for dipping. We also love a good savory stick, skewered with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, lunch meat, and cheese. Dip Away Let students reallydig inwith a dippable to-go option. Send them home for a summer lunch complete with whole wheat pita bread and lots of dipping options. Offer a trio of dips, some sweet, others savory or protein-packed, like: hummus, black bean dip, a sweet sunflower seed butter or honey yogurt dip, kale pesto or cheesy spinach dip, salsa, or chia seed jam. Spring Rolls Bring in a gluten-free rice paper wrap and you are set to fill them with just about anything you have in the kitchen. Try cold pulled chicken with julienned carrots and cucumbers, served with a soy-lime dipping sauce. Once you get the hang of it, wrapping a bunch of these is easy and they can be fully prepped ahead of to-go lunch service.

It’s hot and students are hungry for something cool. Here are quick ideas for breakfast and lunch options that you can incorporate into your summer meal program. The best part? Because all of these options can be served cold, your team can prep them ahead. Smoothie Pops Use paper cups and popsicle sticks to form your smoothie blend in the freezer.To keep themdairy-free and lightly sweetened, we like to create a pop made with blended coconut milk, honey, pineapple, spinach and mint. If you can, add a drizzle of chocolate to the bottom of the cup before you add the smoothie and put it on the menu as a mint chocolate pop. The spinach will give it a fun green color, reminiscent of mint chocolate ice cream. Southwest Pasta Salad Rely on ready-to-use black beans to bring protein to this simple entree or side. The cold pasta can be tossed with charred corn, fresh tomatoes and a touch of alfredo sauce to bring it all together. Season with lime juice and cumin for big flavor.

NEW OPPORTUNITY You’ve Been Served is a video series that can be distributed in Served Digizine as well as social media. The purpose is to highlight the positive and innovative things school districts are doing with industry partners to educate the viewers, and continue to mold the perception of what school food really is.

Shout-out: 15 - 30 second sizzle reel Sponsored Episode: Minimum Company/product highlight of two minutes long endorsed by a school district of your choosing (with approval). Your logo will also appear on the 10-12 minute episode as a sponsor. Once aired you will have access to share through your outlets. Episode Details: Multi-camera shoot set-up, 1 host, pre-shoot creative call, scheduled release on social media Download the Advertiser Spec Sheet Here

Lunch on a Stick There’s something about food on a stick that gives

Annelise McAuliffe Soares

Marketing Manager at Ready Foods in Denver, Colorado

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 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 as a kid in elementary school was always nacho day.

We’ve Got Your Back

“POP YOUR TRUNK” Reflections from a school nutrition volunteer during the pandemic.

snow, the sleet, the heat, and the wind. They will tell how nothing could stop you from making sure they had food.

One 12-year-old boy in Redding of the Enterprise School District told me of his gratitude for the meals I provided for him and his brother and sisters. He also told me of that he “hoped COVID-19 would never go away.” I asked why? He shared with me that the pandemic not only gave his family food, but it also “gave him his Daddy every dinner and they throw a ball to each other every day.” Once COVID-19 went away, he “would lose his Daddy too, because he would go back to work.”

School Nutrition Partner MATT UPTON

“April 10, 2020, while the rain and wind blew across the circular driveway of Onaga Elementary School in the Morongo School, in Yucca Valley, California we filled the trunks of families with food to sustain students for the following week. Each child of every family received a gallon of milk, along with a breakfast, lunch, and snack for the following week of spring break. This level of service happened across America both in inner cities and rural communities. This provision of meals happened for every family that would make their way down to the curb of their school. In some locations where families could not make it to the curb side serve site, the staff found a way to get the meals delivered to them. This is the first time in modern day history that this level of food was provided for families and the first time it was coordinated through school food service personnel.“ When the pandemic was brought to the national conscience on March 13, 2020, within a few hours, LG’s (Lunch Girls and Guys) were meeting and mapping how they would continue to bring their best Serve to their students. Everyone at schools were staying in place and learning how to create virtual backgrounds on their Zoom accounts and LG’s were heading to the Curb to Serve.

LG’s systematically figured out how to accomplish what had never been done before, they bought popup awnings, rolling ice chests, and created numbering systems to know how much food to place in the trunks and truck beds for the families of their students.

You brought your heart and soul to the curb every week through the pandemic, and you changed lives and

perspectives. As I stood alongside you and helped serve 1.5 million meals, I witnessed the best of the best of every school district bringing their Serve to their students. I stand and applaud you; I admire you; I want to be more like you. Every challenge that was tossed your direction, you conquered. Your community, your town, your city, your county and all their families are indebted to you and have become better through your Serve.

Along the way they gained the title of “essential worker,” made the cover

of Time Magazine and became the heart and face of every school district in the nation.

Yet, in the midst of all these historical events, the greatest was accomplished in the families that could continue to have uninterrupted utilities in their homes because of your tireless Serve. In some cases, needed medications were purchased through the funds they did not need to use for food. Though it is true, as an LG you may not have been adequately financially or verbally appreciated by your school district, students will tell stories of these days. They will talk of your smiling faces and big hearts. They will tell their kids the miracle of their Lunch Girl or Guy who met them at the curb of their school in the rain, the

When there is anything I can do for you, please allow me the honor to Serve You.

School Nutrition Partner Matt Upton is a friend and fan of LG’s “Lunch Girls and Guys” everywhere. Durning the COVID-19 Pandemic he hooked up his 29’ travel trailer and tugged it near 5000 miles and stood alongside LG’s and helped serve just over 1.5 million meals curbside and on busses … in every weather condition imaginable. Matt has been part of school nutrition since 2001 Building Confidence, Coaching towards Connective Communication, developing Customer Allegiance, and unveiling the hidden treasure within staff conflict. He has conducted a ten minute Facebook Live broadcast at 707 “Your 707 Challenge” everyday since beginning of the Pandemic on March 13, 2020. Matt Upton

A Day in the Life of our School Meal Heroes! Maureen Pisanick Tina Hastings On The Front Lines

CALLING ALL CONTRIBUTORS

What makes you feel grateful? Perhaps you have prioritized ways to include a daily acknowledgment of those things that make life worth living - certainly our health, our families, our loved ones (including the furry ones!). Some of us list other gratitudes that rank pretty high - our faith, our service to our communities, our care for our planet, and our support of local farmers and businesses. No matter how simple (the air we breathe) to how profound (a vaccine to

respond to our google survey to not only measure their interest and need, but to offer education and supportive information to keep our families engaged. We asked and received positive feedback and pictures of our kids enjoying the food and items the families received in our weekly curbside distributions.” What I witnessed was not only a meal service, but a group coming together to feed the hearts and souls of our students. The outpouring of the community’s gratitude in

We Want YOUR Voice in

halt the pandemic), we can appreciate, celebrate and amplify the power of a simple expression of gratitude! In capturing this video, the Woodridge administration wanted to demonstrate

the form of a curbside labor of love is something I will never forget! (Tina Hastings,Woodridge Nutrition Supervisor). Our story of gratitude is really quite simple. We are grateful for opportunities to serve all of our school clients and students as a passion, not just a career. Each moment offers us a chance to see the epic dedication, resiliency, and care that makes such a profound impact on the lives of so many students and families. Unsung heroes, boots on the ground offering up favorite lunch bundles, local takeover

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

Woodridge

this gratitude and share a sometimes best kept secret: the well oiled machine of school food service! From front-line nutrition staff, to support from administration and office staff, the team at Woodridge fondly resembles Santa’s workshop - a virtual assembly line of gifts of fresh dairy, produce, breakfast, lunch, shelf stable and backpack bundles all delivered with a smile and a spirit of teamwork. “The team at Woodridge hit the ground running. We asked ourselves what we can do to continue to feed these kids nutritious meals despite all of the obstacles that the pandemic presented us with.” The team worked hard to build relationships with the community. “We asked for families to

From front-line nutrition staff, to support from administration and office staff, the team at Woodridge fondly resembles Santa’s workshop - a virtual assembly line of gifts of fresh dairy, produce, breakfast, lunch, shelf stable and backpack bundles all delivered with a smile and a spirit of teamwork.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION HERE!

All New Social Group! A Place for Everyone!

meal experiences, and a variety of fresh produce all to feed students amidst a time of uncertainty and unprecedented pivots. “What small role we are able to play to help organize, support, and innovate for, and with, our clients will forever fuel my desire to serve and fill my tank and heart full of gratitude!” (Maureen Pisanick,RD,LD President Pisanick Partners)

K-12 Collaborative is an open space designed to share ideas, promote your program and suggest solution based products. Let’s color outside of the lines and think beyond the box. We proudly promote collaboration between school nutrition operators as well as industry members. Companies across the country are constantly creating high value resources and they employ ingenious minds. Let’s harness the power of these expert stakeholders to feed hungry children. Welcome to the next generation of social collaboration.

Tina Hastings

Maureen Pisanick

Woodridge Nutrition Supervisor

CEO/Founder Pisanick Partners, LLC

Tina brings 15 years of front line production experience managing in the food industry/front of house for a large grocery store. First brought into the team 5 years ago as a school employee working

Pisanick Partners, LLC is a nutrition consulting firm servicing early childhood and K-12 foodservice programs. Maureen currently supports over 30 school districts in Northeast Ohio in creating and implementing

Things we welcome:

Questions/Problems/Issues Ads Recipes Self Promotion

Conversation Photos Collaboration

Promotional Graphics Food Puns!!! Leadership Development

in a Pisanick Partner school district, she excelled at bringing healthy flavorful meals to her customers big and small, with improved participation from staff, students, and through specialty catering events. Tina specializes in finding ways to bring kitchens from negative to positive fundbalanceswith a keen eye to key performance indicators, while continuing to ensure quality food service to those she serves.

a strategic improvement plan for their meal service programs.

Through her involvement in farm to school efforts, culinary training course development, and recipe and menu software analysis, she has created turn-key solutions for a niche market geared towards wellness andpublic health inOhio. She is often calledupon toprovide professional development training as a respected leader in the local and national school nutrition industry.

When we say we’re passionate about school nutrition, we mean it.

Food & Health Inspiration

FARM TO SCHOOL

started crafting an early version of what would later turn into the 30% Incentive Program. NYSNA advocated for the incentive for the first time in October of 2015, and although the reimbursement rate did not increase that year, we did see $750,000 in grant money established to be awarded for assistance with farm to school efforts. So, we kept tweaking and kept asking. The following year there was so much interest in these programs that the grant money was increased to $1.5 million. Now that all of the pieces were coming together and the NYS budget was starting to reflect a greater interest in agriculture and the connection with schools, we just had to figure out what that selling point was going to be to convince them to finally increase those reimbursement rates. As it turns out, there were many other organizations advocating for NY agriculture in a variety of ways, and in 2017 these organizations came together and formed a coalition. The New York Grown Food for New York Kids is a coalition headed up by American Farmland Trust and is committed to increasing the availability of, and access to, healthy food grown in New York that is served to public schools across the state. As we geared up for NYSNA’s 2018 Legislative Action Conference, we now had nearly 70 school, food, farm, public health, economic development, environmental, and anti-hunger organizations and stakeholders throughout New York that supported the 30% program initiative. During our lobby day some of our partners (ie. American Farmland Trust, Farm Bureau, Hunger Solutions NY, NYS School Boards Association, and ASBO) were at the table with us. Our message was clear - our kids need more locally grown food, and our farmers need our business! We pushed for the incentive program to help revitalize the economy, without being a tax credit or a handout. Guess what folks - we did it! We made history in New York State in 2018 when the Governor’s No Student Hungry Initiative included our 30% Incentive Program and was funded in the state budget with support from the legislature! Now that we had the money lined up, we next needed to get the districts on board.

Many of the coalition partners helped us encourage schools to participate and showcase the benefits of farm to school programs including: • Public health • Healthy food access • Economic impact and job creation • Student benefits: higher test scores, knowledge of agriculture, gardening, healthy eating, nutrition, etc. After the first year of the program, American Farmland Trust surveyed over 300 School Foodservice Authorities (SFAs) and published a report on their findings. Some key takeaways in their executive summary included: • While many schools saw 30% as a challenge, 49 SFAs applied to the New York State Education Department for the extra reimbursement claiming they reached 30% within just one year. This includes Buffalo Public Schools, the second largest district in the state. • 72% of schools felt optimistic that with the right support they would achieve 30% within five years. • Achieving this outcome would cause schools to spend nearly $150 million at New York farms over the next five years while increasing access to healthy, New York grown food for almost 700,000 K–12 students by 2024. • Conservatively, this would generate over $210 million in economic impact statewide while costing the state just over $94 million over the course of five years in reimbursement and support.

New York SNA Executive Director Jennifer Martin, MBA, CAE

New York State is recognized as a leader of the nation’s farm to school programs. We even have legislation in place to award districts financially which commit to serving the freshest foods possible to their students. The New York 30% Incentive Program is not only great for students, but also helping local farmers and the local economy. It even has a positive impact on the environment! So, what is this 30% incentive? It is just that - an incentive. An incentive to encourage schools to buy foods that have been grown, raised and or processed in New York State. Basically, if 30% of the foods you purchase for reimbursable lunches come from NYS you will receive an additional 19 cents reimbursement per lunch in the following school year.

The New York School Nutrition Association (NYSNA) asked the state for an increase to the reimbursement rate for years and it was just not happening. The current NYS reimbursement rate is $0.06 per meal – and that has not changed in well over 40 years. Put it this way, the last time the reimbursement rate was increased the minimum wage was $2.65, Jimmy Carter was president, and a ticket to the original Star Wars movie was $2.23! And I do not need to remind all of you that food costs, in addition to supplies, labor, utilities, and staff benefits certainly have not remained stagnant during all of those many decades. Talk about an industry being forced to continuously do more with less, geez.

So, in 2015 we decided to get creative to find a way to get the money. What did we know?

• The state was not going to just hand out more money – there needed to be a give and take approach. • Farm to school was becoming increasingly popular (and NYS is a huge agriculture state). • Two of the members on our Public Policy and Legislation Committee were already working with local farmers within their districts to promote and support local agriculture. • NYS elected officials were heavily promoting “Buy New York”, “Support New York” type initiatives - including the Governor.

Industry partners were also getting involved and were creating new products which would qualify for the incentive program as well. We are proud to have New York yogurt, string cheese, potato chips, french fries, grape juice, hot dogs, cider, granola, sausage – the list just keeps growing! In Year 2 we were all hit with this crazy pandemic that turned our world upside down. I’m sure everyone can attest to the fact that our districts were hit hard while everyone went into emergency feeding mode. It’s interesting to note that although

How did the 30% incentive come about?

Our committee connected the dots and met with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and then

Read On

Food & Health Inspiration

= PARTICIPATION Preparation + Presentation

the pandemic caused such a disruption, there were still schools that were actively striving for the 30% Incentive Program, and 62 SFAs applied in Year 2. Our goal is to see participation continue to grow each year, and we have the best possible partners advocating for the continuation of this program. There are so many resources available now to help districts and industry partners participate. Stay tuned to see how successful this program becomes for Years 3 and beyond! FARM TO SCHOOL RESOURCES: 30% Summit (featuring videos on Buying Local, Selling Local, 30% Documentation, and more) NYSNA Celebrates Farm to School

directors in Wayne county showcase local food from their county specifically. There are Junior Chef challenges, school gardens, farmers markets, bilingual cooking and gardening videos, and more. Even during a pandemic these programs have not slowed down. Directors have been finding ways to incorporate farm to school into the remote meals and even creating meal kits with recipes that families can make together. We also have a very passionate and active Farm to School Committee. The committee members contribute articles for our quarterly publication, Fresh Bites , with the most amazing stories, pictures, and videos. A couple of committee members wanted to share why farm to school is so important to them: “Farm to School is a win-win for students, farmers, and the community. I grew up on a farm and love working both on a district and state level to bring local fresh products to students as well as education on how food grows. Not only does it provide delicious food to students, it also opens them up to future interests and career opportunities.” Julie M. Raway, MPH, RDN, CDN, SNS, FAND, Registered Dietitian / Broome Tioga BOCES Food Services “Farm to school is a triple win. Through their purchasing power, schools have an incredible opportunity to foster economic growth for regional farmers and food producers. Win! Students have greater access to fresh, healthy food — something particularly important in communities that suffer from high rates of nutrition-related diseases. Win! Through education, the school community is afforded the opportunity to forge a deeper connection to the source of their food, hopefully cultivating a lifelong healthy relationship with food and agriculture. Win!” Cheryl Bilinski, Agricultural Economic Development Specialist, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Plate Presentation

F2S Award Highlights

audience, this doesn’t mean that they have to eat with us. We must give students a reason to eat with us. If our food is colorful, fun, and made with pride and love then the students will eat and keep coming back for more. Our formula is: Preparation + Presentation = Participation. This is such a simple formula. If you visualize the serving line ahead of time and think about the colors of the rainbow for both fruits and vegetables, then you have completed Step 1 ! Step 2: Be creative with your selections and prepare them so they will be fun and attractive to your buyer. Step 3: Once you are successful with steps one and two then your participation will increase. Your food will be so vibrant with color! It will be irresistible and everyone will want to eat!

School District of Pickens County, SC Lisa Hayes

All humans “eat with their eyes”. We know that our enjoyment of food is about more than how it tastes, which makes some believe we eat with our tongues. However, research in fact shows that it is our eyes leading the way, our tongues merely follow. People’s perception is typically dominated by what their eyes see. Food presentation is the most important aspect of capturing a person’s dining attention. In order for one to select a particular food to eat, the item must first look appealing to them. Once they select it, the food quality such as taste, texture, and temperature then becomes the most important aspect of what is on the plate. Our Foodservice Director, Jenaffer Pitt, always tells us to think of the colors of the rainbow when preparing our food. She encourages us to make our displays full of color. She also says that even though our students are a captured

Here in New York State, we love to celebrate Farm to School. Each year we partner with the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets for the Farm to School Partnership Awards! Some of the projects that have been created around the state are just so innovative and unique. From creative student taste testing events to farm to school food trucks, directors and partners are redefining the way we think of school meals. Throughout the state there are districts that showcase NY Thursdays, where districts strive to provide a meal created with all NY items. On Wayne Wednesdays all food service

New York School Nutrition Association Executive Director Jennifer has been in association management since 2011 and the Executive Director of the New York School Nutrition Association since 2014. Under her leadership the NYSNA has been recognized for various achievements and has seen considerable growth. She is a national 40 under 40 award recipient, an amazing talent scout and an expert in the areas of administration, governance, iced coffee, and Harry Potter. Her keys to success can be summarized by the following phrases: “Work smarter, not harder;” “Be intentional;” and “Your Attitude Determines Your Altitude.” Jennifer Martin, MBA, CAE

Liberty High School Food Service Manager; School District of Pickens County, SC Lisa was a restaurant owner before taking the leap to school foodservice and she is so glad and grateful that she did. “As challenging as it is to get kids to eat, I find that with the knowledge frommy previous position, along with the creativity of the ladies I work with and the freedom to think outside the box we are able to bring some color and fun to lunch time. I enjoy my job the most when we can get kids to try new things,” says Lisa. Lisa Hayes

What you need to know:

Network with school nutrition industry leaders at LINQ’D UP, the industry’s first NATIONAL HYBRID conference!

For Attendees: Three Ways to Participate This is a FREE Event to attend!!

You’re not going to want to miss this party!

Interactive online experience of the in-person event

Engage in the live-stream event across social media*

LIVE in-person event in Tampa, FL (by invite only)

Space is Limited! Click Here to Register Now!

*Think New Years Eve television which brings the event to you!

LINQ’D UP VIDEO

• Cost is just $495 for the first table and $295 for each additional table • Additional logo placement on event sidebar $200 per logo • Attendees will be encouraged to visit each manufacturer table through interactive gamification • Purchase includes feature on splash page advertisements in Served Digizine™, social media posts, and LINQ’D UP email campaigns. For Industry Members: Option 2 is for You! Interactive online experience of the in-person event

LINQ’D UP is a HYBRID networking event and AWARD CEREMONY done right. Join us on July 16 th as we celebrate Lunchroom Rockstars™ across the nation.

Industry Register Here!

Need more information to make your decision? No problem! Click HERE to contact us!

mobile pickup partnerships with local food pantries, as well as supplying fresh fruits and veggies and snacks. And despite the weighty challenge of managing so many service options, Bock’s program was still able to focus on their program’s mission. “The most important thing is that we are able to feed our children food that creates dignity for them,” Bock said. “Delicious food, yes. Nutritious food, yes. But food they can be proud to eat. We do that through cooking from scratch and sourcing as locally as we possibly can.” Bock said she’s proud of the work she does and gives credit to those on her team. “I give credit to the people around me. [They are the reason] we keep going and howwe’ve been able to achieve this many pivots. It is 100 percent because my department is filled with the hardest working individuals I have ever encountered in my life.” At times, it can be easy to feel unappreciated for hard work. Bock noted there is a lot of pride in her industry whether others appreciate the dedication of school nutrition professionals or not. “School nutrition professionals are some of the most underpaid, under appreciated humans on the planet. There’s a lot of pride in being a lunch lady, so I embrace the term,” Bock said. “I think that being a school nutrition professional is the most rewarding and noble path that anyone could find. I’m so lucky to have found it later in my life.” Just like Danielle Bock and her team at Greeley-Evans School District 6, all school nutrition professionals across the nation are Lunchroom Rockstars. These stars rock the lunchroom by making a positive impact to their school nutrition program while working tirelessly to ensure our children are well-fed and ready to learn. That’swhywe launchedour LunchroomRockstarsprogram. Nutrition directors and their teams deserve to be placed in the spotlight and center stage. When you nominate someone as a Lunchroom Rockstar, you’re helping to bust the negative perception of school nutrition programs and let others know that school food ROCKS! We’re awarding the 2020-2021 Lunchroom Rockstars Hall of Fame Inductees on July 16 at LINQ’D UP, a free, hybrid networking event for school nutrition professionals.

We’re In Awe

SUCCESS FROM STRIFE How a Colorado School Nutrition Program Thrived During the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Vice President of Nutrition Services, LINQ Carol Weekly

It’s time to celebrate! The steely grip of the COVID-19 pandemic has loosened, opening the door for us to live much as we were before. Social calendars are filling fast with parades, parties, reunions, and concerts. We deserve some fun. But hold on to your party poppers for just a moment. Celebrations are even sweeter when they are earned, and no one has earned it more than the folks who toiled on the front lines of the pandemic. These brave souls— doctors, nurses, grocery store staff, restaurant servers, delivery drivers, pharmacy staff, teachers—sacrificed their time, health, and mental well-being so their communities had medical care, food in their bellies, and an education. Whether or not we knew just how essential these professionalswere toour lives,we knownowthat their hard work is the real reason we’re ready to revel. The best way to kick off our celebrations is to honor these individuals and their stories about turning their professions upside down to meet the needs of their communities. Just like other essential workers, school nutrition teams spent a lot of time getting comfortable with uncomfortability as the pandemic closed schools down

nationwide. How would they feed students, especially those living with food insecurity, if the children weren’t in the school building? “Pivot” became an industry buzzword as nutrition programs were given an unprecedented opportunity to get creative. The nutrition team of Greeley-Evans School District 6 took the challenge head on, fully embodying the word pivot as they looked for ways to serve its 21,500 students. “Finding the kids and making sure that we bring the meals to the kids has been a significant challenge for us,” Danielle Bock, Director of Nutrition Services for Greeley-Evans said. ”Every single day presents a new challenge to find the kid, feed the kid, and then replenish the stores. And that’s all the stores, right? Not even just the food stores, it’s the mental stores, too.” Ever the fraternal group, Bock and her team tapped into networking opportunities with other school nutrition professionals to generate ideas and find support for their shifting food service models. In addition to offering in- person, socially distanced meals in cafeterias, Bock’s program shifted to include breakfast and lunch service in the classroom, bus route pick up options, drive-thru spots,

Join us as we come together to celebrate those who found success during one of the most challenging times on record. This is not another Zoom event; our unique forum will allow you to connect with other nutrition professionals, play games and win prizes. After all your hard work, you deserve to attend an event that honors your dedication AND is fun to attend! We can’t wait to see you there. Photo Credit Photos used in this article are courtesy of Greeley-Evans School District 6

Vice President of Nutrition Services, LINQ Carol spent 15 years as an operator prior to switching over to the industry side of the business. Carol is a Registered Dietitian and a School Nutrition Specialist. She has also served in a range of roles for the School Nutrition Association and most recently served as the SNIC Co-Chair as the industry representative and spoke at SNIC 2021. Carol Weekly

Click Here to Learn More about COVID-19 Solutions

Don’t sleep on the TikTok tortilla food wrap trend. Not only is it fun, trading the loaf bread for a tortilla is light on the stomach and makes for the perfect midday lunch break! Try a 10” tortilla for Dad and a street taco style for the kiddos. When you want to jazz up that leftover baked chicken, slice it, toss it and fold it into this trendy wrap with pesto, mozzarella and fresh basil. Toast it just enough to melt the cheese, and enjoy! Now I’m hungry! TIKTOK Tortilla Trend Self-Proc aimed Recipe Co coctor Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS • Peanut butter & Jelly • Peanut butter & bananas • Bananas, strawberries, whipped cream & nutella Savory Ideas • Fajita style - chicken, peppers & onions, cheese, guacamole & salsa • Deli style - turkey, ham, cheese, lettuce, mayo & mustard • Pizza style - tomato sauce, pepperoni, sausage & cheese • Breakfast style - eggs, sausage, cheese & hash browns Sweet Ideas Trendy foods aren’t just for the home kitchen. Bring this fun hack to your school cafeteria! Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to whip these up in no time for your students. If you have a panini press or grill top, give it one last final touch by making it melty and delicious. Dishing up trendy foods is sure to draw participation.

Food & Health Inspiration

Show, Don’t Tell!

Celebrating Your Success and Supporting Your Professional Development!

The Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) is honored to serve and support school nutrition professionals in their continued dedication and service. As we adapt to new and innovative methods to help you continue your success and professional development, we offer numerous ways to access resources that meet your needs. All ICN resources are FREE and available at theicn.org website.

Talk about Celebrating Success! Nancy Coughenour

• Podcasts The Mixup and iBites – Subscribe and listen to experts in the field on various topics. • iLearn ICN’s online course system offers learning on the go with currently These resources are designed to give directors/managers an easy- to-use lesson plan for training staff in various topics. Each lesson is roughly 15 minutes and available in English and Spanish. • Virtual Group Training 89 courses available. • Manager’s Corner ICN offers free virtual group training on a broad range of topics for child nutrition professionals working in school nutrition and child care settings. There are so many more resources available to you and your staff that we cannot list them all here. Take advantage of all the free resources available to you at theicn.org or email helpdesk@theicn.org for assistance.

Whether you are preparing for Summer Meal Service or looking forward to Back-to-School, you can find resources to assist you and your staff. Check out this list! • Feature Resource: Webinars STAR Webinars and CICN Webinar Series – Look for monthly webinars on current topics in culinary skills training and school nutrition program operation. • The April STAR Webinar: Strategies for Motivating and Celebrating School Nutrition Professionals’ Achievements – Watch this webinar live here or enroll in the webinar on iLearn!

Nancy Food Service Director of Shawnee Mission School District in Shawnee Mission, Kansas has been in in school nutrition for almost 30 years, 41 years in foodservice. You’ll pick up on her passion for feeding kids nutritious and delicious meals within minutes of speaking with her. She prides herself on the progress that she has seen in the kitchens of her district that consists of 47 buildings, 265 foodservice employees and 28,000 students. Shawnee Mission District’s Food Services on-site production offers Coughenour, breakfast, lunch, after school snacks and meals, summer feeding, and more. ICN would like to celebrate Nancy’s success due to her hard work, passion, and dedication to feeding the children of our nation. Congratulations on your retirement, Nancy!

Video

https://www. youtube.com/ watch?v=JDPPJ4awN1o

xoxo Gal Pal Val

• Basics at a Glance: ICN’s most popular resource! Available in print and online as well as English and Spanish. • ICN’s Food Safety Resources: These resources have been developed by ICN, USDA, and other organizations to provide assistance in ensuring food safety in your program. • Summer FoodServiceResources Posters, Tip Cards, Training Guide available in English and Spanish

ICN’s online learning platform has a new name and fresh new look! Now you can iLearn…Anytime, Anywhere! iLearn provides self-paced, free online learning for child nutrition professionals with flexibility to complete courses in multiple sessions on desktop, laptop, or mobile devices. The new iLearn platform includes the launch of our first Spanish online course. You can also select Español in your profile for a translated online experience! Nutrición 101 4ta Edición is now available on TheICN.org/iLearn

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.

ICN Website About ICN

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.

Fitness & Nutrition Carbohydrates - the macronutrients that give you energy!

Brought to you by Making sure your students are in a great environment to enjoy the delicious food is becoming a focal point for schools across the country.

FOOD COURT of the Month!

Nutrition Expert Callie Neumann, RD

Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. Foods you consume can make a difference in how you perform in your fitness routine. Your diet, the intensity, and duration of your workout influences what your body will use as fuel to power through your workouts. Your body uses macronutrients as fuel. When you think of the word, macronutrients, what do you think it means? If you guessed large nutrients, you are exactly right. There are three types of macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Your body needs these nutrients in a larger capacity in order to function properly. These nutrients also provide your body with calories, which therefore gives you energy to live and to also power through your workouts. In this article, we are going to discuss one macronutrient, carbohydrates, and the benefits to incorporating this nutrient into your diet to improve exercise performance. What do carbohydrates in your diet do for you? Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body and brain to function properly. Carbohydrates are stored and used as energy to fuel your body for exercise.If less carbohydrates are consumed, your body utilizes other nutrients (fats and protein) for energy. Adequate amount of carbohydrates in the diet allows protein to do its main jobs of repairing and rebuilding muscle. The more active you are, the more carbohydrates you will need to consume. How many carbohydrates should I consume? For an average to light intensity workout, the recommendation is 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. For someone who weighs 150 pounds (68 kilograms) that would mean 200 to 340 grams of carbohydrates.

If you workout at a higher intensity level and more than an hour a day, you may need 6 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight. Examples of high-quality carbohydrates Brown rice, whole grain bread, pasta and crackers, low fat milk, potatoes, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, a fruit smoothie, an apple with peanut butter, and fruits are a few options of high-quality carbohydrates to consume. It is important to fuel and refuel your body with carbohydrates. For pre-workout eating purposes, make sure to give your body some time to digest if you consume a high carbohydrate meal or snack before exercise. For refueling, the best practice is to consume a combined carbohydrate and protein meal or snack within 30 minutes post workout to replenish what was lost during your workout. If more refined carbohydrates (pastries, sweet desserts, candies, sugary cereals) instead of high-quality carbohydrates are consumed, some may feel fatigued and sluggish resulting in decreased athletic performance and ineffective workouts. It is very important to remember to include carbohydrates in your fueling and refueling nutritional regimen. Fueling your body properly can improve your exercise performance. A well balanced diet is key in promoting overall health. It is important to aim to use the MyPlate guidelines to include half of your plate as fruits and vegetables, the other half as whole grains and protein, and consuming low fat or fat free dairy products. Stay tuned for more nutrition tips to come!

Food Courts across the country day in and day out serve amazing food options to students. Throughout the various Facebook groups and Instagram pages, it’s clear as day that students are enjoying what is being prepared for them in the kitchen. Looking through the different meal options it makes me wish I was back in school in order to take advantage of the amazing food prepared. Yet, another area that is growing fast is the importance of having a modern, popular, and fun food court for those students. A larger emphasis has been put on creating an environment that matches the delicious food that is being prepared. The beauty about each food court is that no two are the same! You have the ability to design exactly how you want it to look. If you want soft-seating furniture, you can add those in to give a unique feel to your food court. If you want to add logo tables sprinkled in with your other tables, you can. Adding wall décor, signage and other graphics help brighten up the space for your students. Making sure your students are in a great environment to enjoy the delicious food is becoming a focal point for schools across the country. Changes and additions to your food court are possible regardless of your budget! Whether you have a large school foodservice budget or a smaller one, options to help create warm, inviting, and vibrant spaces are possible for you!

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Callie Neumann, RD Assistant Child Nutrition Director, Anoka-Hennepin Schools (MN)

Conor Doyle Digital Marketing Specialist, AmTab Manufacturing

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. Callie enjoys creating nutritionally balanced menus for students to enjoy in school. She 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!

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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