Food & Health Inspiration
DOUGHLESS... As I lay Self-Proclaimed Recipe Concocter Valerie Weivoda, MS, RD, LD, SNS
spatula! If I can’t get skilled workers, I’ll make my own. We’re homemaking everything else anyway! Don’t stress if your applicants don’t have previous food service experience. Attitude and work ethic are what I look for in a person. We can teach someone how to cook. We can’t teach them how to be a nice person. That has always been my philosophy.
and the kitchen needs you. So, don’t neglect it. I know you don’t mean to because up until I started experiencing my own staffing shortages, I did it, too. I was good in the office, good at keeping the paperwork and grants done, and good at taking phone calls, yet I wasn’t present enough. I wasn’t hunched over the three compartment sink hand washing dishes realizing firsthand that it’s utter madness not to have a dish machine in every kitchen. I wasn’t trying to make parfaits without parfait cups or portioning bulk ketchup in individual containers. Until I was. I’vemet directors that spendhard-time in their kitchens every day, and I had always admired them for it. I wanted to be that way, but didn’t know how to juggle the paperwork and the traveling. Well, my prayer was answered when the shortages hit. Like scratch cooking and creating talent, I had no choice. I bet you are in the same boat as me, and guess what, we’ll be better for it! So chin up, my friend. The train isn’t stopping anytime soon. We’re going to come out on top, and I hear the view is pretty nice!
As I lay doughless amid the shortages, I search for culinary inspiration. We are indeed struggling - that’s a fact. However, here lies among us the opportunity to spark creativity. In the recent articles released by the NY Times and Washington Post about Child Nutrition Programs, I found two important takeaways. The first is that these shortages are expected to get worse.The second is that now kitchens are being forced to scratch cook because it’s the processed convenience foods that are being cut from our orders. I knew this from my personal experience with shortages, but reading these articles tells me that the gravy train is gone! I spoke about scratch cooking in my last article, Pandemic Possibilities , and highlighted homemaking pizza due to the frozen pizza shortage. Now I’m personally experiencing a vegetable shortage-no frozen or canned anything! Ring, ring, produce company? Load me up!! Vegetable juice? If it’s got the word vegetable in the name, send it to me! How convenient that we have a vegetable and seasoning shortage during SOUP SEASON. What a time to be alive, y’all. As the hamster wheel in my brain spins (hopefully not out of control), I see a growth opportunity for staff. Let’s make our own
seasonings and use all fresh produce for our soups! We have no other choice anyway! YAY!! Italian seasoning has been a hard seasoning to come by, but it’s very easy to make yourself, hoping that you can find the ingredients at a local bulk grocer like Costco or Sam’s.
Cafeteria worker, hear me. You got this. Don’t get “COVID-fog” and forget how smart and talented you are! Be creative; be willing to give people a chance; be a leader; and be open minded. Lastly, don’t forget to keep having fun!
Italian Seasoning (makes ~ ½ gallon) • 2 cups dried basil • 2 cups dried oregano • 1 cup dried rosemary • 2 cups dried parsley • 1 cup dried thyme • 1 cup red chili flakes • 5.5 Tablespoons garlic powder
Director, I know it’s hard to get office work done if you’re also trying to be in the kitchens, learning about staff needs and overseeing the entire programtoensure survival. Fear not. You can do it all with help. Don’t be afraid to delegate something else to an office worker who stays in the office
How’s your staffing look? If you’ve been struggling to find and keep your departments 100% staffed, you are not alone my friend. In fact, you’re not special at all. So quit your crying in the walk-in. . . only because I need to get in! Where do we even begin to talk about this? I wish there was some hiring wisdom I could whip up for you, but even my staffing agencies are clueless. Though I can’t give you a recipe for finding talent, I can tell you this. Get ready. It’s groundbreaking… drum roll. . . MAKE TALENT. I heard on the news a few weeks ago that it’s not workers that many businesses are struggling to find. It’s skilled workers. It’s talent. Well by George, someone get my
xoxo Gal Pal Val
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.
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