K12
6 stealable ideas shared by K-12 operators at the SNA’s 2025 Annual National Conference Check out these ideas shared by K-12 operators during the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference held in San Antonio.
By Benita Gingerella
Innovation was everywhere at this year’s Annual National Conference (ANC) held last week in San Antonio. K-12 operators were quick to share their tips and best practices for mastering social media, saving time in the kitchen and more. Here are six steal-worthy ideas that were shared during the conference.
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TURN MUFFINS INTO BREAKFAST BARS TO SAVE ON TIME Scooping batter into muffin tins can be a time-consuming process. For those looking to speed things up, Seattle Public Schools Culinary Operations Manager and Chef Eva Yablonsky Smith said that operators can pour their muffin batter into sheet pans and bake them into breakfast bars instead. PURCHASE A SMALLER FOOD TRUCK TO AVOID DEALING WITH A CDL When the nutrition team at the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) in New York was looking to purchase a food truck, they made sure to purchase a small enough vehicle so they didn’t need to deal with getting a commercial driver’s license (CDL). This allowed the team to not have to keep up with renewing the license and be more flexible with who could drive the truck. “We didn’t want to have to just kind of pigeonhole ourselves with only one person being able to drive it, having to get CDL training, having to get a license, maintain that license,” said Operational Manager of Shared Food Services Megan Bates. “So, we were very picky with what we got.” PURCHASE T-SHIRTS OR APRONS TO MAKE YOUR NUTRITION TEAM STAND OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA Uniforms are a great way to make your nutrition team look professional and put together for social media, said Austin Independent School District Food Service Marketing Specialist Lindsey Bradley. If uniforms are too expensive, however, nutrition teams could also purchase matching shirts or even matching aprons to achieve the same effect for less. INCLUDE PHOTOS OF EACH DISH ON YOUR MENU TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT Another idea Bradley shared during the conference was including a photo of each dish on the monthly menu that gets posted on the school’s website and social media. Bradley admitted it took a while to take a photo of every dish available on the menu but the move has been a “game changer” for driving engagement, she said. HOST A RECIPE CONTEST TO GET STUDENTS INVOLVED Prince William County Schools in Manassas, Virginia, began hosting its own student recipe contest to engage students. At the start of the school year, students can submit their favorite recipes from home for a chance to have them be served on the school lunch line. The winning recipe is also showcased at the district’s annual food show held in the fall. FOCUS ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF FOODS THAT STUDENTS WILL RELATE TO When speaking to students about the benefits of healthy foods, the nutrition team at IDEA Public Schools, a charter schools operator based in Texas, makes sure to focus on benefits that students can relate to, said Senior Child Nutrition Program Culinary Coordinator Stephanie Buentello. For example, students are more responsive when you tout the benefits that fruits and vegetables have on your mental health.
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