Since the pandemic hit in March 2020, school nutrition programs have been able to adapt and tackle the challenges of getting millions of children. Despite labor shortages,…
Without Congressional action, pandemic-era waivers including free school meals are set to expire on June 30. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/pandemic-related-waivers-set-expire/

States and school districts are breathing a collective sigh of relief as USDA has announced $1.5 billion in federal funds to support school meal programs deal with the challenges…
USDA announces $1.5 billion to support school meal programs in the wake of rising inflation and supply chain disruptions brough on by the pandemic. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/usda-distributes-15-billion-help-school-meal-programs/

Pivot, pivot, pivot! If you’re like most foodservice professionals, this year has brought unprecedented challenges to your program. You may have been forced to turn on a dime and…
We’ve made 5 days of easily adaptable menus and support resources available for free to help navigate supply chain disruptions. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/supply-chain-help-here/

October is Farm to School Month! It's a celebration of food education, school gardens, and school meals made from healthy, local food. Farm to school foods ensure the freshest…
October is Farm to School Month! Offering locally grown foods not only supports your community, but it can also help alleviate potential supply chain issues. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/celebrate-farm-school-month/

How long will we have to keep going like this? It’s a question that school nutrition professionals across the country are asking. While it feels like a small step towards normalcy…
Pandemic fatigue and burn out are real, especially for school nutrition professionals. Here’s a few ideas to keep things positive. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/five-ways-school-foodservice-professionals-fight-pandemic-fatigue/

Some relief is in sight for struggling school foodservice operators coping with a stressed supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A new waiver issued by the USDA this week…
A new USDA waiver prevents school meal programs from being financially penalized if supply chain shortages prevent them from meeting certain regulatory requirements for school meals. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/usda-issues-waiver-address-supply-chain-disruption/

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with weight gain among adults, but little was known about the pandemic’s effect on the weight of children and teens. A new study…
Childhood obesity is up during the pandemic. How do school meals factor in on these rates? https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/study-pandemic-increased-childhood-obesity/

As we head back to school this fall, there are still many school meal-related benefits available to students and families this year due to the continued COVID-19 pandemic. It’s…
Boost student participation in school meals with free downloadable signage just in time for school year 2021-22. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/printable-signage-support-back-school-efforts/

Did your school receive COVID-19 relief funding to offset increased costs caused by the accommodations made during the 2020/21 school year? Many states included integrated…
Use your COVID-19 relief funding now to lock into NutriStudents K-12 at a discount for years to come! https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/use-covid-19-relief-save/

Month-by-month. No upfront costs. Cancel at anytime. Money-back guarantee. Our support to help school districts survive and recover from COVID continues with a special risk-free…
To help districts recover from COVID, we’re offering an affordable month-by-month subscription with a money-back guarantee. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/risk-free-pricing-covid-recovery/

Schedule a system demonstration today to see how your students, employees and program can benefit from NutriStudents K-12.
Tap into stimulus/CARES Act funding to subscribe to NutriStudents K-12 today and realize ROI this year and next. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/nutristudents-k-12-qualifies-cares-funding/

There’s no doubt COVID-19 has reshaped child nutrition programs for the foreseeable future. Since March 2020, foodservice directors have had to adapt nearly every aspect of their…
Several trends have emerged from the COVID-19 era that will shape school nutrition programs in 2021 and beyond. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/7-school-nutrition-trends-2021/

COVID-19 Emergency Menus COVID-19 Foodservice Guide 3 Free Menu Days Cafeteria Connection Subscription Grocery menus have been called the "secret sauce" to COVID-19 meal…
Grocery menus meet USDA guidelines for the SFSP and simplify distance-learning school meals. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/grocery-menus-simplify-sfsp-service/

  Byers Public School District Case Study Now available: 40-Week Rotation COVID-19 Foodservice Guide FAQs Do your lunch menus, whether for in-school service or…
We've made available 3 free menu days for NSLP/SSO and SFSP to help mix up your menus. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/3-free-menu-days-nslpsso-sfsp/

COVID-19 Emergency Menus COVID-19 Foodservice Guide Cafeteria Connection Subscription General Mills "Support School Meals" Resources No Kid Hungry School Meal Toolkit    …
Our latest issue of Cafeteria Connection helps parents understand free school meals are for all families and help both your school and busy parents. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/convincing-parents-take-school-meals/

The headlines tell the story: hunger and food insecurity are on the rise because of the coronavirus. According to hunger-relief organization Feeding America, more than 50 million…
Meet students’ nutritional needs and boost your bottom line with holiday meals. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/fill-holiday-meal-gap/

Long before the coronavirus and COVID-19 impacted our daily lives, school foodservice programs, caterers and restaurants had strict and extensive food handling and sanitation…
FREE SUBSCRIPTION: The latest issue of Cafeteria Connection helps parents understand school meals are safe. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/new-cafeteria-connection-school-meal-safety/

The NutriStudents K-12 Back-to-School Guide is not just for back-to-school time. It can help you shift to a new service model or improve upon what you're already doing. If your…
Need help shifting to hybrid or distance learning? Download our free Back-to-School Guide – it’s not just for back-to-school! https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/bts-guide-helps-shift-distance-learning/

Schools' cries over lagging participation are being heard by associations and manufacturers. Here are several "grab & go" marketing tools to help increase participation. If you…
Schools' cries for help are being heard. Here are several "grab & go" marketing tools to #SupportSchoolMeals. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/resources-support-your-marketing/

COVID-19 has dramatically affected school meal participation. We recently posted ideas for changes you could make to help boost participation, including marketing, which is more…
COVID-19 has dramatically affected school meal participation. Time to step up your marketing with these resources from NutriStudents K-12. https://nutristudentsk-12.com/news/fresh-bites-blog/marketing-boost-participation/