Every school day, food service professionals show up before the first bell rings - prepping breakfasts, setting up service lines, and ensuring thousands of students receive healthy, balanced meals. Yet, in the hustle of serving others, their own nutritional needs are often overlooked.

That’s why it’s important for School Food Authorities (SFAs) to establish a clear policy that provides meals for food service staff while at work. This small but meaningful gesture is not only practical - it’s a best practice grounded in fairness, compliance, and respect for the people who nourish our school communities.

It happens every year, you forget to mark your calendar. But it’s not too late to plan for National School Lunch Week, especially with all these free resources from SNA!

This is a friendly reminder that your school may be due for a Wellness Policy Triennial Assessment (TEA). The USDA requires all SFAs to complete a Triennial Assessment on a 3-year cycle.

Did your school already complete this TEA Meeting within the past 3 years?

Section 722 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 provides additional funds to State agencies that administer the following: 

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

• School Breakfast Program (SBP)

• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 

The 2021–22 budget package launches the Universal School Meals Program, with an increase in state meal reimbursements by $54 million in the 2021–22 fiscal year and an estimated $650 million ongoing Prop 98 funding beginning in 2022–23, to cover the costs of offering breakfast and lunch for all students, regardless of income eligibility. 

This is big money for schools! 

Hello School Food Solutions friends! The time is here! That’s right! School Lunch Hero day 2021 is this Friday, May 02, 2021! This year, School Food Solutions would like to give a shoutout to few lunch heroes who were nominated to participate in our Food Service Employee Day contest last October! Five special food service employees were selected as recipients of our cash card giveaway! Read more about these awesome school lunch heroes below!

The USDA has issues 12 new pandemic waivers, we listed them all below. Here are the big highlights to help your school plan for the fall:

As we approach the one-year mark since the start of the shutdown, many of us are reflecting on the past year and remembering what our world looked like one year ago. By the end of March 2020, there was a clear call to action for school food programs across the country to continue to serve meals to children. 

WASHINGTON, March 9, 2021 —The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced the nationwide extension of several waivers that allow all children to continue to receive nutritious meals this summer when schools are out of session.

That’s right! It is National School Breakfast Week 2021 and School Food Solutions could not be more excited to join in on the celebration with you! If you have not heard, March 8-12th marks the official launch of this year’s National School Breakfast Week campaign, Score Big with School Breakfast! We know that things may look and feel different, however, we are still encouraging you to recognize and celebrate this week with your students and parents!

Free Resources!

We’ll be announcing the winners of two $250 cash cards in our Food Service Employee Day contest!
Check back here during National School Lunch Week: October 12-16th