"Satelliting" or transporting food in bulk from one school kitchen or from a factory-like kitchen to smaller schools can help school districts reduce cost, improve efficiency, maintain quality, and standardize products. (MLF)

Contract food management can contain food costs and, with the contractor's team of food service professionals, provide creative programs that teach nutrition and add interest to school meals. (MLF)

Federal guidelines are detailed and specific as to what data are needed for full-cost accounting by school districts participating in federally funded school food service programs. (Author/MLF)

Suggestions to increase student participation in school lunch programs include changing the delivery systems, solicitation of student input, and improving the cafeteria environment. (Author/MLF)

An Arkansas school district increased student participation in the school lunch program by using top quality food, a large variety of menu items, and a dedicated staff. The district pulled all its secondary schools from the federal lunch program; however, any student could eat free by assisting in the cafeteria for at least 20 minutes. (MLF)

Some children have chronic illnesses that require diet modifications as part of their medical treatment. Advises school districts to hire a registered dietitian or look for resources at a local hospital or public health office. In addition, schools should work with parents, improve staff training, and conduct spot checks of school cafeterias. (MLF)

These guidelines offer recommended topic areas and content for training local-level food service personnel. The recommended topic areas for training school food service directors/supervisors and food service managers are nutrition requirements, menu planning for school meals, procurement, financial management, marketing, food production, program…

Guidelines to help ensure that meals served under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs meet program requirements are provided in this booklet. Based on the latest federal regulations and meal pattern requirements, average yield information is presented on over 600 food items. Information is provided for calculating accurate quantities…

While costs are no longer reported to the Child Care Food Program on the monthly reimbursement voucher, Federal regulations for the program require that each participating sponsor operate a nonprofit food service and that any income accrued from the program be used solely for the conduct of improvement of the food service operation. Therefore, it…

A program that provides a cash alternative to actual commodity food items to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia's Child Nutrition Program has greatly reduced processing charges and virtually eliminated warehousing expenses. By only purchasing the food wanted, and in the form preferred, the children are provided with the full commodity benefits to…

At each of Baltimore's 46 junior and senior high schools, a microcomputer system distributes tickets for subsidized lunches and transportation for over half of the students. (MLF)

Helping children make food choices for a healthy diet can be challenging. This book is designed as a resource guide and cookbook for parents to help them make healthful eating and cooking with children tasty, simple, affordable, and fun. The book is a collection of 50 recipes organized by season, and featuring family nutrition education…

Recognizing the importance of efficient and effective program administration for the success of Utah's Child Nutrition Programs, the State Office of Education developed a manual to assist local program administrators in using the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) programs. This document contains Part 1 of the manual's four interrelated…

A South Carolina school district changed food service from a financial loss to a profit. Recommends that food service managers record meal revenues and expenses when they occur and study the profitability of each program. Selling meal tickets in advance provides some control over the number of students who purchase meals. (MLF)

This guidebook has been developed to support and coordinate efforts across Pennsylvania to increase the connections between farms and schools. It is written for schools and school districts--and especially for food service directors, teachers, administrators, school nurses, and school health and wellness committees. It is also written for farmers…