Basic American Foods 33rd Annual FAME Awards Winners Announced
For more than 30 years, the FAME Awards have recognized outstanding professionals in K-12 foodservice who raise industry standards by tackling challenges and going above and beyond to make a difference within their school districts and communities. Join us congratulating the 2022 winners! Read More

New Supply Chain Video for Parents
Share this animated video, Supply Chain Issues & School Meals – What Parents Need to Know, with parents and student caretakers to help share the challenges school meal programs are experiencing in light of supply chain disruption. Also available in Spanish. More resources.

U.S. Senate Urges GAO to Conduct Review of USDA Foods  
On October 21, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) sent a letter to the Honorable Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a review and analysis of the USDA Foods in Schools Program. The letter requests “that GAO explore opportunities to make the program more efficient, implementation clear and predictable in all states, and provide recommendations for how best to streamline processes and maximize the benefit…” Read the full letter
Fall Industry Bootcamp- Deadline to Register Approaching!
Industry members, it's your last chance to join us for Fall Virtual Industry Boot Camp, November 8-10 (Level I) and 15-17 (Level II). Tune in to veteran school nutrition speakers like SNA Past President Becky Domokos-Bays, PhD, RD, SNS, School Nutrition Consultant, and Sean Leer, CEO of Gold Star Foods as they discuss topics from financial management to USDA foods and commodity processing. This essential training for industry representatives won’t be offered again until spring 2022, so grab the opportunity now to be ready for the challenging year ahead. Learn More

Final Fall Innovative Solutions Showcase on Monday
Register now for the final presentations of SNA’s Virtual Fall Innovative Solutions Showcase (ISS) where industry reps will demonstrate their new products! Check out who is presenting next week on Monday and Tuesday, November 1 & 2Registration is FREE for SNA operator members!

Earn Your SNS Credential at SNIC 2022
Ready or studying to earn your School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) Credential? The next opportunity to take the exam in person will be at SNIC 2022 in San Antonio on Saturday, January 15. Registration, approval and payment must be made in advance and cannot be done on site. Visit www.schoolnutrition.org/sns to register or email certSNS@schoolnutrition.org.

STEPS Challenge and Wellness Event
SNIC is always an exciting and jam-packed few days of learning, networking, and connecting. It might be hard to find time to exercise, so if you are planning to attend, be sure not to miss the STEPS Wellness Event on Monday, January 17. Get ready for this fun event by taking part in the “Better Together” STEPS fourth quarter challenge which ends on December 31, 2021. Those reaching 150,000 steps or more will be eligible to win prizes and be recognized!

500

There are more than 500 different recognized Native American tribes in the U.S. Celebrate National Native American Heritage Month in November by serving authentic dishes or menus— explaining modifications for school foodservice—and providing properly sourced historic information.

Find this and more ways to celebrate the final months of 2021 in SN's Promotion Calendar.
SNA and Allied Organizations in Support of School Meals in Build Back Better Act
SNA, along with nearly 100 national and state organizations, have sent a letter in support of school meal provisions in the Build Back Better Act to the Speaker of the House, Senate Majority Leader and House and Senate committee chairs. The letter urges Congress to include $634 million in funding for the Healthy Food Incentives Demonstration Program and $500 million in funding for school kitchen equipment grants. Read the letter.

USDA Deputy Secretary Responds to SNA’s Global School Meals Coalition Inquiry
USDA Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel Bronaugh responded to SNA’s inquiry regarding the global school meals coalition, “School Meals: Nutrition, Health and Education for Every Child.” The coalition was officially launched at the United Nations’ Food Systems Summit in September and its goal is to promote, strengthen, and expand school feeding programs across the globe to make nutritious meals available for all children by 2030.

In the letter Deputy Secretary Bronaugh states, “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a leader in school meals, both domestically and internationally. Our partnership with the School Nutrition Association and its members in meeting the nutrition needs of school children across the Nation is integral to that leadership.”
Membership Starts with Me: #ISupportSNA
Help us grow SNA! It's easy with our new membership campaign tools! Recruit at least 1 (one) new SNA member during a calendar month through May 31, 2022 and you will automatically be entered into the random prize drawing for the month that you recruited. Monthly campaign prizes you could win include:
  • Free SNA Membership
  • Gift Card to SNA Shop
  • Free SNA Training Zone Class
Find a Job Through the SNA Career Center
Visit the SNA Career Center to check out job postings in school nutrition. This week’s featured jobs include Child Nutrition and Concessions Director in South Dakota. Learn More
Grab-and-Go Meal Packs Find Favor
Examples of “Lunch Buddies,” “Bistro Boxes” and “Power Packs” have been surging on social media this fall, although use of the concept was building steam pre-COVID. This new SN Plus article, “The Boxed Lunch Boom,” explores the menu trend, offering mix-and-match component suggestions to inspire innovation and differentiation, appealing to students in all grade levels. Read Now