Blog
Follow the ABCs of School Nutrition blog to see what school nutrition programs in Illinois are doing and get new ideas! Here we will talk about everything from Illinois State Board of Education updates to food waste prevention strategies.
Have an idea for a blog post? Drop us a line at schoolnutrition@illinois.edu .
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Published: February 12, 2025Get fresh with Farm to School to benefit your whole communityWorking in school nutrition, you’ve probably heard of Farm to School. But if your school doesn’t participate, you may not know some key facts about it.
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Published: January 16, 2025Get on the case and "Clue In to School Breakfast" with NSBW 2025!This year's theme for National School Breakfast Week (March 3-7) is "Clue In to School Breakfast" - are you on the case?
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Published: January 10, 2025Cut down on sugar by making condiments into ingredientsCondiments add a fun hit of flavor to menu items that might otherwise be a bit plain. Left to their own devices, students can get a bit saucy with sauces and dips, like barbecue, ranch, honey, and more.
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Published: December 20, 2024Unexpected products to watch for added sugars, and how to use themAs part of USDA's final rule issued in April 2024, added sugars in school nutrition programs will now have specific limits for breakfast cereals, flavored milk, and yogurt. There are other products to pay attention to as well.
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Published: December 6, 2024Show me the money! Funding ideas for scratch cooking initiativesMoving to more speed-scratch and scratch cooking is great, but it may call for new equipment. Where will that money come from?
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Published: November 20, 2024360 degree evaluation is key to scratch cooking successSchool nutrition is truly an all-hands-on-deck effort! Let's look at ways to involve the whole team and take stock of resources before moving to more homemade menus.
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Published: November 6, 2024Add more scratch cooking to the menu for holiday-like magic all year roundThere's nothing quite like a special, home-cooked meal to warm you from the inside out. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, now is a great time to think about adding more scratch-made items to the menu and keep the magic going!
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Published: October 22, 2024Infused water stations: Easy combos to hit the ground runningNeed recipe ideas for your infused water station? Look no further!
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Published: October 10, 2024Infused water stations: Start with the basicsInfused water is a great way to increase student engagement and support school wellness. Use these tips to get started!
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Published: September 16, 2024Say no to norovirus! Stop the spread of stomach bugs (Part 2)When a stomach bug is going through school, it's almost inevitable a student will get sick in a place other than the bathroom. What if it's in the cafeteria?
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Published: September 8, 2024Say no to norovirus! Stop the spread of stomach bugs (Part 1)Fall is full of fun delights, but it also brings illness. Stomach bugs are the worst -- can school nutrition staff help prevent norovirus from spreading like wildfire among students? Yes!
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Published: August 12, 2024Back to school = back to sick? Part 2: Mindful moments to manage sleep and stressDid you know that sleep and stress both play important roles in immune health? Taking moments to take care of yourself is essential for staying well physically and emotionally.
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Published: August 5, 2024Back to school = back to sick? Part 1: Food and fitness tips to keep you healthy!Students are notorious for passing around germs, so how can you fortify your defenses? Here are some food and fitness tips to fight illness this fall.
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Published: July 22, 2024Resource Roundup: Communicating with FamiliesBack to school season is upon us, and there's no better time to make a marketing and communications plan for the year!
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Published: July 5, 2024Herbs and spices: Ideas for the school kitchenHerbs and spices can be used in many types of recipe applications.
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Published: June 20, 2024Herbs and spices: 5 things to know before you get cookingHerbs and spices add flavor and variety to school meals without adding salt. They can be used during the cooking process and may also be used to season food just before eating.
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Published: June 6, 2024Train with us this summer and get ready to get back in the game!Ready for a TKO? Knock out USDA Professional Standards hours for FREE by training with ABCs of School Nutrition!
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Published: May 21, 2024Sorting through the USDA Final Rule: What stays the same, what’s different, what’s new? (Part 3!)The USDA recently released its Final Rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 DGAs.” In Part 3 of this series, we’re sharing more important updates that will impact Illinois school nutrition programs.
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Published: May 8, 2024Sorting through the USDA Final Rule: What stays the same, what’s different, what’s new? (Part 2!)The USDA recently released its Final Rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 DGAs.” In Part 2 of this series, we’re sharing more important updates that will impact Illinois school nutrition programs.
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Published: April 25, 2024Sorting through the USDA Final Rule: What stays the same, what’s different, what’s new?The USDA recently released its Final Rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent with the 2020-2025 DGAs.” It can be a lot to read through, so we’re sharing some of the most important aspects that will impact school nutrition programs.
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Published: April 2, 2024Top tips to make your taste test a hitTo make your taste test a hit, make sure you have plans for logistics, marketing, and evaluating your hard work.
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Published: March 18, 2024*Try* a taste test to promote healthy eating and get the most out of your menuChildren are naturally picky eaters, but the cafeteria can be a place for them to experiment with new foods and expand their palates.
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Published: March 5, 2024Brewing up bubbles with fermented drinksBubbly beverages have made their way to the mainstream. Are fermented drinks on your radar for a la carte drink options?
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Published: February 19, 2024Caffeine in teens: What does it mean for school nutrition programs?It’s the beginning of a new year – let’s jumpstart 2024 with some caffeine. How does it relate to school nutrition programs?
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Published: February 5, 2024Resources galore for NSBW 2024!This year's theme for National School Breakfast Week (March 4-8) is "Surf's Up with School Breakfast" - are you ready to "hang ten"?
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Published: January 18, 2024So you've got food waste. Now what?Even when you've done everything you can on the front-end to prevent food waste, some waste is still inevitable.
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Published: January 3, 2024Preventing food waste with prep and serviceIn the preparation and service steps of your operations, several strategies can be used to prevent food waste.
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Published: December 14, 2023Cut food waste (and costs) with tighter planning and procurementWhen it comes to food waste, many people think of unwanted or leftover food being tossed in the trash. Tighter planning and procurement strategies can help!
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Published: December 7, 2023Want students to eat more of their meals? Try these policy and environmental updates.We know policy changes can be challenging, but scheduling tweaks can make a big difference with how much food is eaten.
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Published: November 18, 2023Why manage school food waste? Here are 4 great reasons.Up to 7 billion school meals are served each year, yet school nutrition programs often generate a lot of waste that ends up in the landfill.
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Published: November 9, 2023Strategies to slash sodium: Prep methods and flavor hacksIf you've got the equipment and labor capacity, some tweaks to your cooking methods can ramp up flavor without extra salt.
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Published: October 21, 2023Strategies to slash sodium: Label reading and balancing the menuLabel reading is an essential skill to identify sodium in foods and find ways to balance it as part of a meal.
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Published: October 13, 2023How much sodium is too much and where is it coming from?We actually do need sodium for our bodies to work properly. However, you only need a small amount each day.
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Published: September 16, 2023Salt vs. sodium: What are they, what's the difference, and why do we use them?We often use the words salt and sodium interchangeably, but they are a bit different. What are they, what’s the difference, and why do we use them?
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Published: September 9, 2023Deconstruct tasty treats for parfaits that work for grab-and-goGrab and go inspiration from colleges? Why not!
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Published: August 18, 2023Marketing the flavor station makes for success -- here's how to do itYou've set up your flavor station. Now what?
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Published: August 9, 2023Don't be bland! Tips for stocking and maintaining your flavor stationWhat can go on a flavor station? Not just herbs and spices!
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Published: July 20, 2023Looking to spice things up in the cafeteria? Try a flavor station!Flavor stations have many benefits for schools -- but what exactly is a flavor station?
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Published: July 12, 2023Celebrate holidays and theme days to ramp up excitement in the cafeteriaCelebrating holidays and theme days is a great way to get students excited to be in the cafeteria!
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Published: June 22, 2023Join Extension for back-to-school trainings this summer!Summer is officially here! We know you’re looking forward to relaxing – and rightfully so! But when you’re ready to look forward to the upcoming school year, University of Illinois Extension is here for your training needs.
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Published: April 16, 2023Top tips to celebrate staff every dayRegular thank yous go a long way when promoting a positive workplace!
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Published: April 9, 2023Make it count by getting SMART with staff recognitionUse the SMART acronym to make the most of your thank yous!
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Published: April 1, 2023Reduce turnover, improve morale with a staff recognition programIf you’re a manager or director, you may be thinking about how to thank staff for their hard work this school year. We think that’s a great idea!
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Published: March 13, 2023Cycle menus offer big benefits for school nutrition programsMenu planning can be a real challenge, especially if you’re writing menus on a month to month basis. Why consider transitioning to cycle menus?
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Published: March 9, 2023Tweak the menu for strong meal participation until summer's out!Spring is just around the corner, and soon the school year will be winding down. How can you keep students interested in school meals?
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Published: March 6, 20235 easy last-minute ways to celebrate National School Breakfast Week (March 6-10)!Get in on the fun for National School Breakfast Week (NSBW)!
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Published: February 22, 2023A "Second Chance" at breakfast can make all the difference for hungry studentsSecond Chance breakfast is a great option for students who miss out on traditional cafeteria breakfast or simply aren't hungry earlier in the morning.
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Published: February 21, 2023Three big concerns with Breakfast in the Classroom and how to address themLet’s talk about the elephant in the room with Breakfast in the Classroom. Teachers and administrators are often resistant to starting a BIC program. Why is that?
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Published: January 25, 2023Think outside the cafeteria for school breakfastTraditional cafeteria breakfast programs are always an option, but alternative service models are a great addition if you have the capacity.
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Published: January 13, 2023Demystifying the math of culinary conversions (part 2!)See how to use dimensional analysis to scale up a recipe and make adjustments based on the measuring equipment you have.
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Published: December 13, 2022Demystifying the math of culinary conversionsDo you struggle with math in the kitchen and get confused with tablespoons, cups, pints, and quarts? Learn the skill of using "dimensional analysis" to make conversions easy!
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Published: December 7, 2022Master your measurements to bake up success in the kitchenIf you’ll be baking in your home kitchen this holiday season, why not make the most of it and brush up on your math skills?
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Published: November 29, 20224 ways to send the year out on a high note (and get students excited for the post-break menu!)December is just a few days away - can you believe it? Even if your menu is already set for the last few weeks before the holiday break, there’s still time to add extra sparkle and cheer to the cafeteria.
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Published: November 26, 2022Rethinking drinks at school: Top 6 ways to make healthier choice the easier choiceThere are lots of great strategies to promote lower sugar beverages at your school. Here are our top 6 ways to make the healthier choice an easy choice!
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Published: November 20, 2022Rethinking drinks at school: Look to the Nutrition Facts label to manage added sugarsWe know that added sugars should be limited, but how do you keep track?
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Published: November 15, 2022Rethinking drinks at school: What are added sugars, anyway?There are a lot of rules in school nutrition and some might leave you scratching your head. When it comes to beverages, the main goal is to minimize added sugars. Why is that – and what even are added sugars?
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Published: October 22, 2022Smart Snacks: Does my item meet the nutrient standards?Once you have determined if your item is a snack or entrée, you can refer to the right nutrient standards.
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Published: October 15, 2022Smart Snacks step-by-step: Is it snack or entree?So your item meets the Smart Snacks general standards – now what?
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Published: October 8, 2022Smart Snacks step-by-step: Start with the general standardsSmart Snacks can get a little complicated, so let's take it step by step.
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Published: October 1, 2022Whether you're new to school nutrition or more seasoned, start smart with Smart SnacksThere’s much more to school nutrition than what’s served on the tray. One thing’s for sure – there are a lot of rules to remember! Whether you’re new to school nutrition or more seasoned (wink), a refresher is always a good idea.
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Published: September 23, 2022Communication is key for share table successCommunication is essential for making your share table a success. How can we reach all groups and individuals who interact with the share table to keep it running smoothly and safely?
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Published: September 16, 2022For smooth sailing at the share table, think through the detailsAs you’re thinking about what share table model will work for your school, consider more detailed logistics to make the share table run smoothly.
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Published: September 9, 2022One-way, two-way, hybrid: Share table types and the flow of foodIt’s easiest to think about share tables in terms of the flow of food and how items are placed and taken – can it go one way or back and forth?
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Published: September 2, 2022Tackle food waste, feed hungry students with a share tableWhile it’s best to tackle food waste on the front end with good menu planning and procurement, some waste can be inevitable.
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Published: August 19, 2022Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): The building blocks of HACCP-based food safety plansStandard operating procedures, or SOPs, are a major component of the food safety plan.
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Published: August 5, 2022HACCP: An essential alphabet for food safety in school kitchensDid you know that children are considered a vulnerable population when it comes to food safety? Schools participating in federal Child Nutrition Programs are required to have HACCP-based food safety plans.
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Published: July 22, 2022What makes a reimbursable breakfast?We recently reviewed what is needed for a meal to be reimbursable. In particular, we got into the details for school lunch. What makes a reimbursable breakfast?
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Published: July 7, 2022What makes a reimbursable lunch?Reimbursable meals are the (whole grain) bread and butter of school nutrition programs. If you're new to school food service, this post is for you!
