Top 10 K-12 school food service stories of 2022

First day hoorays: 9 seriously cool school menu items

Check out these “first day favorites” from Chartwells K12 accounts across the country, menu items that get the school lunch party started for the new school year.

School’s lunchtime queues thing of the past thanks to pre-order

Digital ordering technology boosts an independent school’s retail cafe sales—and banishes long lines.

FM On Demand with Tara Fitzpatrick: Farm-to-school pioneers of Spartanburg (SC) District 6

Getting the scoop on the harvest, the students and farm-fresh menus with Ron Jones and Andrew Evans, two foodservice operators who quite literally go from farm to school every day.

2023 FAME Award winners announced

Jessica Shelly of Cincinnati Public Schools receives top honor, the Golden Foodservice Director of the Year Award.

USDA to allocate another $500 million for school meal programs

Assistance is part of a $2 billion package that will also add funding for food banks and local food purchase programs.

Back to School: K-12 meal programs face financial, operational challenges

Staffing issues, product supply problems and the end of universal free meals confront school nutrition providers in fall 2022.

37 K-12 managers and supervisors who made a difference over the past year

Here are some of the submissions for managers and supervisors from the school nutrition community that Food Management received in response to its call for nominations of Foodservice Heroes who stepped over the past year to keep customers fed.

FM On Demand with Tara Fitzpatrick: K12 Chef to Watch Andre James makes school the hub to lift up a community

Maschio’s Food Service Chef Andre James is director at New Jersey’s Plainfield schools, where he’s working hard to provide awesome food to the students and support for the community at the same time, including special-needs people.

Best Concepts: Red Rabbit Helps Cafeterias Cater to Diverse Student Cultures

Culturally authentic school menus tailored to individual student populations by Red Rabbit has been named winner of the 2022 FM Best Concept Award in the Best Menu category.

Special needs high school students get taste of kitchen life

Quest-managed suburban Chicago school food service teaches life and work skills.