School Meals Matter Blog

Filling open positions in school nutrition programs is harder than ever, but your best recruiters may already be on the payroll. Employees know the job, the schedule, and the culture better than anyone—and they’re connected to parents, retirees, students, and community members who value flexible school-day work. By offering a clear incentive, such as a $100–$250 bonus once a new hire completes 90 days, you turn your team’s pride and word-of-mouth into a powerful hiring engine

In a school cafeteria, everything moves fast from the first breakfast to the last lunch served. But have you ever stopped to wonder what your manager does behind the scenes? Understanding the manager’s role, pressures and responsibilities helps every employee see the bigger picture—and why your support matters. What a School Nutrition Manager Really Does School nutrition managers are the link between district leadership and the kitchen. They take the menus, budgets, and rules

For many school nutrition employees, the effort and professionalism they bring each day often go unnoticed. Students eat quickly,...

First impressions matter and in today’s world, they often happen online. Social media is the digital front door of school nutrition...

Conflict is part of any fast-paced school nutrition operation. Whether it’s personality differences, work assignment changes, or over job responsibilities, tensions often arise. But great leaders don’t avoid conflict—they manage it before things escalate. The first step is understanding why conflict happens: stress, miscommunication, and unclear roles are common culprits. When managers recognize these triggers, they can respond with a plan instead of reacting or becoming def