Be The Host of School Nutrition "Live."

Behind every school meal is a team of skilled professionals working with precision and passion. It’s time to pull back the curtain and invite students and the public to see what really happens in the “back of the house.” School nutrition teams aren’t just serving food—they’re running a commercial kitchen with high standards, culinary expertise and serious logistical know-how.

In The Wizard of Oz, a booming, powerful voice appears to rule Emerald City—until Dorothy pulls back the curtain and finds just an ordinary man pulling the strings. But in school nutrition, it’s just the opposite.

To most students, the cafeteria line might seem like an ordinary routine. They are served their meal on a tray, get a smile at the register and off they go. But how many people actually know what goes on behind that curtain? That's where the real magic happens and it's anything but ordinary! It takes professional skills, training, planning, dedication and hard work. The more people get to watch school nutrition pros in action, the more their assumptions change as they begin to see you and your operation in a new light.

Open Your Doors

Spotlight the kitchen's hidden world by inviting students to win a Back of the House Tour. Students can earn entries into a drawing each time they eat school meals. Lucky winners get to step into the kitchen and see how meals are prepped, cooked and served. Need another marketing idea? Run a promotion where one lucky student gets to be Kitchen Boss for a Day. They’ll shadow the Manager, help make simple decisions, perform food safety checks and eat with the team. These unforgettable prizes cost nothing and yet these events increase participation and show off your professional skills and knowledge. Don't forget to capture photos for social media.

Back of the House tour in a school kitchen.

Go Live!

Another idea is to invite local preschools on a field trip to a production kitchen where little ones can see giant equipment, scales and experience the walk-ins. Parents and grandparents often attend and will be just as impressed. It’s a perfect way to build trust with your future customers and their families.

In the classroom, bring school nutrition into learning by demonstrating real life math. A nutrition pro can bring in a mystery jar and teach students how to use weights and measures. They learn to not just guess how many items are inside, but weigh one piece, then divide the total weight of the jar (minus tare) by that number. Take a digital scale with you and demonstrate. It’s STEM with snacks!

Invite future customers to tour a production kitchen.

Final Thoughts

Opening your doors to students changes minds and offers customers the opportunity to interact with you in a live setting. School nutrition teams can build trust, spark curiosity and showcase their professional skills. Your work in the kitchen shouldn't be a mystery (it's pretty amazing) and your kitchen is one of the greatest learning labs in the school!