Nutrition Group credits menu innovations and PA Beef grant as school meal participation rises

Katie Galinsky, regional manager for The Nutrition Group, told the Athens Area School District board during its March meeting that a mix of menu innovations, chef visits and marketing is helping boost student meal participation.

"We were budgeted to serve 1,349 lunches, and we're serving right at that, 1,351," Galinsky said, adding that breakfast participation had exceeded projections (budgeted 567 breakfasts per day; actual about 686 per day). She said the district’s second‑chance breakfast offerings at the middle and high school were a major driver of the increase.

Galinsky highlighted several program features: a new ‘nutrition expedition’ that introduces students to foods from other countries, pop‑up a la carte stations at the high school, chef‑led events (including a sushi day and an upcoming gyros event), and a baked‑potato bar tied to a farm‑to‑fork initiative. She said the district continues to market different menu items to elementary and high‑school students with signage and targeted materials.

The presenter also outlined a local grant arrangement. "The PA Beef Grant is a 50% cost‑share through the PA Beef Council," Galinsky said, and the district is partnering with Keeney Farms (Benton, Pa.) to serve locally processed 4‑oz burgers in the high school and middle school cafeterias. She said the program faced a late start because of a federal government shutdown that delayed grant release but that supply and participation have since ramped up.

Galinsky reviewed coming federal and state nutrition changes. She said the district is already meeting a forthcoming federal added‑sugar standard (cereal and yogurt under 10 g of added sugar) and is preparing for more protein at breakfast. On milk policy, she said the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act permits whole milk at lunch only: "You can serve whole milk at lunch only. You cannot serve it at breakfast," she said, noting states relaxed some saturated‑fat guidance for milk only and that flavored whole milk would not meet the added‑sugar limits.

Board members thanked nutrition staff and the district food‑service director, Leanne, who described recent cafeteria events and student responses. Galinsky noted the Nutrition Group will publish a short social‑media video about the program and urged board members to share the district’s outreach.

What's next: the presenter said The Nutrition Group and district staff will continue to refine menus, track participation and reconcile budget variances (Galinsky noted some wage costs recorded during SFA budgeting may change reported returns). The board did not take a formal vote on the presentation.