What do students really think about school lunch?

In this episode of NutriSmart SNAX, we go straight to the source - students, Joey and Alex, themselves. From favorite menu items to honest feedback on texture, temperature, and flavor, this conversation is packed with insights every school nutrition professional needs to hear.

If you’re looking to increase participation, reduce waste, and build menus students actually love, it starts with one simple strategy: listen to your students.

👉 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What students actually look for in school meals
• Why texture and temperature matter more than you think
• How sampling can turn students into fans
• Why consistency across the lunch line is critical
• The role of themed meals and fun experiences
• How student feedback directly impacts participation

💡 Whether you're a food service director, school administrator, or part of a nutrition team, these real student insights can help you transform your program.

🎙️ About NutriSmart SNAX
Powered by Pisanick Partners LLC, we bring you actionable strategies, fresh ideas, and real conversations to elevate school nutrition programs.

🌐 Learn more: https://www.pisanickpartners.com
📩 Connect with us: hello@pisanickpartners.com

Are your school menus struggling to keep up with new USDA guidelines while maintaining student participation?

In this episode of NutriSmart Snacks, we sit down with American Dairy Association Mideast Chef Jennifer Tagliarino to break down Smart Swaps - a practical approach helping schools serve healthier, compliant meals without sacrificing what students actually want to eat.

You’ll learn:
✔️ How to reduce sugar and sodium without losing flavor
✔️ The difference between heat & serve, grab & go, and speed scratch
✔️ Why student voice is the key to menu success
✔️ How simple recipe swaps can increase participation
✔️ Real examples of recipes kids are actually choosing

If you're a school nutrition director, food service leader, or part of a K-12 program—this episode is packed with real strategies you can implement immediately.

👉 Start small. One recipe. One win. Build from there.

🔗 Learn More / Connect

🌐 https://www.pisanickpartners.com
📩 support@ppllc.info

In this episode of the NutriSmart SNAX Podcast, we sit down with school nutrition innovator Jess Stone and microgreens entrepreneur Betsy Meehan to talk about how small changes - like microgreens, themed lunch days, and taste testing - are making a BIG impact in school cafeterias.

From “Apple Crunch Day” to ramen bars and hands-on growing experiences, this conversation is packed with real strategies you can use to increase participation and get students excited about school meals.

🌱 What You’ll Learn:

• How microgreens in school lunches boost nutrition and engagement
• Why taste testing is the key to trying new foods
• How themed meals increase student participation
• Simple ways to introduce new menu items without risk
• How to turn your cafeteria into an extension of the classroom

👉 Whether you're a food service director, cafeteria manager, or educator-this episode is full of practical ideas you can start using immediately.

🔗 Learn More & Connect➡️ Visit us: https://www.pisanickpartners.com

➡️ Follow us for more ideas:

Instagram: @pisanickpartners

Woodridge Instagram: @woodridge_eats

What if your menu could do more than meet requirements - what if it could drive financial stability, increase participation, and build trust with families?

In this episode of NutriSmart SNAX, host Maureen Pisanick sits down with Lynn Shavinsky from Health-e Pro to talk all things financial fitness in school nutrition - and why everything starts with the menu.

Lynn brings decades of real-world experience as a school food service director and shares how districts can use menu data to better understand food costs, participation trends, labor impacts, and waste.

Together, they explore how the right tools can feel like an extra assistant - helping directors move from guesswork to confident decision-making.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why the menu is the foundation of a financially healthy program
• How menu optimization helps balance cost and participation
• Using data to identify high-performing and under-performing items
• Turnkey, school-ready recipes that actually work in real kitchens
• Scaling recipes from taste tests to full production
• Digital menus, transparency, and building trust with families
• Supporting allergies, dietary needs, and Buy American requirements
• Telling your food story through web-based school menus

Whether you’re a food service director, supervisor, or industry partner, this conversation offers practical insight into how small menu adjustments can lead to big program wins.

Join host Maureen Pisanick as she talks with Amy Voigt, Food Service Director at Brecksville-Broadview Heights City Schools, about bringing creativity, teamwork, and sustainability to the school cafeteria.

From winning the Mystery Chef competition to launching a produce bar and starting a composting program, Amy shares practical tips for keeping menus fresh, engaging staff, and inspiring students to eat, and love, healthy meals.

💬 What You’ll Learn:

How to build “menu morale” and staff buy-in

Using competitions like Mystery Chef to spark creativity

Tips for launching a student-friendly produce bar

How composting programs can start small and make a big impact

Wholesome meals fueling healthy lives.

What does it really take to elevate school meals?

In this episode of NutriSmart SNAX, Maureen Pisanick sits down with Chef Darren Layre from Gordon Food Service to talk about trends, tools, and simple culinary shifts that can transform K-12 menus.

From “getting weird with lettuce” to reinventing Hawaiian pizza, Chef Darren shares practical ideas that school nutrition professionals can implement immediately - without sacrificing compliance or budget.

With 17 years of hospitality experience and a culinary degree from Pennsylvania College of Technology, Chef Darren brings industry insights straight to the school cafeteria.

🥗 In This Episode:

• How to elevate school salads with texture and bold greens
• A chef-inspired twist on Hawaiian pizza
• Why draining pineapple matters 🍍
• The most important tool in your kitchen (it’s not a knife)
• Mustard seed, garlic, and building real flavor
• Why every school should master soup
• How school meals have evolved for the better

School nutrition has changed - and today’s students expect more. The good news? The products, partnerships, and culinary resources available to K-12 programs have never been stronger.

If you’re ready to move from compliant to compelling, this episode is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for more K-12 school nutrition insights

📩 Contact Pisanick Partners for menu innovation support at support@ppllc.info

🎓 Learn more about Innovation Academy at www.pisanickpartners.com/innovation-academy

What’s it really like to intern in school nutrition?

In this episode of the NutriSmart SNAX Podcast, Maureen Pisanick sits down with Kent State University dietetic intern Emma Nemecek to talk about mentorship, leadership growth, recipe development, Smart Snacks compliance, and the real-world impact of public health nutrition in schools.

Emma shares how she went from uncertainty about school food service to discovering a passion for innovation, flexibility, and leadership - all while “drinking from a fire hose” at Pisanick Partners.

If you’re a dietetics student, school nutrition professional, or district leader, this conversation offers insight into:

✔ What interns actually do in school nutrition✔ How mentorship shapes leadership✔ Recipe development & taste testing✔ Smart Snacks compliance & audits✔ Public health nutrition at scale✔ Why flexibility is the #1 career skill

School nutrition is more than meals, it’s policy, innovation, compliance, public health, and impact.

How do global flavors actually work in school cafeterias?

In this episode of NutriSmart SNAX, host Maureen Pisanick sits down with Lincoln Yee from International Food Solutions to explore how Asian, Latin, and Indian-inspired menu items are helping schools boost participation, meet nutrition standards, and connect with today’s diverse student populations.

What started as a simple idea nearly 20 years ago has grown into a national approach to menu innovation, one that blends speed scratch cooking, restaurant-quality flavor, and real-world cafeteria execution.

🎯 In this episode, we cover:

-Why students are craving global flavors at school

-How speed scratch menu concepts support labor and flexibility

-Turning one protein into bowls, wraps, salads, and more

-Visual presentation and smarter lunchroom strategies

-Creating culturally inclusive and mindful menus

-How schools can innovate without overcomplicating operations

This conversation is packed with practical insights for school nutrition directors, menu planners, and foodservice teams looking to modernize their programs while staying compliant.