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 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.