School nutrition teams, well accustomed to significant challenges such as scarce budgets, a dwindling labor force, daunting paperwork, meeting diverse food needs and wants of students, junk food companies with millions of marketing dollars, and more, now face the reality of remote learning and heightened...
Now more than ever, we need empathy, compassion and understanding. We need to listen to each other. We need connection. One way we at Beyond Green Partners create connection is through food. We do our best to make sure everyone we work with — and serve — is...
The pressure is on for all of us to save money these days, especially when it comes to recurring expenses like groceries. I’ll let you in on a secret that has helped Beyond Green Partners: Buy and use only as much as you need. How do...
The most common question that we at Beyond Green Partners get is, “How do you get kids to eat healthy food?” With children’s palettes forming at a very young age, and with so many of them already conditioned to want nothing but processed food, we’re not...
In a recent piece for School Business Affairs magazine, we discuss how kitchen teams can come together as one during times of change, and the four key qualities great leaders possess that help them to achieve this. There are important business insights to be gained...
It’s tempting to blame others for all the pain in the world right now. But, as we’re seeing, blame only takes us so far. We’re learning that we can either devote our precious energy to casting blame, or we can take this opportunity to start over. When...
A healthy diet is an indispensable part of a strong immune system, which we’re all in need of — especially now. A regular diet of nutritious, scratch-cooked food not only builds mental and physical strength but can be fun for the whole family. We acknowledge that it...
Kids’ opinions matter. Not only are they your primary customers, they can help you create a meal program that works. Over the years, I have learned that students will tell you exactly what they want. Kids need to be given — early and often — the...
To anyone who is looking to make their cafeteria food healthier: You can’t change your school’s menu without changing your leadership strategy, too. Folks will often try, with the best intentions, to serve healthier meal options without engaging students or their target customers first. And without...
When schools, hospitals and other community institutions cook nutritious food from scratch, they change our food system as we know it. Schools impart lifelong healthy eating habits onto children. Patients eat nutrient-dense foods cooked with care. Everyone wins. But often, I hear institutional leaders say that...