National School Lunch Week is a week long celebration of all the wonderful work school nutrition programs do on the daily! This year's theme, School Lunch: Recipes For Success, encouraged schools nationwide to share how their own unique, secret ingredients that help make their program's shine.

We're excited to share some of the fun celebrations schools cooked up this year:

Recently, it's become common to see pictures of school meals shared online that students and parents deem unacceptable. Or, to see an article that negatively compares American school lunches to those from other countries. Unfortunately, this trend perpetuates an already dangerous, false stigma that all American school lunches are unacceptable. And we know that's not the case!

Parents want to be assured that their students are served healthy, delicious meals at school, but may be wary if that is actually the case based on content they see online. Combating this negative stigma can be difficult, but it's become a necessary battle for school nutrition departments across the country.

Here are a few tips that can help you get upset parents on board with schools meals:

Menu calendars are a staple to any school nutrition program. Whether they're available in print or online, parents at your school district check them regularly. The design of your menu calendars give you the opportunity to portray your program's personality while offering important information in a clear and concise way.

Here are 7 steps to help spice up the look and feel of your school menu calendars:

The new school year is here and we've updated our menu templates with brand new designs for the 2017-18 school year.  These fun, free, easy-to-use templates are available for you to download now. With unique designs that channel the spirit of each month, these menus are sure to catch the eye of your students' parents.

In the morning, school breakfast offers the necessary nutrition a student needs to thrive and grow in the classroom throughout the day. Across the county, districts have been adopting and growing their school breakfast programs.

We've rounded up our top 3 articles about school breakfast:

TED is a nonprofit organization that strives to spread ideas, spark curiosity, share information, and start conversations about topics that matter. Their short-form, powerful TED Talks cover a myriad of topics from technology to sociology and fine arts to nutrition.

In the spirit of sharing ideas, we've rounded up 5 inspirational, thought-provoking TED Talks that will get you talking about nutrition in schools:

Creating a Facebook page for your School Nutrition department is the perfect way to promote your program, connect with school nutrition professionals, and share the great work your program does on a daily basis. And there are some school's out there that are doing just that and more!

Here are 5 delicious school nutrition Facebook pages that you just have to see for yourself:

So you're thinking breakfast in the classroom might be the right breakfast service model for your school?  Maybe you've noticed students don't have enough time in the morning to eat before class, or that some students are coming to school hungry and unable to focus.  Breakfast in the classroom has helped schools across the country increase participation while ensuring that students are well-fed and ready to learn.

Here are 4 considerations to think about before starting breakfast in the classroom at your school:

Bringing your school fundraiser online makes your cause convenient to donate to and easy to manage. But even with all the benefits of online fundraisers, there are still things you and your team can do to truly amplify the success of your event.

From all of us at Heartland School Solutions, we'd like to wish you a happy and safe holiday season!

Take a look at how our office stopped and celebrated this year with
our very own #MannequinChallenge: