Earlier this year, in an effort to help promote student participation in lunchrooms, the MySchoolBucks Growth Grant Program offered additional funding to school nutrition programs nationwide.

We wanted to help get students pumped up about school lunch in ways that were specific to each of your lunch programs and the ideas came pouring in. Out of 225 applications, we were thrilled to award 86 school districts with Growth Grants for the 2017-18 school year! 

Take a look at how some of the funds were used:

Thanksgiving is around the corner and we know that you are always looking for fun and creative ways to celebrate in your schools! What better of a way to celebrate than by serving a Thanksgiving themed meal to your students.

Here's some ideas to help you get ready!

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:

We’re thrilled to announce that MealViewer has joined the Heartland family! 
MealViewer is a communication tool for parents, students, and schools
that can help boost participation and grow your program.

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.

Recently, much media attention has been focused on school cafeterias and the (seemingly) controversial methods used when students cannot pay for their meal. Cafeteria staff have an obligation to balance feeding hungry kids, maintaining financial stability, and following district guidelines. Occasionally, something has to give.

The history of school lunch programs in America is anything but brief.  The Children's Aid Society began feeding hungry, needy school children in New York City as far back as 1853.  But it wasn't until the late 19th century that some major US cities, including Philadelphia and Boston, started their own school lunch programs.  Over the next century, authors, war, and politics continued to shape the school lunch program into what we know it as today.

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: