Georgia School Nutrition Program

Recently, 23 Georgia school districts tested Team Nutrition Training Grant recipes with their students. The districts utilized our Food Literacy Words pop-up banners to gather student feedback.

The favorite recipe of the approximately 6,000 students sampled was the "Tri-Color Bake" featuring yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions. At least half of the districts who participated in the taste testing plan to add at least one of the tested recipes to their menus next school year.

📷 Bartow County, Ivy Prep Academy, Lumpkin County, Warren County

June’s is tomatoes!

Find resources to promote Harvest of the Month to your students here: http://ow.ly/55Sy50NFlUg.

How are you enjoying tomatoes in your school cafeteria this month?

Thank you to the men of school nutrition for the love, care, and service you provide to the students of Georgia.

Happy Father’s Day!

One week left to apply!

The GaDOE School Nutrition Division along with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, University of Georgia Extension, and the Georgia Department of Public Health annually recognizes outstanding farm to school programs with the Georgia Farm to School Award.

Find more information and the application link here: https://ow.ly/4JME50S6zrh.

It's food-based learning Friday!

School may be out, but food-based learning takes place all year round. Check out our Harvest of the Month reading logs for a fun summer break activity.

Download it here: https://ow.ly/S3GQ50ShZLO

Do you have a student who will be eating school meals for the first time in the upcoming school year? Try practicing these activities at home before school starts.

Want to share this resource? Download the printable PDF on our website: http://ow.ly/jvlx50K2qGw.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Turnip the Beet Award application is open!

The Turnip the Beet Award recognizes outstanding summer meal program sponsors nationwide who work hard during the summer months to offer children high-quality, appetizing, appealing, and nutritious meals.

Find more information here: https://ow.ly/bQrn50PzV0p.

In this month's ALL NEW FuelCast episode, we sit down with Chef Chynna Silvernale, Brooks County School Nutrition Director, to discuss the non-traditional path that brought her to school nutrition and how she incorporates a focus on culinary culture in her work each day.

Listen here: anchor.fm/fuelcast or on your favorite podcast platform.

Please join us in welcoming Janet Jungnickel to the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division team.

This month’s featured recipe is “Caprese Skewers” using June’s , tomatoes.

If you try this recipe at home, share your results with us using .

Summer meals are underway in districts across Georgia!

Food Finder and No Kid Hungry are both great resources for families to find summer meal sites provided by School Nutrition Programs and other community organizations.

Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 to find a free summer meals site near you through No Kid Hungry. Visit https://foodfinder.us/ to search for meal sites near you through Food Finder.

ICYMI:

This FuelCast Special Edition Episode speaks to the tremendous benefits Georgia students and families receive from participating in summer meals.

Dr. Linette Dodson, Georgia State School Nutrition Director, Russell Paine, Technology and Partnership Specialist for the GaDOE Office of Rural Education and Innovation, and Jada Curd, Burke County graduate and current Vanderbilt University student join us for this special conversation.

Listen here: anchor.fm/fuelcast or on your favorite podcast platform.

The Georgia Harvest of the Month feature item for June is tomatoes.

Visit http://bit.ly/GaHOTM to access resources for celebrating and growing your farm to school program. While there check out our food based learning lessons too!

The GaDOE School Nutrition Division along with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, University of Georgia Extension, and the Georgia Department of Public Health annually recognizes outstanding farm to school programs with the Georgia Farm to School Award.

Find more information and the application link here: https://ow.ly/4JME50S6zrh.

Even during the summer months, Georgia school nutrition programs are with locally grown produce.

Check out Dublin City School Nutrition’s 500 pound delivery of blackberries grown in Laurens County.

May’s is blueberries!

Find resources to promote Harvest of the Month to your students here: http://ow.ly/55Sy50NFlUg.

How are you enjoying blueberries this month?

From the first day of kindergarten through high school graduation and every stage in between, Georgia school nutrition professionals are with quality school meals.

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2024!

These Putnam County kindergarten students are gaining hands on farm to school experience through engaging with hydroponic gardens.

The Georgia School Nutrition Association recognized two GaDOE School Nutrition Division Staff Members during the award ceremony at the recent GSNA Conference.

Kyra Jordan, Business Support Analyst, was awarded third place in the Naomi Tolbert Central Office Support Award​. This award honors a central office staff person who exhibits extraordinary commitment to the school nutrition program.

Valerie Bowers, Area Consultant, was awarded the Josephine Martin Award of Excellence. This award recognizes a school nutrition leader for their outstanding contributions in the management of school nutrition programs.

Our first place high school student chef team recently traveled to Tennessee to compete in the Southeast Regional Student Chef Competition.

The Newton County students represented Georgia well with their "Finger Licking Butter Chicken Sando." GaDOE Culinary Specialist Chef Michael DuBose was on site for support and guidance.

Team members included Brianna Ellison, Alexandra Mapp, Jeron Tucker, and Javian Victor. Their Advisor is Chef Scott Quinlan.

May’s item is blueberries. Look at how Fulton County School Nutrition is using blueberries in their school cafeterias this month.

This FuelCast Special Edition Episode speaks to the tremendous benefits Georgia students and families receive from participating in summer meals.

Dr. Linette Dodson, Georgia State School Nutrition Director, Russell Paine, Technology and Partnership Specialist for the GaDOE Office of Rural Education and Innovation, and Jada Curd, Burke County graduate and current Vanderbilt University student join us for this special conversation.

Listen here: anchor.fm/fuelcast or on your favorite podcast platform.

We were proud to recognize five staff members for their milestone anniversaries of 10, 15, and 30 years of service to the Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division at a staff meeting earlier this month.

Thank you all for your commitment to our mission of .

It’s time to vote for for the LAST of the 2023-2024 school year!

Check out these beautiful entrées served in Georgia schools last week by our teams in Chickamauga City (Chickamauga Elementary), Clayton County (Kemp Elementary), Laurens County (East Laurens High), Rockdale County (Epic Center), Thomaston-Upson Schools (Upson-Lee Middle), and Troup County (Callaway Middle).

Choose your favorite tray from this impressive lineup by clicking like on the corresponding photo. One 👍 or ❤️ = One Vote. Voting ends this Friday at 8:00am.

Ready? Let’s Go! We’ll announce the people’s choice for Georgia Tray of the Week after we tally the final scores.

Please join us in congratulating Michelle Sealy, Business Support Analyst, for receiving the inaugural Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Division Hero Award.

This new recognition is designed to honor a state staff member who goes above and beyond routine duties, demonstrates a team-oriented mindset, and establishes personal goals aligned with the School Nutrition Division's mission and goals.

Thank you, Michelle, for !