On Sept. 17, 2024, FNS announced the award of $8.6 million in federal funding for the FY 2024 Team Nutrition Training Grants for Meal Pattern Modernization and Retention and Mentorship Opportunities. These 3-year grants will help state agencies build capacity for implementation of the Final Rule, “Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” and to address residual COVID-19 effects on staff retention in school meal programs.
State agencies are in a unique position to support the professional development of school nutrition professionals and equip them with the skills they need to prepare and serve healthy and delicious meals that meet meal pattern requirements, are operationally feasible, and are produced in a way that respects cultural and religious food preferences and the environment.
For more information, please contact TeamNutrition@USDA.gov.
Track 1: Meal Pattern Modernization
Objectives
- Provide training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children.
- Provide school nutrition professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to improve the nutritional quality of meals and snacks offered in school settings to be consistent with the final rule and to assist participating children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Track 2: Retention and Mentorship Opportunities
Objectives
- Provide coaching and mentoring to school nutrition directors, managers, and/or front-line staff to assist them in meeting meal pattern requirements and weekly dietary specifications for school meals. This can include (but is not limited to) topics related to implementing scratch cooking techniques, improving forecasting and procurement, and improving menu planning for school meals.
- Develop systems and resources to capture and share the institutional knowledge of school nutrition professionals and others managing USDA child nutrition programs.
FY 2024 Recipients
Track 1: Meal Pattern Modernization
Track 1: Partnering States
Track 2: Retention and Mentorship Opportunities
Track 2: Partnering State
Track 1 Grantees
Michigan Department of Education in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education
Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will develop an updated, comprehensive, and innovative Meal Pattern Modernization Training Program (MPMTP) to build capacity for school food service directors and their staff to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children and meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and meal pattern requirements. The MPMTP, which will be developed in coordination with the Nebraska Department of Education will focus on advancing meal pattern skills and knowledge with an emphasis on improving nutritional quality and appeal. It will highlight scratch cooking, the Buy American Provision, improving nutrition security, respecting cultural and religious food preferences, and ways to lessen the impact of food service on the environment. MDE will also partner with a small, disadvantaged business with expertise in school food service, farm to school, culinary skills, and marketing to develop curricula and provide schools with technical assistance related to scratch cooking, marketing in the cafeteria, and creating sustainable connections with local farmers and producers to increase the use of fresh produce.
Minnesota Department of Education
Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) plans to implement six distinct activities designed to support school nutrition professionals. MDE will develop a recorded training series titled Strategies to Advance School Nutrition and expand their existing Spotlight series to help school food authorities (SFAs) implement the strategies of the final rule. MDE also plans to host three (3) in-person Global Flavors Workshops for school nutrition staff and develop an accompanying Global Flavors Handbook. The half-day workshops will allow participants to gain culinary skills and knowledge in preparing recipes from different cultures. The handbook will help school nutrition professionals understand the value of incorporating cultural foods into the school meal menus and provide resources that will allow them to explore new menu items. The Global Flavors Handbook will feature multiple cultures such as Native American, Hmong, Somali, Latin American, and Asian. Lastly, MDE will offer a professional learning community called Mastering Menu Planning for up to 12 SFAs. The program will convene school nutrition professionals with the goal of expanding skills and knowledge related to menu planning that is consistent with the Final Rule and provide opportunities for them to share their success stories.
Montana Office of Public Instruction School Nutrition Programs in partnership with the Nevada Department of Agriculture.
Montana Office of Public Instruction School Nutrition Programs will create and deliver a comprehensive, statewide training program called Montana School Meals: Mastering Meal Patterns Under the Final Rule. Schools will be prepared to meet updated school meal patterns for school breakfast and lunch which are based upon the 2020 – 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Schools will serve meals with less added sugars and sodium, more whole grain-rich options, and increased variety and freshness to enhance meal quality and student satisfaction. Targeted training and grant activities delivered over a 3-year period will reach both rural and high-need schools. Training topics will focus on Mastering the Meal Pattern (menu planning and forecasting to meet weekly menu requirements), Get to Know your Food (label reading to identify whole grain-rich products, added sugars, and sodium), Financial Management of School Meal Programs, and Preparing for the Final Rule Workshops (combined meal pattern and culinary training). The Nevada Department of Agriculture will also utilize the training program.
New Hampshire Department of Education
New Hampshire Department of Education will lead several activities designed to build capacity for implementation of the final rule. They will facilitate workshops where child nutrition professionals and local stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, school board members) can collaborate to develop new menu items and recipes, including cultural recipes that are nutrient dense, appealing to students, and meet USDA and school food authority (SFA) wellness policy standards. Grant-funded staff and contracted organizations will conduct in-person trainings and create an in-depth toolkit that focuses on the updated USDA nutrition standards (e.g., reducing added sugars and sodium levels and incorporating whole grains into meals), provides sample menus, recipes, and tips for implementation. As part of this activity, via a fair and equitable application process, SFAs will have the opportunity to apply for sub-grants to purchase allowable kitchen supplies that will aid in meal pattern modernization to implement what is learned in these trainings.
North Dakota Department of Education in partnership with the South Dakota Department of Education Child and Adult Nutrition Services
The North Dakota Department of Education project includes reformulating recipes to align with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the updates to the school nutrition standards through their Meal Pattern Modernization for the Dakotas Training Program. This program expands on existing training templates to incorporate the new meal pattern requirements to align with the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They plan to work with a chef to provide culinary training to reduce added sugars in recipes during the 2025-2026 school year and reduce sodium in recipes during the 2026-2027 school year. The in-person trainings will provide six (6) hours of professional development and include classroom time and a hands-on culinary experience. They also have a formal letter of commitment with the South Dakota Department of Education Child and Adult Nutrition Services to expand the project reach. South Dakota school nutrition professionals will be able to attend the in-person culinary training as well as monthly webinars.
Pennsylvania Department of Education in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education
Pennsylvania Department of Education Division of Food and Nutrition will implement a project through a long-standing partnership with Penn State University known as Project PA. This project will draw upon experience in providing culinary training opportunities for Pennsylvania school food authorities (SFAs) informed by the results of an evaluation conducted through a 2019 Team Nutrition Training Grant. Activities include a 2-day culinary training academy, awarding sub-grants to SFAs to implement projects, activities that assist staff with meeting the requirements of the final rule, a webinar series, and partnering with Maryland State Department of Education to amplify the reach of the grant.
Texas Department of Agriculture
Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) will partner with the Culinary Institute of America to enhance skills and knowledge of school nutrition professionals through in-person classes and a comprehensive library of sharable and scalable digital resources. TDA has recently launched initiatives to expand local procurement knowledge and practices among farmers and child nutrition professionals by utilizing a combination of federal and state resources. TDA has also implemented recognition programs and support to encourage 100% utilization of USDA Foods in schools on menus. This grant will empower school nutrition staff to build their expertise and skills in menu creation, meal preparation, and testing for meals that will excite students, ensure proper nutritional intake, and boost program participation. Successful outcomes will drive greater investment in students and the agriculture industry while improving the capacity of USDA and TDA to support and train school nutrition professionals. TDA will also build a sharable portfolio of resources and tools accessible to school nutrition professionals nation-wide. These materials will allow them to access and implement smart techniques, meet challenges, and adapt to changing meal standards while providing the freshest meals to students.
Virginia Department of Education
Virginia Department of Education will implement a hands-on, in-person culinary training program for frontline cafeteria staff that is focused on preparing school food authorities to meet the final rule requirements while incorporating scratch cooking, locally sourced foods, and student-inspired menu offerings. Training provided through the Team Nutrition Training Program for Frontline Cafeteria Staff will add to the infrastructure developed through previous culinary training programs for school nutrition directors and cafeteria managers. The proposed training will consist of fifteen (15) workshops delivered each summer in 2025, 2026, and 2027 and will include a half day of hands-on culinary training and a half day of classroom-based interactive learning, accommodating sixty (60) participants per workshop. These workshops will include training that supports implementation of the USDA school meal patterns, including culinary techniques to reduce sodium and added sugars, preparing scratch breakfast items, prepping fresh produce, implementing salad bars, reading standardized recipes, and strategies for program promotion and customer service.
Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction will provide regional in-person train-the-trainer workshops, virtual technical assistance sessions, and build a repository for supporting resources for implementation of the final rule. The combination of in-person workshops and virtual follow-up sessions will build core competency for making final rule changes. The train-the-trainer components are designed to maximize reach and content retention by asking attendees to teach core concepts to staff and other school nutrition professionals. Follow-up sessions provide an opportunity to practice competencies while building professional networks and engaging in peer-to-peer learning. Year one workshops will focus on final rule provisions effective July 1, 2024 and July 1, 2025. Workshops will be followed by three virtual follow-up sessions to solidify learning and enhance peer-to-peer connections. Additionally in year one, they will contract with a traditional Indigenous foods trainer to offer three virtual trainings to support the final rule provision codifying serving traditional Indigenous foods as part of a reimbursable meal. In years two and three, they will focus on dietary specifications for added sugars and sodium which go into effect on July 1, 2027 and work with chef contractors and volunteer school food authorities to develop five standardized recipes and five culinary videos as technical assistance resources to support the final rule.
Track 2 Grantees
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education will create and execute a culinary advancement plan that proposes a tiered framework that provides schools access to training and mentoring opportunities. The consultant/chef coaches will work with schools to study their trends, look for efficiencies, modify recipes/menus, coordinate hands on culinary training, and offer other needed professional development and mentoring. The culinary consultant/chef coach will collaborate with participants to develop a set of SMART goals forming a culinary action plan to advance culinary competency and select from professional development to achieve those goals. After identifying the culinary readiness of a school or district, the consultant/chef coaches will place them in a tiered track (0-3) to progressively advance their culinary competency and capacity for change. Consultant/chef coaches bring extensive school nutrition experience, a fresh set of eyes, and a new perspective into school kitchens to help each team take the next steps to improve knowledge, culinary skills, and attitudes (readiness) to move towards more scratch cooking.
Wyoming Department of Education in partnership with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) will develop two (2) mentorship programs. The first program will create a partnership between school food authorities (SFAs) and culinary arts classes to advance career awareness, exploration, preparation, and training in institutional food service. The second program is intended for new and aspiring school nutrition directors. The program will provide a series of Introduction to School Nutrition Leadership training workshops provided by the Institute of Child Nutrition that connect new directors with experienced directors to facilitate knowledge sharing. As part of this effort, they will develop a repository of resources for school nutrition professionals to house all training materials, sessions, and tools. WDE is partnering with the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development and the Alaskan Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) to build stronger ties with tribal organizations and to incorporate traditional Indigenous and local food awareness into leadership training. The ANTHC will assist in developing Alaska-specific resources for school nutrition leaders who want to incorporate traditional Indigenous foods into school meals.