Roadmap for the School Year
Managing a self-operated scratch cook school food program can be a daunting task. Directors need to understand their resources, schedule time to meet with key stakeholders, develop recipes and menu cycles, and prioritize key changes to the program.
By planning out the year to include the program’s goals and crucial deadlines, directors can be proactive in making changes to their school food program. This section provides a monthly glance at key topics and priorities for managing a self-operated scratch cook program.
For faster navigation, click on the desired month:
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November & December
Roadmap for the School Year
Managing a self-operated scratch cook school food program can be a daunting task. Directors need to understand their resources, schedule time to meet with key stakeholders, develop recipes and menu cycles, and prioritize key changes to the program.
By planning out the year to include the program’s goals and crucial deadlines, directors can be proactive in making changes to their school food program. This section provides a monthly glance at key topics and priorities for managing a self-operated scratch cook program.
For faster navigation, click on the desired month:
January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November & December
Track your school food program’s monthly priorities with this at-a-glance monthly management calendar. Print out the pdf or save it to your computer for quick access to each month’s resources.
Planning Your Year
Menu Planning
Ready to transition to healthy and delicious scratch cook school meals? Menu planning will be crucial to your success. The school year offers a finite window of opportunity to demonstrate that your menu plan is effective and popular.
We recommend starting menu planning in January to give you time to project your budget and plan out menu cycles. Learn more about menu development and explore sample menu cycles.
Need a crash course? Check out the School Food Institute’s Recipes and Menu Development course. Apply for a scholarship here.
Meet with Local Producers
January is the perfect time to start meeting with local farmers about growing and procurement. Local procurement can have great benefits for both parties. Districts that cook from scratch are already prepared for whole, local ingredients, and can leverage their volume to be an attractive customer for a local or regional producer.
Make sure to do your research and communicate with prospective vendors. For example, the previous year’s purchases and the local producer’s growing schedule can help inform your procurement needs and menu planning.
Check out these resources to:
- Begin local procurement and identify potential vendor relationships
- Prioritize procurement and understand informal vs. formal procurement processes
The School Food Institute’s Procurement course is a great way to align your procurement practices with the mission and vision of your school meal program. Apply for a scholarship here.
March
National Nutrition Month; National School Breakfast Week
Meet with Vendors
As you think about procurement, consider looking for local freshly prepared foods. Procuring from local vendors can help a district move toward its goals, without bringing all the food production in-house. Meeting with vendors is the first step in establishing relationships with local businesses.
Sample New Products and Ingredients
Ensure that new products and ingredients meet your expectations and requirements by scheduling and arranging to taste all new menu items before introducing them on your menu. Work with vendors to learn about food item availability and the requirements for ordering new products from their distribution company. This is also a great time to discuss pricing with vendors and determine in new products can fit into your menu mix.
March
National Nutrition Month; National School Breakfast Week
Meet with Vendors
As you think about procurement, consider looking for local freshly prepared foods. Procuring from local vendors can help a district move toward its goals, without bringing all the food production in-house. Meeting with vendors is the first step in establishing relationships with local businesses.
Sample New Products and Ingredients
Ensure that new products and ingredients meet your expectations and requirements by scheduling and arranging to taste all new menu items before introducing them on your menu. Work with vendors to learn about food item availability and the requirements for ordering new products from their distribution company. This is also a great time to discuss pricing with vendors and determine in new products can fit into your menu mix.
May
As the school year comes to an end, it is time to wrap up the school food program, utilize existing inventory, support team members, and prepare to close. By paying attention to the small details, you will be able to set the stage for a successful new school year.
May
As the school year comes to an end, it is time to wrap up the school food program, utilize existing inventory, support team members, and prepare to close. By paying attention to the small details, you will be able to set the stage for a successful new school year.
August
Training & Orientation
Get ready for the new school year by setting your team up for success. Provide culinary skills training, support rising leaders with food service management professional development, introduce new team members to your mission and vision, and share upcoming program changes. Explore our culinary training videos and take courses with the School Food Institute.
August
Training & Orientation
Get ready for the new school year by setting your team up for success. Provide culinary skills training, support rising leaders with food service management professional development, introduce new team members to your mission and vision, and share upcoming program changes. Explore our culinary training videos and take courses with the School Food Institute.
October
National School Lunch Week; Farm to School Month
Verification period for Free and Reduced applications
Celebrate Farm to School Month
If the school meal program is already working with local or regional vendors, now is a great time to highlight the different producers and businesses in your cafeteria with colorful posters and signs.
Not sure where to start?
We know that when students have experiences such as tending a school garden or visiting a farm, they’ll be more likely to make healthy choices in the cafeteria. However, it can be difficult to identify immediate priorities for connecting the farm to the meal program. Check out the tools and resources on the Farm to School Lunchroom Education page.
October
National School Lunch Week; Farm to School Month
Verification period for Free and Reduced applications
Celebrate Farm to School Month
If the school meal program is already working with local or regional vendors, now is a great time to highlight the different producers and businesses in your cafeteria with colorful posters and signs.
Not sure where to start?
We know that when students have experiences such as tending a school garden or visiting a farm, they’ll be more likely to make healthy choices in the cafeteria. However, it can be difficult to identify immediate priorities for connecting the farm to the meal program. Check out the tools and resources on the Farm to School Lunchroom Education page.
Prepare for Breaks
Work with kitchen staff and sites to prepare for the upcoming Thanksgiving and winter holiday breaks, including assessing and utilizing inventory before break. If the menu plan does not align with student purchases, you may need to think outside of the box with new recipes.
Appreciate Staff
The school food team has dedicated their time and positive energy to their students and the food. Now is a good time to appreciate all their hard work. Check out the Staff Appreciation page for ideas on recognizing individual team member or celebrating the achievements of the entire staff.
Think Plant Forward
Plant Forward meals focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and reduced meat proteins to introduce students to a healthy diet at a young age. A diet focused on plants is also better for the environment, as plants take fewer resources to produce than meat. Introduce a few plant forward menu items using kid-tested and approved recipes.
Training
Training is crucial to introducing new recipes and concepts to the department and community. Enroll in the Plant Forward course at the School Food Institute to learn how to alter recipes and menus to include plant proteins, market new entrees to students, and balance your budget.
