Management
Management is a general term for all of the areas we include here: fiscal, human resources, facilities, assessment, and wellness policies. In order for a district’s food service department to be successful, the director has to be adept in a vast array of subjects.
A department needs defined and efficient systems to keep the many areas working in sync. Management, in the broadest sense, requires the director and their team to efficiently synchronize all of the tasks and critical information necessary to feed our students every day. To innovate, a food service department must be organized, efficient, and stable—capable of thinking outside the box while keeping their highly regulated child nutrition programs self-sustaining.
Roadmap for the School Year
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.
Roadmap for the School Year
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.
Fiscal Management
Fiscal Management keeps an organization running efficiently within its allotted budget. Fiscal accountability in food service departments is imperative, especially given the challenge of operating in a highly regulated environment, often with limited revenue, inadequate facilities, and high personnel costs.
Fiscal Management
Fiscal Management keeps an organization running efficiently within its allotted budget. Fiscal accountability in food service departments is imperative, especially given the challenge of operating in a highly regulated environment, often with limited revenue, inadequate facilities, and high personnel costs.
Human Resources
The human component is critical to any organization, and a clear understanding of the expectations and challenges related to staffing is essential for school food service. When shifting the food production and service model to scratch cooking, it is especially important.
Human Resources
The human component is critical to any organization, and a clear understanding of the expectations and challenges related to staffing is essential for school food service. When shifting the food production and service model to scratch cooking, it is especially important.
Professional Development
Additional skills and learning opportunities prepare employees for advancement within the organization, as well as deepening the knowledge base. Professional development also creates an attractive employment option for motivated workers.
Professional Development
Additional skills and learning opportunities prepare employees for advancement within the organization, as well as deepening the knowledge base. Professional development also creates an attractive employment option for motivated workers.
Facilities
Among the many challenges that food-service directors take on, becoming an expert in facilities design and equipment is a particularly tough one. Directors looking to innovate and produce scratch cooked meals are often faced and with a lack of equipment and facilities infrastructure.
Facilities
Among the many challenges that food-service directors take on, becoming an expert in facilities design and equipment is a particularly tough one. Directors looking to innovate and produce scratch cooked meals are often faced and with a lack of equipment and facilities infrastructure.
Central Kitchens
Some districts choose to pursue a Central Kitchen or Central Culinary Center because of the numerous advantages they offer. Centralized production not only creates opportunities for producing higher quality meals and expanding ingredient sourcing options, this model supports long-term financial benefits.
Central Kitchens
Some districts choose to pursue a Central Kitchen or Central Culinary Center because of the numerous advantages they offer. Centralized production not only creates opportunities for producing higher quality meals and expanding ingredient sourcing options, this model supports long-term financial benefits.
Assessment & Next Steps
Critically examining and strategically improving programs is the key to guiding school food systems into the 21st century. Achieving program goals is possible with a structured review of processes, assets, and challenges.
Assessment & Next Steps
Critically examining and strategically improving programs is the key to guiding school food systems into the 21st century. Achieving program goals is possible with a structured review of processes, assets, and challenges.
Wellness Policy & Smart Snacks
As a part of Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), these two areas require a broader understanding of what the requirements are and how the Local Education Agency (LEA) - aka the school district, as opposed to solely the food service department - is responsible for meeting the regulations.
Wellness Policy & Smart Snacks
As a part of Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA), these two areas require a broader understanding of what the requirements are and how the Local Education Agency (LEA) - aka the school district, as opposed to solely the food service department - is responsible for meeting the regulations.
Management Tools & Resources
Here are all of the tools and resources from this section in one convenient place.
Management Tools & Resources
Here are all of the tools and resources from this section in one convenient place.
