Course time: 3 hours

• Nutrition 1200 - Utilize resources to prepare and integrate age/grade appropriate nutrition education curriculum with school nutrition program
• Nutrition 1320 - Understand general nutrition concepts that relate to school meals, such as whole grains, sodium, etc.
• Operations 2200 - Serve food portions to meet all USDA school meal pattern requirements and encourage healthy food selections including those for special diets.
• Operations 2400 - Implement purchasing procedures and practices in order to appropriately and best utilize supplies and USDA Foods to meet menu requirements and comply with all Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Administration 3400 - Implement human resources management practices through maintenance and familiarity with current personnel policies and procedures and support employees through training and retention strategies
• Communications and Marketing 4100 - Develop plans that include involvement with school and community members, empower school nutrition leaders, and address excelled customer service.

Course time: 2 hours

• Administration 3230 - Evaluate and utilize resources to promote a healthy school environment.
• Communications and Marketing 4110 - Develop strategic plans and marketing plans that reflect program goals and enhance interaction with stakeholders.
• Communications and Marketing 4150 - Communicate within the school and to the community through multiple approaches to inform and educate stakeholders.

Course time: 2 hours

• Operations 2460 - Develop and monitor contract(s) with a food service management company and/or others.
• Administration 3400 - Implement human resources management practices through maintenance and familiarity with current personnel policies and procedures and support employees through training and retention strategies.
• Administration 3510 - Evaluate/plan facilities and equipment to meet program goals.

Course time: 2 hours

• Operations 2510 - Develop processes for inventory management.
• Administration 3330 - Prepare a budget that appropriately reflects financial goals.
• Administration 3360 - Communicate financial goals, status, and other data to appropriate district and State authorities.

Course time: 2 hours

• Nutrition 1100 - Plan and prepare standardized recipes, cycle menus, and meals, including the use of USDA Foods, to meet all Federal school nutrition program requirements, including the proper meal components.
• Operations 2100 - Utilize food preparation principles, production records, kitchen equipment, and food crediting to prepare foods from standardized recipes, including those for special diets.
• Communications and Marketing 4100 - Develop plans that include involvement with school and community members, empower school nutrition leaders, and address excelled customer service.

Course time: 2 hours

• Operations 2400 - Implement purchasing procedures and practices in order to appropriately and best utilize supplies and USDA Foods to meet menu requirements and comply with all Federal, State, and local regulations.

Course time: 2 hours

• Nutrition 1100 - Plan and prepare standardized recipes, cycle menus, and meals, including the use of USDA Foods, to meet all Federal school nutrition program requirements, including the proper meal components.
• Nutrition 1200 - Utilize resources to prepare and integrate age/grade appropriate nutrition education curriculum with school nutrition program.
• Operations 2100 - Utilize food preparation principles, production records, kitchen equipment, and food crediting to prepare foods from standardized recipes, including those for special diets.
• Operations 2600 - Utilize all food safety program guidelines and health department regulations to ensure optimal food safety.
• Administration 3500 - Evaluate school nutrition program equipment and facilities to ensure maximum efficiency and availability of healthy food choices.
• Communications and Marketing 4100 - Develop plans that include involvement with school and community members, empower school nutrition leaders, and address excelled customer service.

Course time: 2 hours

• Nutrition 1200 - Utilize resources to prepare and integrate age/grade appropriate nutrition education curriculum with school nutrition program.
• Communications and Marketing 4110 - Develop strategic plans and marketing plans that reflect program goals and enhance interaction with stakeholder.
• Communications and Marketing 4120  - Promote the Child Nutrition Program.
• Communications and Marketing 4150 - Communicate within the school and to the community through multiple approaches to inform and educate stakeholders.

Course time: 2 hours

• Nutrition 1130 - Utilize local food sources, especially Farm to School, when possible.
• Operations 2140 - Properly use and care for equipment.
• Operations 2440 - Generate food and supply orders.
• Operations 2520 - Apply safe and effective inventory receiving and storage procedures.
• Administration 3250  - Manage water, energy, and waste.
• Administration 3510 - Evaluate/plan facilities and equipment to meet program goals.

Course time: 1.5 hours

• Nutrition 1110 - Plan menus that meet USDA nutrition requirements for reimbursable meals, including calculating meal components.
• Nutrition 1320 - Understand general nutrition concepts that relate to school meals, such as whole grains, sodium, etc.
• Operations 2110 - Understand and effectively prepare food using a standardized recipe.
• Communications and Marketing 4110  - Develop strategic plans and marketing plans that reflect program goals and enhance interaction with stakeholders.
• Communications and Marketing 4150 - Communicate within the school and to the community through multiple approaches to inform and educate stakeholders.

Course time: 2 hours

• Nutrition 1130 - Utilize local food sources, especially Farm to School, when possible.
• Nutrition 1320 - Understand general nutrition concepts that relate to school meals, such as whole grains, sodium, etc.
• Operations 2430 - Purchase food, supplies, and equipment through vendors, meeting school district specifications in compliance with Federal, State, and local procurement regulations and availability of USDA Foods.

Courses are offered in an open enrollment format. You can register at any time and complete courses at your own pace. You do not need to take the course in one sitting.

Access to your course will start at the time of purchase and all courses must be completed by the end of your access period. Course access lasts for 6 months from purchase for all individually purchased courses as well as all courses that are part of a School Food Institute Certificate (Bronze, Silver, or Gold).

Each course has an informational page, accessible through the Course Catalog, where you will find a course description, learning objectives, and a course outline that lists the lectures available in each course.

All School Food Institute courses align with USDA professional standards learning objectives, but you do not have to be a school foodservice professional to take the courses. If you do not need USDA credits, you can still enroll in any School Food Institute course. You will still receive a course completion certificate.

For the best learning experience, we strongly recommend logging in to School Food Institute courses on devices with larger screens such as desktops, laptops, or tablets.

School Food Institute offers several scholarship opportunities. Click here to learn more about available scholarships or to donate to the scholarship fund.

When you are enrolled in a School Food Institute course, you will have access to Office Hours with Chef Ann. Office Hours are by appointment and will be held over the phone in 15 minute periods. Once you are logged in to your course, navigate to the “Office Hours” section for more info and to fill out the questionnaire.

Yes! Students can easily toggle between English and Spanish subtitles while watching lectures. A full Spanish transcript is also available within each video. Spanish subtitles help to bridge language gaps in schools, lunchrooms and kitchens by providing a resource that meets the needs of Spanish speakers, English speakers, and everyone in between.

To learn more about the importance of translation, please see this blog post from our translator, Daniela Ochoa Gonzalez.

A certificate of completion is generated when you complete any School Food Institute course. Please keep this certificate for your records if you need to verify your attendance for tracking your annual training hours. This certificate will be available in the left hand menu of your School Food Institute account once you have completed the course.

A certificate of completion is generated when you complete any School Food Institute course. A School Food Institute certificate is awarded if you complete the requirements for a Gold, Silver, or Bronze certificate. Your Gold, Silver or Bronze certificate will be mailed to you once all of the courses required are complete. Please allow six weeks for your certificate to arrive. Please see https://www.thelunchbox.org/sfi/#get-certified for the requirements of each School Food Institute certificate level.