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Behind the Menu: Partnering for Success with Gordon Food Service

Updated: 8 hours ago

Episode 12 of the NutriSmart SNAX Podcast featured a lively conversation between our co-founder, Maureen Pisanick, RDN, LD, and Marisa Seitz, RDN, LD Education Specialist at Gordon Food Service (GFS)—and a former school food service director herself. Together, they explored how collaboration, communication, and creativity drive success in school nutrition programs.


From the Director’s Seat to the Distributor’s Side

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Marisa’s story comes full circle. “I always said I wasn’t going to be a dietitian or go into food service,” she laughs. Yet after leading operations in both nursing homes and school districts, she found her perfect fit helping schools from the other side of the table at GFS.

That experience gives her empathy and insight few others can match: she’s been in your shoes. “I know what it feels like to stare down a new menu, juggle spec sheets, and hope the kids actually like what’s served,” she says.


Gordon Food Service’s Commitment to K-12

As Maureen points out, GFS has long been a trusted partner for school nutrition programs. Their Education Specialist team—fondly called the “Power Squad”—focuses exclusively on helping schools succeed.

Marisa explains that GFS invests heavily in digital tools like Gordon Ordering, Gordon Reporting, and the Gordon Experience platform, which includes a K-12 Resource Hub packed with cycle menu templates, nutrition data, and sample menu ideas. “We’re always looking for ways to help schools work smarter, not harder,” she says.


Beating the “Out-of-Stock Blues”

Few things frustrate school nutrition teams more than an out-of-stock surprise. But as Marisa notes, communication is the secret ingredient.

“Our inventory teams rely on purchase data from last year. If your menu changes but you don’t tell us, we’re planning for the wrong products,”

Her advice:

  • Share menu updates early—especially before the start of the school year.

  • Use data to estimate usage by running monthly reports or working with your GFS sales rep.

  • Leverage tech tools like Health-e Pro or Gordon Reporting to make forecasting easier.


Menu Planning: It Takes a Village

Cycle menus aren’t just a compliance tool—they’re a road map to efficiency. GFS helps schools organize products into custom order guides that match their menus, simplifying ordering and inventory. “A lot of people still wing it,” Marisa admits, “but once they move to a cycle menu with a guide, it’s a game changer.”


Top Pet Peeves (and How to Avoid Them)

When asked for her biggest pet peeve, Marisa didn’t hesitate: “Waiting until the pot boils over.”In other words—don’t wait until frustration peaks before calling for help. “If something’s not right, even if it seems small, let us know early. We can fix it faster together.”

Maureen shared her own classic director frustration: the 5 a.m. snow day delivery call. Thankfully, today’s tech makes that easier. The Gordon Now app lets you track deliveries, message drivers, and even receive text updates when your truck is 30 minutes out. Talk about progress!


Quality, Credits, and Collaboration

If a case arrives damaged or a product disappoints, GFS’ Inside Sales Team can issue credits and document quality issues. “We take every call seriously,” Marisa says. “It’s not just about fixing the immediate issue—it’s about finding out why it happened and preventing it next time.”

That open communication creates the foundation for long-term partnership. As Maureen summed it up, “We can’t solve problems unless we know about them. So over-communicate—it’s always better than under-communicating.”


Innovation in Action

At Pisanick Partners, we love that GFS supports innovation through collaboration with HPS and their “CAT Tool,” which lets schools request products they’d like to see added to contract bids. “If enough schools show interest in a new product, it gets attention,” Marisa explains. “We encourage schools to share, sample, and test together.”

When schools unite around quality products, everyone wins—and the kids get tastier, more exciting meals.


Favorite School Lunch Throwback 🍕

Marisa ended on a nostalgic note: “Fiestada pizza and Bosco sticks—hands down!” Some classics never go out of style (and yes, they’re still on menus today).


A Big Thank You

We’re so grateful to Gordon Food Service for sponsoring Innovation Academy and for their continued partnership in helping schools thrive. Collaboration like this keeps our mission strong:

Wholesome Meals Fueling Healthy Lives.
 
 
 
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