Last week we went to see RÜFÜS DU SOL in Cleveland. The music was incredible. The production was incredible. But I found myself watching the drummer. He was having an absolute blast. For the entirety of the concert, he was there on the side of the stage carrying the beat, playing with energy, putting on a show, and providing the rhythm that everything else was built around. And somewhere in the middle of the concert, I had a very school-nutrition thought: The cafeteria is the

A new school year brings plenty of excitement - but it can also bring uncertainty. New employees join the team. Longtime staff members retire. Responsibilities shift. Regulations change. Departments may be understaffed. And everyone arrives in August knowing they need enough energy to make it all the way through June. For school nutrition professionals and other education teams, technical knowledge is only part of what makes a successful year. The people doing the work need t

As school nutrition professionals, we spend every day nourishing others. But how often do we stop to think about nourishing ourselves? In this episode of NutriSmart SNAX, Maureen Pisanick sits down with functional medicine physician Dr. Marcus Cirelli of Balance Holistic Health Center to explore how investing in personal health ultimately improves the way we serve students. Their conversation moves beyond menus and meal patterns to discuss the growing importance of whole food