Cafeteria Confessions

Every school meal starts with the same goal: feed kids well. But creating healthier school environments takes more than simply putting better food on the tray. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Nancy Easton, founder and executive director of Wellness in the Schools, to look at the bigger picture of child nutrition. Nancy shares what she has learned from two decades of work...

Why do some school meal programs thrive while others struggle to get students to participate? In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg of Downtown Doral Charter Schools to explore why serving great food is only part of building a successful school meal program. Jeannette shares how her schools approached food service as an extension of their school cult...

Most conversations about school meals focus on the food itself: what's on the tray, where it comes from, whether kids are eating it. But every one of those meals is made possible by people, many of whom arrive as early as 5 a.m. and are among the only staff who see nearly every student every single day. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we shift the focus to the people cooking your kids' l...

Food waste is one of the biggest challenges in school nutrition, yet it is often the one no one sees. Every day, perfectly good food ends up in the trash, representing lost meals, wasted resources, and missed opportunities to better serve students and communities. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we explore what happens after the lunch period ends and why food waste deserves far more atte...

What does it take to manufacture food for America's students? In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we go behind the scenes with David Miskie, co-founder of San Franola, to explore what it takes to create food for America's largest food system. From meeting strict USDA nutrition standards to scaling production for millions of students while staying within school budgets, manufacturing...

Welcome back to Cafeteria Confessions! In this episode, we sit down with Richie Wilim, Director of Child Nutrition Services for Redwood City School District, to talk about what it really takes to move school meals beyond heat-and-serve food and toward fresher, higher-quality meals. After operating for decades under a traditional food service management model, Redwood transitioned to fully in-house...

School kitchens are expected to serve thousands of meals a day, but many are operating with outdated equipment, limited space, and infrastructure that was never built for modern school food programs. In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Michael Raub of Boelter and Jason Hunt of Chicago International Charter Schools to talk about the operational side of school meals and why th...

What if one of the most regulated kitchens in America wasn’t a hospital or a five-star restaurant, but your local school cafeteria? In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with registered dietitian and child nutrition expert Olga Botero to uncover the massive amount of regulation behind every school meal served across the country. From federal nutrition standards and vegetable subgro...

What can you really serve a child with $1.60? In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we sit down with Leslie Fowler, CEO and President of AFYA Food Service Management and former Chief of Nutrition at Chicago Public Schools to unpack the reality behind school meal funding. While the reimbursement sits around $4.60, most of it never touches the tray. It goes to labor, equipment, and operations. W...

Welcome to Cafeteria Confessions! Join our host, Emily Chatelain, CEO and Founder of School Food and Wellness Group, as she leads this podcast dedicated to school nutrition and wellness. Throughout each season, we continue to explore the show’s mission: to celebrate the leaders and innovators devoted to serving healthy meals and enhancing student success. Each episode features insights from expert...

In this episode, we visit Lawrence Family Development Charter School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, where a diverse, urban school community is rethinking what school lunch can be through student voice, wellness, and sustainability. From hands-on taste tests and student surveys that directly influence the menu to intentional efforts to boost participation, this school shows how listening to kids build...

In this episode, we head to Mitkof Island, Alaska, where Carlee Johnson McIntosh, Director of Child Nutrition for Petersburg School District, proves that even in the most remote settings, schools can serve fresh, culturally relevant meals. From earning multiple Healthy Meals Incentives (HMI) recognition awards to building partnerships with local fishermen and farmers—sometimes involving travel by...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we visit Scholarship Prep – Oceanside, a TK-8 public charter school serving over 600 students in Southern California. Principal Nicholas Sessions shares how the school overcomes the challenge of running a meal program without a kitchen, ensuring every student receives two nutritious meals each day.  We explore how stigma-free access to meals strengthens th...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions , we visit The SEED School of Miami—the only public boarding school in Florida—to explore how food, farming, and education intersect in this unique 24/5 learning environment. Emily speaks with gardening and resilience teacher Andi Potamkin about the evolution of SEED’s on-campus garden into a credited class that’s teaching students life skills, responsibili...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we explore Vegas Vista Academy, a new K-3 school in Las Vegas that is redefining education through its focus on equity, wellness and community engagement. The academy is driven by educational research and emphasizes small class sizes, project-based learning, dual-language instruction and strong community partnerships. With a goal to break down barriers and...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we visit the Academy for Global Citizenship (AGC) in Chicago to take a behind-the-scenes look at its groundbreaking approach to sustainable school food. With a six-acre campus that includes a sustainable farm, teaching kitchens, and a fresh food market, AGC has become a true sustainability hub. Kris De la Torre, AGC’s Director of Sustainability and School...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions , we visit Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy (DJOD) in New Orleans, Louisiana, to learn about their innovative approach to school nutrition. DJOD serves 750 students, aiming to provide a high-quality education that goes beyond academics. Their mission is to empower students to make healthy and sustainable choices for themselves and the envi...

In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions , we’re heading to DREAM Charter School’s newest Bronx location to explore their journey from outsourced meals to scratch cooking, led by on-site chefs. Chief Operating Officer Raymie Fernández explains how this transformation is addressing food insecurity, improving student health, and strengthening community connections. With a menu packed with culturally...