- Charlotte is hosting the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference, bringing over 6,000 school nutrition professionals to the city to share ideas on improving student health through school meals.
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools partners with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to serve fresh, locally sourced meals to students, with a focus on nutrient-dense options like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
- CMS serves approximately 75,000 lunches each school day and more than 20 million meals annually, sourcing food locally to improve student nutrition, support North Carolina farmers and businesses, and introduce students to new foods.
For the first time, Charlotte is hosting the School Nutrition Association’s Annual National Conference, bringing more than 6,000 school nutrition professionals from across the country to the Queen City to share ideas on improving student health through school meals
Ahead of the conference, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) hosted a special pre-conference event, giving attendees an inside look at how the district partners with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to serve fresh, locally
“Our number one priority is nutrient-dense meals for our students,” Ashley Lovetere, a CMS menu specialist and registered dietitian, said. “Meaning they’re full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein for our students to have every single day.”
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CMS serves approximately 75,000 lunches each school day and more than 20 million meals annually when breakfasts, lunches, snacks and other meal programs are combined. District leaders say sourcing food locally helps improve student nutrition while supporting North Carolina farmers and businesses
“Procuring local is very important to us,” Lovetere said. “It creates a connection in our community, to farmers and local chefs that can showcase future career opportunities to our students.”
CMS officials also say they’re introducing students to foods they may not otherwise have the opportunity to try
“Not every kid has the opportunity to eat at a fancy restaurant or even Chick-fil-A,” Lovetere said. “So I’m going to bring in waffle fries or sweet potato waffle fries for our kiddos to try.”
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The event also gave visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the planning and logistics involved in serving healthy meals on a large scale
“It’s just really cool to see how they orchestrate everything to bring together this beautiful meal,” Jennifer Gordon, a child nutrition director attending the event, said
Gordon said the partnerships extend beyond the cafeteria
“The full circle opportunity of it,” Gordon said. “You’re supporting the local economy, and small businesses, and family members who might work for local businesses.”
CMS leaders hope hosting the national conference in Charlotte for the first time gives school districts across the country new ideas for serving healthier meals while building stronger connections with local communities
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“I’m hoping the visitors see how Charlotte does it,” Lovetere said. “That you can take a commercial or local food vendor and make it K-12.”
