The Nutrition Ink Magazine | Spring 2024

Spring Contents

WE ARE TNG!

Meet some of our All Stars who make our deliciousness possible.

FEATURED FAVES

Student faves offered for a limited time. Get them while you can!

MOMENTS MATTER

Recognizing team members who go above and beyond.

HOW WE CARE

04 05 06 09 11 12 14

Giving back: TNG Charities Grant recipients.

18

GO FOR THE GREENS

Teaching kids about healthy food in a fun way!

ACTION STATION

There’s so much to love about these interactive events . YUM!

FUN FOOD EVENTS

We can’t get enough of the creativity and fun our Directors of Food and Nutrition cook up!

THIS AND THAT Fun finds throughout school cafeterias.

Streetsboro SD Conneaut SD

AuroraCitySD

Master y CharterSchool

As the school year quickly fades into the rear-view mirror and we reflect on the past several months, we are pleased and excited by all that is happening at TNG. This year, the leadership team committed to an initiative to gauge the level of satisfaction and engagement of our Directors. We take our motto -- CARING PEOPLE, SERVING GREAT FOOD -- very seriously. We understand that achieving this goal is only possible when we, as a corporation, care for our Directors and hourly staff. Experience has shown us that when our Directors feel valued and appreciated and are engaged in their work, they will take care of you! To that end, we partnered with a third-party vendor to offer an anonymous employee satisfaction survey. We were very excited about the level of participation and the responses we received. Of those invited to participate, 83% did so. That level of participation exceeded our expectations and surpassed industry benchmarks.

We received feedback from our managers on overall engagement, belonging, purpose, and support. Although we scored above industry standards, we know there is always room for improvement. As a company, we are committed to honing our skills to best support our employees. To that end, this year, we are committed to working on communication, training, and recruitment efforts.

We also plan to restructure our purchasing department and add local dietitians and chefs to our support team. These moves will better support our Directors in performing their jobs as effectively and efficiently as possible.

As always, thank you for being a valued member of the TNG family. And thank you for all that you do to care for our staff members that are part of your school community. We are committed to creating the best possible work experience for our employees, and we appreciate that you provide a welcoming, supportive environment. We are blessed and grateful!

Wishing you a strong finish to the school year and a healthy, happy summer!

NANCY KOHL President

Chefs, Dietitians and Purchasing Team

As your partner in food service, we want to prepare and serve nourishing, delicious meals that appeal to everyone. Our team of all stars makes this possible. Your Chef, Dietitian and Purchasing Teams play indispensable roles in prioritizing health and wellness. Our chefs not only tantalize our taste buds but also have the power to shape our dietary habits, crafting nutritious and delicious meals that nourish both body and soul.

Our dietitians offer expert guidance, ensuring that our dietary choices align with our individual health needs and goals. Behind the scenes, support services provide vital infrastructure, from sourcing quality ingredients to managing food safety and sustainability initiatives. Together, these professionals form a dynamic team that fosters a culture of well-being, emphasizing the connection between food, health, and happiness.

Lebanon SD

Pottsgrove SD Carroll County SD

When our Purchasing Experts, Chefs, and Dietitians team up, magic happens in the kitchen. The results? Smiling satisfied students!

Meet Our Starting Players

LISA DALLE TEZZE Director of Purchasing

Lisa balances the best quality with the best price to provide the culinary experience that our clients enjoy every day.

Her team makes sure products are evaluated by a thorough procurement process before they are available for purchase. Student taste testing events are held so Lisa and her team can create informed decisions about what is being served in our schools.

CHEF GUY QUANG Corporate Chef

As The Nutrition Group’s Corporate Chef, Guy is an innovator that is setting new progressive food trends for school food service every day.

He is passionate in his quest to bring his school guests the best in nutrition, flavor and presentation. His experience, knowledge and advanced techniques make all that possible while still ensuring he is controlling costs and meeting all National School Lunch Program guidelines.

LYNN CESARINI, MSRD Corporate Dietitian

Lynn is an expert in nutritional services with a passion for health and wellness. She plays a vital role in facilitating the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, regulations and subsequent updates. She is committed to educating students on the benefits of healthy eating. Lynn and our Corporate Chefs work together to develop innovative recipes for nutritious meals that students enjoy.

Through Lisa, Guy, and Lynn’s combined efforts they are able to facilitate and manage one of our favorite programs: Featured Faves!

A Limited Time Offer!

We know there are kid favorites that simply cannot be part of the “standard” school meal for a variety of reasons, product availability and costs just to name a few. Which is why our corporate chef and dietitian have worked tirelessly to create these tasty treats.

Our Featured Fave program allows our Directors of Food & Nutrition the flexibility to feature those special, highly desirable items that will be sure to drive sales, gain new customers and create excitement!

Waffle Grilled Cheese

Grain Bowl

Recognizing Moments that Matter

We are proud to recognize staff for their hard work and dedication to providing nutritious meals, while also creating meaningful moments with students, administration, and staff. This recognition comes in the form of a staff party and a cash prize for every employee.

Encouraging positive behavior takes morale and optimism to new levels. Our Directors of Food & Nutrition, Regional Managers, and Management Team regularly recognize staff members who exemplify the spirit of the #MomentsMatter program by nominating them monthly for recognition and awards.

Bellwood Antis SD

Beaufort County SD

Central Dauphin SD

PALATE PLEASURES

Taste Testing In Our Schools!

Throughout our school cafeterias, taste testing events have become a delightful tradition, engaging students to explore new flavors and nutritious options. These sessions not only tantalize taste buds, but also serve as invaluable educational opportunities by fostering a deep understanding and appreciation for new, diverse foods and nutritious options.

This year students tasted and rated 30 products on a scale of 1 to 5. The top ranked food items are calculated and chosen to appear on menus everywhere next year.

Here are some of our favorites moments from this year’s events. We can’t wait to debut all the delicious new selections next school year!

Barnesville Exempted Village SD

Okaloosa County SD

Hempfield Area SD

The kitchen can be viewed as just another classroom when there’s this much learning involved. Students across the states are becoming more involved in culinary exploration and cooking! These events promote growth through teamwork, following directions, and obeying safety protocols. From elementary school to high school there are plenty of opportunities for students to learn and grow in the kitchen!

Personal Pizza & Muffins

MaST students had fun learning how to bake.

Cookie Class

Our mini chefs enjoyed making and decorating holiday cookies.

Future Employees

The Pro Start Competition held at PSU gathers Career and Technical Centers (CTCs) from across Pennsylvania to compete head-to-head. We proudly sponsored several schools to participate, fostering connections with CTCs statewide. Through this engagement, we’ve recruited several talented students who showcased their skills at the event, now part of our team. Furthermore, we’ve joined an apprenticeship program with PRLA, organizers of the competition, and welcomed two students as apprentices.

MaST Community Charter School

Greater Johnstown Area SD

School Winner

BERWICK AREA

CARBONDALE AREA

EVERETT AREA

PENN CAMBRIA

SALEM CITY SCHOOL

SHARON CITY

SOUTHERN LOCAL

SUSQUENITA

TYRONE AREA

We are excited to announce the student workers that have been selected to receive a grant through TNG Charities. Students must have worked for at least three months and still be employed at the end of the school year to be eligible. The submissions were evaluated, and the grants were awarded accordingly: Congratulations to our winners!

WILKES-BARRE AREA

EMILY BECK

KEVIN SCISSINS

AUSTIN VALENTINE

MACKENZIE LIDWELL

CHARLEY ROBERTS

ZYION MOSLEY

CHRISTOPHER KAIDO

LEVI BUCK

BRYANNA BRITTEN

MAIA KUBAREK

EMILY MCDONALD

NAJAY JOYNER

ALAYNA LASOSKI

AARALYNN MBAYE

JOHN PRATER

BRANDY STORER

2022 AWARDS TOTALED

$11,000

2023 AWARDS TOTALED

$25,000

NATIONAL NUTRITION MONTH

has been celebrated in March since 1973. It is a time for everyone to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthy eating and physical activity habits.

This year’s theme is “Beyond the Table”, and it’s all about exploring the journey of nutrition. From the way food is produced and distributed to how we shop at grocery stores and farmers markets, it’s a theme that covers it all. It’s not just about dinner table meals, it’s also about eating on the go, at schools, restaurants, games, and events.

WHILE MARCH SHINES A LIGHT ON HEALTHY EATING, OUR NUTRITION EDUCATION PROGRAMS MAKE LEARNING FUN YEAR ROUND!

Vary Your Vegetables

the Cow

Go for the Greens is a PA Preferred initiative to promote locally grown foods. This initiative ensures students have access to fresh greens, fostering healthy eating habits and promoting overall well-being. Though Go for the Greens is typically celebrated to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day in March, we emphasize this initiative to all our district partners through signature programs like Farm to Fork and Wellness Wednesday. Each program is designed to encourage healthy lifestyles among students by emphasizing the importance of fresh, locally sourced seasonal produce and sampling a diverse range of foods.

READ ACROSS AMERICA

With Dr. Seuss

Celebrated in honor of the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, famously known as Dr. Seuss, the day is filled with reading events, character dress-ups, and a shared appreciation for the iconic stories that have charmed generations.

PICTURED ABOVE : Western Reserve SD | Okaloosa County SD

Woodland Hills SD Mohawk Area SD

TNG WORKERS IN

There’s so much to love about Action Stations:

• Students get to be their own chef and choose toppings to fit their individual tastes.

• Action stations spice things up with different cuisines and cooking styles. Every one is a culinary adventure!

• Cafeteria crew and students have a chance to interact, making lunch feel like a party.

• Students learn while they munch! From food facts to cooking tips, every meal is a mini-lesson in nutrition.

• Action stations keep things moving fast, so students can have their meal and enjoy lunch with friends.

• These stations are all about good-for-you food. Think fresh ingredients, smart cooking methods, and meals that make the student body happy.

We love action stations because they make school lunch awesome, one delicious dish at a time!

Clarion-Limestone SD

School District of Oconee County

Greater Johnstown SD

Okaloosa County SD

Wallingford-Swarthmore SD

EastAllegheny SD

With TNG mascot Molly the Cow, learning about calcium-rich foods becomes a fun and interactive experience. Molly’s ‘moo-ving ‘ message not only educates but also entertains, making it easier for students to understand the importance of these foods in their diet.

Molly the Cow made a special appearance in many districts this year, much to the delight of students!

Crawford Central SD

Bellwood-Antis SD

Old Forge SD

Wilmington Area SD

Titusville Area SD

Lordstown Local SD

MORE MOLLY FUN

FOOD EVENTS!

SUPERBOWL CELEBRATIONS

What better way to keep students and employees engaged than a fun food event? These special days are a great example of caring people serving great food. Here are some highlights over the last few months!

WissahickonSD

Beaufort CountySD

Barnesville Exempted Village SD

Wilkes-Barre Area Vo Tech

Beaufort County SD

Mountain View SD

Greater Johnstown SD

Did you know that you can see what is happening in our accounts from the convenience of your phone? The Nutrition Group utilizes social media to showcase events and promotions across all of our school districts. Here are some of the great events going on in our cafeterias!

MOUNT CARMEL AREA SD

Celebrating National School Lunch Week at Mount Carmel Elementary! Receive a prize with your school breakfast every day this week!! #TngFeedsKids # TngFoodFun DUQUESNE CITY SD

TNG provides our students with tasty meal options. Last Friday, they whipped up some stir fry. Our students loved it!

@TNG_lisbonohio

LISBON EXEMPTED VILLAGE SD

Valentine’s Day Special, Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pudding Parfaits. #NutritiousAndDelicious #FunFoodEvents

@TNGCarrollCounty

@MasonConsolidated Schools

MASON CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLS

It’s a leap year! These cookies sold out fast today at Mason HS

CARROLL COUNTY SD

Throwback to Valentine’s Day at the beginning of this month, how quickly February has passed right? But we couldn’t resist posting this delicious-looking donut from Valentine’s Day!

@MovalleyTNGcafe

MOSHANNON VALLEY SD

Celebrating February birthdays at the high school today with no bake Strawberry Cheesecake Cups.. and a student favorite... Chipotle Chicken Flatbreads!

@TNG_WestMifflin

WEST MIFFLIN SD

Stir fry at @WMMiddleSchool @ WestMifflinArea #TNGFoodFun

@LaBraeCafe

LABRAE LOCAL SD

Bascom 1st graders attended a Nutrition Education Event and learned the importance of Varying their Vegetables.

@Zeps_Cafe

NOBLE LOCAL SD

Donuts for Fat Tuesday and Valentine’s Day. Lots of love and happiness out to Zep Nation. #TNG

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

The weather forecast looked a little shady in Crawford Central School District. It was going to be cloudy with a chance of meatballs!!!

Spaghetti and meatballs were served all throughout the district, with some lucky tray winners going home with some spaghetti and meatballs for later!

Cafeterias were decorated with movie posters and the staff got into the fun wearing their spaghetti hats!

McGuffey SD

Walker Elementary cafeteria staff prepared 295 “Ice Cream” Yogurt Parfaits on Tuesday, March 5th for NSBW.

Fruit & Vegtable Bugs!

Kids were antsy at Western Reserve Local chowing down on these fun and nutritious snacks. Truly a fun food event for all!

Select to Elect

Wellsboro Area held a vote to elect their new favorite lunch entree! Students were able to taste test Chicken Totchos, Korean Dumplings, or a Hornet McGriddle and select their favorite!

A SNEAK PEAK

New breakfast, lunch and ala carte foods, new beverages, new sustainability options, AND MORE!

It’s hard to believe another school year is wrapping up. The 23/24 school year was filled with memorable events, new programs and delicious recipes at each of our schools. We thank you for your continued support and choosing The Nutrition Group as your food service partner.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and safe summer, see you next school year!