Scroll to:
Scroll to:

Celebrating School Lunch Heroes

In honor of the 10th Annual School Lunch Hero Day, we connected with trailblazers in the school food community to learn more about their unique connection to school nutrition and the importance of appreciating school food professionals throughout the year.

Since its initial launch in 2012, School Lunch Hero Day has been celebrated annually by students, families, schools, and community members on the first Friday of May to recognize the hard work of school food professionals. This year, we are honoring school food professionals and their commitment to supporting students in the cafeteria and beyond. Each day, school nutrition teams across the country work tirelessly to ensure that every student in their lunch line is nourished and ready to learn. Along with serving students with a smile, school food professionals have continued to showcase their heroic kindness and perseverance, especially during the pandemic. Between serving healthy school food, navigating changing nutrition policies, and adapting to staffing and supply chain challenges, school food heroes have truly gone above and beyond to keep their students nourished and fed.

We connected with leaders in the school food community, including Chef Ann Cooper, author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka and CAF Advisory Board Member & Houston Independent School District’s Executive Chef of Nutrition Services David Husbands, to share about the importance of honoring school food professionals all year round.

The Artist

School Lunch Heroes to The Rescue: The Launch of the Lunch Lady Series and School Lunch Hero Day

Not long after launching his Lunch Lady graphic novel series, author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka created School Lunch Hero Day in partnership with the School Nutrition Association. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of School Lunch Hero Day, we connected with Jarrett to learn more about what inspired him to create the widely recognized Lunch Lady series and the annual School Lunch Hero Day celebration.

Not long after launching his Lunch Lady graphic novel series, author/illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka created School Lunch Hero Day in partnership with the School Nutrition Association. To celebrate the tenth anniversary of School Lunch Hero Day, we connected with Jarrett to learn more about what inspired him to create the widely recognized Lunch Lady series and the annual School Lunch Hero Day celebration.

1. Can you share a bit about how school food professionals at your school shaped your experience as a student?

Jeanne and Betty were the best! They were super kind to me and my friends for nine years — our local public school went from K-8! It was clear that they really cared for us.

2. What inspired you to create the Lunch Lady series, and what type of response did you get from the school food community after publishing the books?

It was inspired by my actual lunch lady, but she was a sweetheart. I had a chance encounter with her when I was 23. I was back at my old elementary school with my first published book, and she was dutifully and lovingly prepping to feed the kids. When she told me about her grandkids, I was shocked to learn that she did not live in the school cafeteria. That night I started doodling in my sketchbook and five years later, I had a pitch to show my editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers.

I have so enjoyed connecting with lunch ladies, lunch dudes, and lunch folk from coast to coast ever since the books were published!

3. How did this series contribute to the creation of School Lunch Hero Day?

At the book launch in July of 2009, I invited Jeanne and Betty, the beloved lunch ladies from my old elementary school, to the launch event at the Worcester Public Library. I presented them with art and books, and a standing-room-only crowd, filled with people they fed over the years, erupted in thunderous applause. Shortly after the event, I received thank-you cards from them. In these notes, they told me how they loved every single kid who came through their lunch line. That realization hit me. Instinctively I knew that, but it had never been verbalized. Over the next few years, the school lunch teams were invited into the programming at my author visits. What I saw was a bridge being built between disparate groups at schools. The lunch ladies, lunch dudes, and lunch folk were all feeling incredibly validated, and it strengthened the community at every school that I visited.

4. What are some ways for students and community members to celebrate this special day?

It can be as simple as a thank-you card, and it can be as extravagant as a choreographed performance. I have seen it all! I have seen governors and mayors issue legal proclamations declaring it School Lunch Hero Day in their cities and states, and I have seen principals serve gourmet meals to their lunch teams. We have resources and ideas over at SchoolLunchHeroDay.com. My favorite is the downloadable greeting cards that were very much inspired by Valentine’s Day cards we traded as kids.

One of the most incredible celebrations I have seen, I witnessed firsthand. I had noticed that a group of librarians in the Houston Independent School District had been making the celebration a big deal in their community. So in 2015, I flew down to join in. The students went all out—it was an awe-inspiring day. Students lined the hallways with artwork, and they wrote poems and thank-you notes. For lunch, each lunch hero was seated at a table with students in the library and served a catered meal! The entire day culminated with this big Broadway-style production filled with songs and choreographed dance numbers!

The Operator

Feeding the Future: Celebrating School Food Professionals at Houston ISD

Like many school food professionals across the nation, Houston Independent School District’s Executive Chef of Nutrition Services David Husbands believes that recognizing the hard work of school food professionals is important throughout the year. We reached out to David to learn more about how the district shows its gratitude toward the HISD School Nutrition team.

Like many school food professionals across the nation, Houston Independent School District’s Executive Chef of Nutrition Services David Husbands believes that recognizing the hard work of school food professionals is important throughout the year. We reached out to David to learn more about how the district shows its gratitude toward the HISD School Nutrition team.

1. What do you do to show your team appreciation throughout the year?

We have one big event each year for our kitchen teams and their families that features live music and food. We also present awards in multiple categories that highlight our amazing talent in the field. This is a grand gala and everyone dresses the part, it’s one of our favorite times of the year.

2. How have you celebrated School Lunch Hero Day in the past? Do you have anything planned for this year’s School Lunch Hero Day?

Currently and previously, our leadership collectively visits all of our schools on that day and we present each team member with a Certificate of Appreciation that has their name on it. We work with the Superintendent’s office and the principals before the event and they assist with the celebration by adding to the festivities.

3. Are there any final thoughts that you would like to share about the importance of appreciating school food professionals not just on School Lunch Hero Day but year-round?

Our kitchen staff is and always has been the most important aspect of our operation. This year it is especially important to highlight their achievements due to the large amount of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication given this year for the sake of feeding our children and the community.

The Legend

Appreciating School Food Heroes with Chef Ann Cooper

Thank you to all the school food professionals for your incredible work to keep students healthy and ready for the school day during these challenging times. We appreciate and recognize your amazing commitment to enriching the lives of students through the power of healthy school food. From rural districts to large cities, we are grateful for the impact that you are creating each and every day!

Thank you to all the school food professionals for your incredible work to keep students healthy and ready for the school day during these challenging times. We appreciate and recognize your amazing commitment to enriching the lives of students through the power of healthy school food. From rural districts to large cities, we are grateful for the impact that you are creating each and every day!

To learn more about how to express your gratitude for the school food heroes in your life, check out our Staff Appreciation page on The Lunch Box.

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Thank you for signing up for our newsletter!

There was an error, please try again.