Trends on the Tray: How Trends Watching Can Shape Meal Planning Innovation

Description

Learning Objectives

• Monitor annual food and beverage trends and evaluate their applicability for recipe, meal, and menu planning in schools or other settings.
• Explore characteristics of the local community, restaurants, markets, hospitals, and educational institutions for inspiration toward meal planning.
• Discuss the challenges facing school foodservice and explore strategies to adapt in a way that enhances excitement, innovation, and acceptance in school meals.

Performance Indicators

• 1.7.4 Implements strategies and creates culturally sensitive and diverse resources to support diverse populations.
• 3.1.3 Tailors messages and communication methods to meet the needs of target audiences.
• 15.3.1 Defines project parameters in collaboration with key stakeholders.

Speakers

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  Mindy Hermann

  Owner, Hermann Communications

  Mindy Hermann, MBA, RDN, consults in food and nutrition product and service communications. She is a market researcher and creates global food and beverage trends and research reports, content, and articles on a variety of platforms for Innova Market Insights and CNS Media. She is the consultant manager for the Danone Institute NA, where she helps plan and oversee training programs for transdisciplinary teams on leadership in food sustainability and food as medicine initiatives. Recently, Mindy consulted on communications strategies, cultural cuisines, and corporate partnerships for the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Mindy has co-authored a dozen books and co-authored a chapter on communications ethics in the 2020 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics communications manual. She also has written hundreds of articles for professional, trade, and consumer media. Mindy began her career at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She earned a bachelor's degree from UCLA and an MBA from New York University. Mindy was a member of the Academy Positions Committee (2013-2016), a member and chair (2020-2022) chair of the Academy’s Committee for Lifelong Learning (2017-2023), and a spokesperson for the New York State and American Dietetic Associations.

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  Lindsey Palmer

  VP, Nutrition and Industry Relations, Chartwells K12

  Lindsey has worked in child nutrition, K12 education, and school food service operations since 2008. She is Vice President of Nutrition and Industry Relations for Chartwells K12, helping to oversee 2 million meals a day at over 700 school districts across 35 states. She works to ensure that all students have equitable access to education and succeed in life, starting with school meals. She previously worked as the Director of Nutrition Programs at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, DC, overseeing school breakfast and lunch, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, summer meals, and local laws, including the DC Healthy Schools Act and Healthy Tots Act. Lindsey focused on incorporating training and technology into her work and developed a long-term strategic plan for the team. Lindsey worked previously at DC Central Kitchen as the Director of Nutrition and Community Outreach, doing a mix of school food service work and community nutrition. Lindsey holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics and a minor in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware, and completed her Master of Science in Nutrition and dietetic internship at the St. Elizabeth University in New Jersey. Lindsey also holds a Master’s in Business Administration. She currently lives in Denver with her boyfriend and hopefully by the time of this presentation, a new dog.

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  Cindy Kanarek Culver

  Director of School Nutrition, Marietta City School District

  Cindy Kanarek Culver, MS, RDN, LD is the Director of School Nutrition for Marietta City Schools (GA) which is a suburban district of Metro-Atlanta. She has 24 years of experience in school nutrition. MCS has nearly 9,000 students with 12 kitchens and a satellite site. The student population is a minority majority population at 64% free and reduced. Serving a diverse and culturally inclusive menu while introducing students to new foods and recipes is always a priority. Cindy is the current Diversity Liaison Chair for the School Nutrition Services Dietetic Practice Group, Treasurer for LAHIDAN MIG, NDEP Preceptor Director, and the Georgia Affiliate Liaison for the School Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. Cindy received her BSFCS from the University of Georgia, completed her dietetic internship from the University of Northern Colorado, earned a Master of Health Sciences from the University of Alabama and is a current student pursuing a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership in Business at Anderson University. Cindy is a native Spanish speaker who was born in Managua, Nicaragua and grew up in Miami, Florida.

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Moderator

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  Catharine Powers

  Partner, Culinary Nutrition Associates LLC

  Catharine Powers, MS, RDN, LD is a partner with Culinary Nutrition Associates LLC and Culinary Nutrition Publishing LLC. She spearheaded the launch of HealthySchoolRecipes.com, a site that is a one-stop resource for creditable, healthful and flavorful school recipes. This site brings together recipes from manufacturers, commodity boards, non-profit organizations and schools from across the country. She is co-author of the textbook, Essentials of Nutrition for Chefs, the IACP 2011 cookbook winner for the Health and Special Diet category. She also is the co-author of Portion Photos of Popular Foods and Recipe Nutrient Analysis: Best Practices for Calculation and Chemical Analysis. She is co-editor of the Review of Dietetics: Manual for the Registration Examination for Registered Dietitians. Cathy developed and has implemented Culinary Skills for School Meals, a transformative training program designed specifically for school nutrition professionals, by school nutrition professionals. She was also a trainer with the Institute of Child Nutrition and was project manager for their award-winning training program, Cooks for Kids and was project coordinator for the revision of their online course, Culinary Techniques for Healthy School Meals. Cathy spent nearly 15 years at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) where she was instrumental in developing the Institute’s cutting-edge nutrition program. From 2015 to 2024 she was chair of the CIA’s Healthy Kids Collaborative.

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