Next Up Podcast

Most districts that serve pork treat it as a limited-time offer or a once-a-month special. LaChell Miller, MS, RDN, CC, the Senior Manager National Nutrition Programs at the National Pork Board, and registered dietitian; not to mention a certified Culinarian building the National Pork Board's K-12 work, wants it on the line weekly, at breakfast and at lunch.

In partnership with the National Pork Board.

IN THIS EPISODE:- How pork on entitlement compares with other proteins on cost (her figures, with a price gap she calls nearly double)- The pork items you can order with entitlement dollars: pulled pork, meatballs, rib patties, sausage patties, ham and picnic pork- What to do if your district has no kitchen, from heat-and-serve products to speed-scratch recipes with five ingredients or fewer

Suggested Links:- Pork & Partners - Pork & Partners: Human Nutrition Research - Pork on the Plate K–12 Recipe Book - Speed Scratch Recipes - National Pork Board - Pork Nutrition Information: - Drive Efficiency of your Entitlement Dollars

CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST:- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TasteWhatPorkCanDo/- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porkandpartners?stkn=andqZWp2dGUwOTJy- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/nationalporkboard- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lachellmiller/- Website: https://pork.org/

CONNECT WITH OUR HOST: - Instagram (Marlon Gordon): https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/- LinkedIn (Marlon Gordon): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-gordon/- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9DzPRODUCED BY NXTGEN NETWORK- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E8s9SrHUj/- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/- YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork

#NationalPorkBoard #PorkInSchools #FarmToSchool #USDAFoods #NationalPorkMonth

Whole milk is back in school meals, and new added sugar and sodium limits may arrive in 2027-28.Built for school nutrition directors, menu planners and foodservice teams. Marlon Gordon talks milk, menus and the rule changes ahead with a panel of registered dietitians from the dairy industry and the school cafeteria:Katie Bambacht, RD, SNSVP Nutrition Affairs, National Dairy CouncilJana Miller, RDN, LDNYouth Wellness Manager, The Dairy AllianceSharon Sanders, MS, RDN, LDDirector of Child Nutrition, Birmingham City Schools, ALIn partnership with the National Dairy Council.In this episode:- Why breakfast menus are the biggest challenge under the 2027-28 added sugar and sodium standards- How USDA's new rule extends whole milk and other higher-fat options to breakfast and CACFP- Why milk's saturated fat no longer has to count in your nutrient analysis- Why removing flavored milk can cut participation and raise waste, and why school chocolate milk now averages 7.2g of added sugar per 8 oz- Smart Swaps: recipes taste-tested with 2,500+ students, including the ones that got cut- How Birmingham City Schools is moving toward scratch cooking to control sodium and food cost- Moo Brew: a cold-brew style drink with 8 oz of milk that counts as part of the reimbursable meal- How districts can find grants for smoothie and coffee programs through their local dairy councilTIMESTAMPS00:00 Three dietitians, one toast02:07 From intern to district nutrition director02:52 The rule changes coming for school meals05:06 Grants for smoothie and coffee programs06:31 13 essential nutrients in every milk07:36 Chocolate milk as a recovery drink09:19 Wings: a top seller in Birmingham10:02 Inside the nutrient analysis behind every tray11:15 Smart Swaps: recipes built for the new standards14:30 Why breakfast is the biggest challenge16:20 Favorite recipes: cherry lime smoothie bowl19:06 Can a 20,000-student district scratch cook?22:35 The recipes cut after 2,500 student taste tests24:57 Whole milk is back: what the new rule allows28:46 Chocolate milk: 50% less added sugar30:25 Robotic milkers and cow Fitbits33:36 Why each became a registered dietitian38:10 Advice for young RDs42:16 Do Smart Swaps raise participation?46:16 Is milk actually hydrating?47:55 The next 5 to 10 years of child nutrition50:30 When kids stop drinking milk53:19 Breaking the school meal stigma56:15 School lunch memories57:33 The recipe winning with students: apple nachos1:01:22 16 dairy councils: find yours1:02:23 Why they stay in this work1:06:16 Moo Brew: cold brew with 8 oz of milk1:09:45 Free marketing kits for programsSubscribe to Next Up for straight talk on school nutrition, and turn on notifications so the next episode doesn't slip past you.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ CONNECT WITH NEXT UP PODCAST━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/ Instagram (Marlon Gordon): https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ LinkedIn (Marlon Gordon): https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-gordon/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ PRODUCED BY NXTGEN NETWORK━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E8s9SrHUj/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork#NextUpPodcast #SchoolNutrition #SchoolMeals #NxtGenNetwork #ChildNutrition #K12Foodservice #SchoolBreakfast #SchoolLunch #SchoolNutritionDirector #WholeMilk #SchoolMilk #SmartSwaps #ScratchCooking #RegisteredDietitian #USDA

AI won't replace you. The person who uses it will.In this special edition of the Next Up Podcast, Marlon sits down with NxtGen Network Social Media Managers Rachel and Kariss. They talk AI, social media strategy, school nutrition marketing, and what really happens behind NxtGen's content.Rachel and Kariss pull back the curtain on the AI tools they've built into their daily workflow. Kariss shares the AI "brand voice" skill she built to create NxtGen-style content on command. They also break down a client simulator that helps the team anticipate how clients might react to content before it's ever pitched.The conversation goes beyond AI. They talk about the student ambassador program bringing real student voices into the school meals conversation and the 100+ comments on the #THISisschoolmeals Show teaser. Marlon also shares how he built a training portal for Seattle Public Schools' video team in a single afternoon.Plus, get the inside story on Immersion, NxtGen's & Cool School Cafe's new one-day in Tampa, FL and the launch of NxtGen Pro.And which client is the hardest for the NxtGen social media team to work with?NxtGen itself.If you work in school nutrition, K-12 foodservice, social media marketing, school district communications, or you're exploring how AI can improve your workflow, this episode is for you.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━PRODUCED BY NXTGEN NETWORKInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1E8s9SrHUj/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nxtgennetworkCONNECT WITH NEXT UP PODCASTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9DzCONNECT WITH OUR GUESTSRachel | Social Media Manager, NxtGen NetworkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/racheldreslinskiKariss | Social Media Manager, NxtGen NetworkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kariss-harvey-96731823aCONNECT WITH MARLONInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-gordon/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TIMESTAMPS00:00 Marlon brings his "street team" onto the mic01:24 Rachel's origin story and an audition interview at ANC03:24 The hotel switch nobody told Kariss about04:57 The business side of school lunch07:40 How Rachel and Kariss ended up in content08:24 The prank Marlon pulled during Rachel's interview09:43 A day in the life of a school nutrition social media manager11:40 The meeting Rachel actually looks forward to14:52 Introducing Immersion 17:44 The most surprising school meals they've seen19:03 Why that "fried" mac and cheese isn't actually fried20:19 Inside the 100+ comments on the #THISisschoolmeals teaser23:35 The manufacturers and school districts behind their day-to-day25:33 Which client is the hardest to work with?27:04 The AI-made reel with an overnight turnaround29:06 Claude, Gemini, Nano Banana and Veo33:40 Marlon's AI rabbit hole and Gary Vaynerchuk38:37 The student ambassador program giving kids a voice41:56 Introducing NxtGen Pro43:52 How the team grows professionally53:09 Will AI replace social media teams?56:03 The AI training portal built for Seattle Public Schools58:11 Favorite school meals and closing thoughts#SchoolNutrition #K12 #ArtificialIntelligence #SocialMediaMarketing #SchoolMeals #NxtGenNetwork #NextUpPodcast

DRAFTWhat happens when a Food & Nutrition Officer spends 25 years inside one of the largest school districts in America — and refuses to settle for "good enough"? You get Angie Kasselakis, RDN, SHRM-SCP — and a school meal program feeding 156,000 kids a day across 360+ schools in Miami-Dade County.In this episode, Marlon Gordon sits down with Angie Kasselakis, Food & Nutrition Officer at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, to talk about her 25-year journey from part-time food service worker to leading 2,500 staff across one of the most complex school nutrition operations in the country. They dive into how Miami-Dade was removing food dyes, MSG, and HFCS before it was a national conversation, how a 15-student nutrition ambassador program is already reshaping the menu, what a 600-kid food show with 60 vendors actually looks like, why she'd tell aspiring RDs to go into business, and what scratch cooking jambalaya at scale taught her team about leadership.Whether you're a school nutrition director, a food service professional, a K-12 manufacturer, or someone who cares about what kids eat — this episode is packed with real talk on leadership, clean labels, student engagement, and the future of school food.===========================Connect with our guest!===========================LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akasselakis===========================Connect with us!===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetworkAgencyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/===========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE 📱===========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️00:00 Passion Meets Purpose: The Journey Begins00:30 Introducing Angie Kasselakis & Miami-Dade County Public Schools01:15 The Business Card Story: How They Met at SNA02:48 25 Years in One District: Angie's Career Journey05:12 Miami-Dade by the Numbers: 360 Schools, 156K Meals, 2,500 Staff07:36 Why Angie Loves HR: SHRM-SCP & the 51% Pass Rate09:58 Clean Labels Before It Was Cool: Removing Food Dyes & MSG12:19 Do Students Care About Ingredients? Spoiler: Yes14:39 Building the Student Nutrition Ambassador Program17:06 Educating Ambassadors & Bringing Them to the Food Show19:24 Student Menu Takeover Week: Kids Pick the Entire Menu21:49 Surprise Cafeteria Visits: Going to Schools Unannounced23:59 What Angie Loves Most About Her Job26:14 Teaching Kids and Parents to Cook Real Food27:48 New USDA Dietary Guidelines: Why This RDN Is Excited29:58 Scratch Cooking at Scale: Cooks & Bakers Training32:20 Where Healthy Eating Really Starts: Home vs. School34:42 Students in the Kitchen: Culinary Competitions & Talent36:42 The Jambalaya Story: How a Scratch Recipe Won the District39:09 School Nutrition Conferences vs. HR Conferences41:30 Recruiting Dietetic Interns Into Food Service43:52 Sports Nutrition vs. Food Service: Where the RD Pipeline Goes46:14 Hurricane Days & the $1M Funding Reality48:28 Student Ambassadors Defending the Program on Social Media50:39 Closing: Miami-Dade Is Next Level

Sponsored by Red Gold Tomatoes, this special live episode of the Next Up Podcast was filmed at the NxtGen Masterclass in Orlando, FL, bringing together school nutrition leaders, manufacturers, and industry professionals to talk about the future of K-12 foodservice.From branding and marketing to product innovation and student engagement, the conversation dives into new ideas helping school meal programs grow and better connect with their communities.Thank you to Red Gold for continuing to support K-12 nutrition programs with high-quality, versatile tomato products that help operators create flavorful, reliable meals students love.===========================Connect with us! ===========================IG: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/IG: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/IG: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/FB: https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetwork365Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/Twitter: https://twitter.com/NxtGen_NetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtgen.networkCapabilities Deck: https://nxtgennetwork.serveddigizine.com/NxtGen-Capabilitiy-Deck/===========================Connect with our guests! ===========================IG: https://www.instagram.com/redgoldtomatoes/FB: Red Gold K-12 FB | https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578177140268FB: https://www.facebook.com/RedGoldTomatoes/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/red-goldTwitter: https://twitter.com/RedGoldTomatoesWeb: https://www.redgoldtomatoes.com/redgoldfoodservice/segment/k-12/========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz⏰ Timecodes ⏰00:00 Inspiration Behind the Podcast03:03 Community Pride and School Culture06:01 Innovative School Meal Solutions09:05 Product Development and Nutritional Standards12:10 Branding in K-12 Nutrition15:06 Future Initiatives and Exciting Projects18:01 Takeaways from the Master Class

What happens when a retired school nutrition director decides to build the software she always wished she had? You get Health-e Pro — a USDA-approved menu planning platform with over 5,000 recipes, 20,000 products, and a team of dietitians and food service professionals building technology from the inside out.In this episode, Marlon Gordon sits down with Kadon Simmons (Head of Growth) and Kim Coleman (Head of Product) at Health-e Pro to break down how their founder Meg Chesley turned a consulting side hustle into a 30-person company that school districts refuse to leave. They dive into how menu planning drives the entire school nutrition business, why their software is designed for you to spend LESS time in it, how AI is about to change compliance and recipe suggestions, the role manufacturers and commodities play in K-12 food service, and why the best people in this industry are lifers.Whether you're a food service director, a menu planner, a school nutrition professional, or a manufacturer trying to better serve K-12, this conversation is packed with insights on technology, innovation, scratch cooking, USDA compliance, and the future of feeding kids.===========================Connect with our guests! ===========================Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healtheproInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthe_pro/?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/15218019X: https://twitter.com/healthe_proYouTube:  @healthepro  ===========================Connect with us! ===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetworkAgencyLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ ===========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ===========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz ⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️00:00 Passion Meets Purpose: The Journey Begins07:21 From Sports to School Nutrition: Kaden's Transition14:51 Kim's Path: A Lifelong Commitment to School Nutrition21:56 Healthy Pro's Origin Story: A Vision for Menu Planning28:50 Innovating School Nutrition: Technology and Equipment31:11 Changing Perceptions: The Future of School Meals32:29 Creating Engaging Recipe Experiences34:04 Streamlining Menu Planning with Technology36:23 Understanding the Business of School Nutrition38:43 Incorporating AI into Menu Planning42:09 The Future of Menu Planning Software44:12 Connecting the School Nutrition Community48:08 Innovative Practices in Small School Districts51:47 The Road Ahead for Healthy Pro54:34 Engaging with the School Nutrition Industry01:00:13 Maximizing Commodity Processing in Schools

In this episode of The Next Up Podcast, host Marlon Gordon sits down with Samantha Bourque from National Food Group and Zee Zees for a powerful conversation about food insecurity, corporate social responsibility, and how purpose-driven work can create real change in communities across the country.From Samantha’s journey through the Detroit Lions, ESPN, and Ford Motor Company to her current role leading community impact initiatives, the conversation explores how food can be a vehicle for education, equity, and connection. They dive into hunger relief efforts, partnerships with organizations like Blessings in a Backpack and Detroit Food Academy, sustainability and food waste reduction, and the many unexpected career paths that exist within the food industry beyond “just being a chef.”The episode also takes a deep look at school meal debt and National Food Group’s Grab The Tab initiative, which has helped pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid school lunch balances nationwide. Samantha shares why school meal debt continues to rise, how it affects students and schools in every type of community, and what individuals and organizations can do locally to help ensure kids have access to food beyond the school day.If you care about food insecurity, school meals, sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and making a meaningful impact through business, this episode is a must-watch.===========================Connect with our guests! ===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeezeesfoods/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalFoodGroupFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZeeZeesFoodsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zee-zees-foods/posts/?feedView=allLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-food-group/posts/?feedView=all===========================Connect with us! ===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetworkAgencyLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NxtGen_Network TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtgen.network ===========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ===========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz ⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️00:00 Introduction to Food Insecurity and Community Impact02:51 Samantha's Journey: From NFL to Food Advocacy05:58 The Role of Zee Zee's in Combating Food Insecurity08:50 Project Serve: Philanthropic Initiatives at Zee Zee's11:56 The Importance of Community Engagement and Education15:05 Collaborations with Nonprofits and Local Organizations17:46 Innovative Programs: Grab the Tab and Blessings in a Backpack20:53 The Challenge of School Meal Debt23:59 Future Plans and Growth for Zee Zee's27:08 Conclusion: The Path Forward in Food Advocacy

This conversation features members of the GENYOUth National Youth Council discussing the importance of student engagement in school meal programs. They explore the mission of GENYOUth, the stigmas surrounding school meals, and the need for improvements in meal options and cafeteria experiences. The students emphasize the significance of time and space during lunch, the impact of breakfast on performance, and the desire for more cultural diversity in food offerings. They also address misconceptions about school meals and the importance of inclusivity and feedback in shaping meal programs.===========================Connect with our Guests!===========================Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genyouthorg/wall/#Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genyouthnow/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/genyouthnow/Website: https://genyouthnow.org/===========================Connect with us! ===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetworkAgencyLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NxtGen_Network TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtgen.network ===========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ===========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz ⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️00:00 Introduction to Gen Youth and Its Mission03:04 The Role of Students in School Meal Programs06:11 Stigmas Surrounding School Meals08:59 Desires for School Meal Improvements11:54 The Importance of Time and Space in Cafeterias15:04 Breakfast and Its Impact on Student Performance18:00 Cafeteria Experience and Customization21:03 Future Visions for School Meal Programs23:59 Misconceptions About School Meals26:55 Engagement and Feedback from Students30:03 The Importance of Inclusivity in School Meals33:02 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

In this episode of The Next Up Podcast, host Marlon Gordon sits down with Tara Sharpe, K-12 Segment Director for Zee Zees® (National Food Group), for an in-depth conversation about branding, innovation, and what it truly takes to succeed in school foodservice.From why K-12 is the “PhD of foodservice” to how strong branding directly increases student participation, Tara shares real-world examples of how fun, compliant, and student-approved products can transform the lunch line. They dive into innovation in a highly regulated space, allergen-friendly foods, grab-and-go success stories, scratch and speed-scratch cooking, and how listening to districts leads to game-changing solutions.The conversation also explores Zee Zees Grab the Tab initiative, which has helped pay off over $225,000 in school meal debt, the power of partnerships with School Nutrition Professionals, and what’s coming next for Zee Zees in 2026 — including new bulk products, commodity processing, and major conference plans.If you care about school meals, student participation, innovation, branding, and feeding kids well, this episode is a must-watch.===========================Connect with our Guests!===========================Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZeeZeesFoods/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeezeesfoods/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/zee-zees-foodsWebsite: https://zeezees.com/Website: http://www.zzgrabthetab.com===========================Connect with us! ===========================Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetwork365 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NxtGen_Network TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtgen.network ===========================================Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ===========================================➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz ⏱️ Timestamps ⏱️00:00 – Why branding matters in K-12 foodservice00:55 – Welcome to The Next Up Podcast + first episode in the new studio01:15 – Meet Tara Sharp, K-12 Segment Director at Zee Zees02:40 – Driving innovation and working directly with school districts03:30 – Why K-12 is the “PhD of foodservice”04:45 – Standing out through branding, swag, and student excitement05:45 – How branding influences what kids choose on the serving line06:40 – Creating products based on direct district requests08:10 – Why innovation is critical in an ever-changing regulatory landscape09:40 – Scratch cooking vs speed scratch & meeting districts where they are11:10 – Labor shortages and how products support understaffed kitchens12:20 – Allergen-friendly products and Zee Zees core brand values13:30 – Participation success story: 20% increase with grab-and-go yogurt14:40 – Favorite products, flavors, and student favorites18:40 – Zee Zees sales team and long-term relationships in K-1220:10 – Why School Nutrition Professionals are unmatched in dedication21:40 – Lessons from COVID and the power of school meal programs23:20 – Inside the Zee Zees office culture25:00 – Giving back: the story behind Grab the Tab26:45 – Paying off school meal debt and director reactions28:20 – What’s coming next for Zee Zees and ANC 2026 teaser29:15 – Universal free meals and the future of school nutrition30:30 – Conferences, advocacy, and industry leadership31:45 – Commodity processing explained32:50 – New Zee Zees bulk product line walkthrough34:40 – Creative menu applications and speed-scratch recipes36:10 – Why bulk options give districts more flexibility37:10 – How to connect with Zee Zees37:55 – Final thoughts and wrap-up

In this episode of Next Up, we’re joined by Darlene Lopez and Megan Martinson from Eagle Mountain–Saginaw ISD for a powerful look at how food, culture, and education intersect inside today’s school nutrition programs. They share their personal journeys into the nutrition world and raise an important question: What inspires someone to choose school nutrition as a career—and how do we bring more people into this work?Darlene and Meghan walk us through their district’s creative approach to menu innovation, from culturally inspired meals to fun fusion dishes like spaghetti tacos and Korean BBQ tacos. As they describe balancing flavor with regulations, we’re prompted to ask: How can school menus better reflect student diversity while still meeting standards?A big part of their mission lies in nutrition education and community connection. Through newsletters, student feedback, and hands-on learning, they help kids understand why healthy eating matters. Their approach raises another question: Are we giving students a voice in shaping the foods they’re served every day?The conversation also highlights their impactful partnerships—from local farms to statewide programs—and how these collaborations enrich both the menu and the community. It leads us to consider: What role should local producers and families play in the future of school meals?

This episode is full of inspiration and actionable ideas for anyone passionate about child nutrition, public health, or building stronger school communities.Connect with our guests! website: https://www.emsisd.com/about-ems-isd/departments/child-nutritionConnect with us! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgen_network/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextuptalkshow/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtgenmarlon/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NxtGenNetwork365 Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nxtgen-network/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NxtGen_Network TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nxtgen.network Subscribe and Listen to the Next Up Podcast HERE:📱 ➡︎ YT: https://www.youtube.com/@nxtgennetwork/podcasts➡︎ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/next-up-podcast/id1598968019➡︎ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3ex3Oj7aodeUe48EJGy9Dz⏰ Chapters ⏰00:00 Connecting Food, Culture, and Nutrition04:54 Personal Journeys in Nutrition09:48 Innovations in School Nutrition Programs14:47 The Role of Education in Nutrition19:47 Community Engagement and Communication24:30 Future Goals and Partnerships in Nutrition