Food and Nutrition Services Department honored with "Innovative School Lunch Makeover" award

The Food and Nutrition Services Department is at it again! The team has won another award from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) for its tasty and healthy hamburger recipe.

The Department is recognized in the category of "Innovative School Lunch Makeover.” In this category, schools must demonstrate how they reimagined a popular meal while also meeting specific dietary specifications, meeting meal pattern requirements, and incorporating student engagement. Colonial submitted for consideration their famous hamburgers, which are made from beef that is locally sourced. The patties are also hand-pressed and grilled fresh.

By not using pre-cooked patties, Colonial was able to reduce the sodium content by approximately 400 mg/serving without affecting the flavor. The burgers are a popular option for both students and staff. Click here to watch a video where a student talks about how much she enjoys them.

“We congratulate Colonial School District on this important achievement,” said Rob Bisceglie, Executive Officer & President for Action for Healthy Kids. “The HMI Recognition Awards are an opportunity to showcase innovative school nutrition practices that provide children with access to nutritious school meals,” he added.

This award is the third accolade for the Food and Nutrition Services Department in the 2024-25 school year. The Department won a previous Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition award in the fall from the USDA/AFHK for “Innovation in the Preparation of School Meals.” The Department was also invited to Harrisburg in September to receive the Governor’s Breakfast Champion award, given out to schools that increased the number of students taking part in the universal free breakfast program.

As a result of this most recent award, three Food Service employees will be able to travel on an all-expenses paid trip to the Healthy Meals Fall 2025 Summit in Las Vegas, NV. In other Food Service news, May 2 was National School Lunch Hero Day. All Food Service employees were treated to chocolate-covered strawberries and handmade cards from students to celebrate the day. Click here to watch a short video about the festivities at Colonial Middle School (Instagram/Facebook).