Without the right school nutrition management software in place, nutrition and cafeteria management can become a quagmire of budget and resource allocation, staff and time management, and adherence to nutritional guidelines–to mention only a few factors that go into it all!
The ultimate goal of your food service program is to create and provide a meal program that benefits students in nutrition and academic performance. Studies show that students who receive consistently nutritious meals have higher academic achievements, performance, and experience fewer behavioral issues in the classroom. That’s why school districts and their cafeterias need comprehensive school nutrition software that provides support in the following areas:
- Tracking and Reporting – Through accurate and timely monitoring and reporting of information, you can immediately assess and make decisions based on the effectiveness of your meal programs. Real-time data, reporting, and analysis allow administrators to evaluate and determine which schools adhere to National School Lunch Program (NSLP) guidelines and which schools need intervention, while also providing the resources for effectively managing budgets, meal planning, inventory, and waste.
- Accessibility 24/7 – In today’s digital and technology-driven world, information has to be at your fingertips. Cloud-based school nutrition software allows administrators, directors, and appropriate staff to access information on any device, at any time, from any location. Accessible school nutrition software enables mobility to visit schools, perform cafeteria walk-throughs, observe lunch lines, and more.
- Secure online payments and data – School nutrition software should enable secure online applications for meal program eligibility, provide parents and schools with secure payment methods, and empower schools and districts to be timely and fiscally responsible through secure online banking.
- Streamlining processes – The best school nutrition software needs to assist in making cafeteria management more effective. Streamlined processes include:
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- Enabling faster serving lines,
- Managing acquisition of products according to budgets,
- Planning nutritious meals per NSLP guidelines,
- Managing inventories and minimizing excess spending or shortages,
- Tracking food and budgetary waste, and
- Engaging students to participate, provide feedback, and rate menu choices so that participation can improve.
- Support – Friendly, proactive, available support is critical to the success of implementing and maintaining the right software solutions.
Creating effective school meal programs for students, while maintaining accountability to school boards, taxpayers, and parents, means you have a lot on your plate. With more than 30 years of experience, Harris School Nutrition Solutions provides more than 4,000 schools and districts nationwide with school nutrition solutions that take a massive bite out of your to-do list.
Ready to learn more? Contact our team of school nutrition software experts to talk more about cafeteria management solutions that can improve your school lunchrooms.
