Whole Foods
Whole foods are not processed, altered, or packed with extra sugar, salt, or fat. This means they keep the good stuff — like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to stay strong and energized.
Examples of whole foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains like oats and brown rice, nuts, beans, lentils, fish, eggs, and seafood. Some foods that are lightly processed, such as frozen fruits or whole wheat flour, still count as healthy options because they keep most of their natural nutrients.
Serve more Whole Foods if your goal is to:
✅ Improve the beauty and nutrition of your meals
✅ Increase participation
✅ Build team pride
✅ Maximize commodity benefits
Eating more whole foods and fewer highly processed ones can help you feel better, stay fit, and avoid health problems later.
Processed foods often go through steps like crushing, heating, drying, or adding chemicals, which can strip away nutrients and make them harder to digest.
Whole plant foods are especially good for your digestion. They’re rich in fiber, which helps your stomach work well and can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.
For example, eating an orange is better than drinking orange juice because you get all the fiber that slows down sugar absorption. Without that fiber, juice can spike your blood sugar fast.
Choosing whole nuts instead of nut butter is also smarter. Whole nuts keep their natural structure, which means your body absorbs fat more slowly.
Nut butters, on the other hand, are easier for the body to break down quickly, which can lead to faster fat absorption.
For the sake of nutrition and quality, WHOLE FOODS must be emphasized in school meals. Serve less frozen, manufactured foods and more REAL FOOD. When I say “Real food”, I mean foods that are made from WHOLE FOOD ingredients that are prepared from scratch. Is it as easy as that? Can we get there overnight? No, not overnight, but you can get there! Can you do it alone? Maybe you can, but you could get it done better and faster with some experienced help.
Fortunately, there are already champions in your district, in your community, and in your networks, with whom you can join forces. Networks are powerful and I love helping people build theirs!
If you don’t know where to start, give me a call and we can talk about some ideas that will get you rolling in the right direction. I love to problem-solve and brainstorm and it will cost you nothing but a few moments of your time to have the conversation!
WHOLE FOOD ingredients make beautiful finished dishes. Just take a look a some of these real food examples from my work in school food service.
Taste WA Day 2016
Wenatchee School District's 2016 Taste Washington Day event! A celebration of fine local foods and fantastic food creativity! Proud of my team who made this happen!
Are All Processed Foods Unhealthy?
Not all processed foods are bad for you. The healthiness of processed foods depends on how they are made and what ingredients they contain. In fact, most foods you find in grocery stores have been processed in some way. Some foods are only lightly processed, like frozen fruits and vegetables that are washed and cut but still keep their natural nutrients. These are called minimally processed foods. Others, like canned vegetables, salted nuts, and cheese, have been changed more but can still be part of a healthy diet.
Then there are ultra-processed foods, which are heavily changed and often contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, preservatives, and artificial flavors. Examples include sugary breakfast cereals, sodas, and candy bars.
Eating fewer ultra-processed foods and more whole or minimally processed foods usually leads to better health.
The Four Pillars of Success in School Food Service
If you want to shake up school food service and serve meals that actually matter, you’ve got to build on these four solid pillars. Think of them as your secret sauce to success
