Lamoille North Modified Unified School District in Vermont stands out as a national leader by earning all of the Healthy Meal Incentives (HMI) Recognition Awards! This achievement reflects this district’s comprehensive efforts to improve school meals by reducing sodium and added sugars in their School Breakfast Program (SBP) and National School Lunch Program (NSLP), and increasing access to nutrition education. Their commitment to healthier meals is helping to foster lifelong wellness habits and create a more nourishing school environment for every student. Through the HMI Initiative, Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) partnered with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to award 264 subgrants to School Food Authorities (SFAs) nationwide. These grants aim to enhance the nutritional quality of school meals and promote nutrition education for students and families

Prior to receiving the HMI subgrant, the Lamoille North Modified Unified School District faced several significant challenges that hindered the effectiveness and quality of its school nutrition program. These included outdated kitchen equipment and high food costs due to limited purchasing power. The SFA also struggled with providing accessible and consistent culinary training opportunities for their school nutrition team, which impacted staff efficiency and retention. Additionally, the lack of proper food storage and preparation facilities limited their ability to incorporate healthier, locally sourced ingredients and modern cooking techniques, ultimately affecting the nutritional quality and appeal of school meals. Students described the meals as “soggy” and noted that “the food isn’t as hot.”

Funding from HMI made a substantial difference for this SFA. According to the Director of School Nutrition, Kelly Shortsleeve, the SFA provided training to staff and purchased new kitchen equipment, such as combi ovens. Shortsleeve shared that, “… The equipment has increased the food quality and quantity that we’re able to cook for the entire district … so we’re excited to see the increase in participation because of [what] we bought.”

With the new kitchen equipment purchased and training for their school nutrition staff completed, the school district was able to increase its efficiency and move towards scratch and batch cooking. What impact did this have? The SFA implemented taste tests and cooking demonstrations as a way to highlight new foods being considered for the school menu. As a result of student feedback, they added bouletten, arepas, Cubano sandwiches and pork bulgogi bowl to their 12- week cycle menu. The student response was big! On average, student participation in the school lunch program at the middle and high school increased by 25 percent. Breakfast also saw an average increase of 8-10 percent in daily participation. The school district was able to reduce sodium in its school lunches by 20 percent from the previous year. Additionally, less than 10 percent of calories in its school breakfasts come from added sugars. These changes show that an SFA can enhance the nutritional quality of school meals while increasing student acceptance of the meals served.

Lamoille North Modified School District did not stop their nutrition education and student engagement efforts at taste tests – they provided an important connection between the cafeteria and classrooms. As outlined in their Innovation in Nutrition Education Recognition Award application, the SFA provides hands-on learning experiences for students that look at “… local food systems, seasonal produce, scratch cooking, food safety, reducing food waste, and understanding nutrition labels. Lessons are age-appropriate and aligned with Vermont Agency of Education standards and USDA guidelines.” Additionally, the SFA actively collaborates with students through student councils at the elementary, middle, and high schools. During these meetings, students provide valuable feedback to nutrition program staff that they then use to support menu creation, wellness campaigns, and healthy food promotions.

The transformation of Lamoille North Modified Unified School District through HMI is a powerful testament to what’s possible when vision, support, and community engagement align. By addressing long-standing challenges with strategic investments in equipment, training, and student-centered programming, the SFA not only elevated the quality of its school meals but also redefined what school nutrition can look like. Their success – marked by national recognition, increased student participation and measurable improvements in meal quality – demonstrated that nutritious, appealing meals and robust nutrition education indeed go hand-in-hand.

As School Nutrition Director Shortsleeve shared, “I don’t think we’ll ever go backwards … I think now that we’ve been given just this little push to open those doors for us, I think it’s just the way of our program now: the scratch cooking, the batch cooking, just the effectiveness of those, alleviates some labor on our part… We’ll just keep pushing forward.”

Lamoille North Modified Unified School District’s journey is more than a story of overcoming obstacles – it’s a blueprint for sustainable, student-driven change. Their commitment to innovation and collaboration ensures that every meal served is a step toward a healthier, more empowered generation.

Find more HMI success stories in our Cafeteria Chronicles blog

This material is based upon work that is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.