Podcast Feature | Cafeteria Confessions

We're excited to be featured on Cafeteria Confessions, a national podcast hosted by Emily Chatelain, CEO of the School Food and Wellness Group. The episode highlights how we're using student voice, sustainability initiatives, and wellness-driven decision-making to reshape the school meal experience.

In the episode, listeners hear from Rachel Sanchez, School Dietitian and Wellness Specialist, alongside students and staff, as they share how hands-on engagement, regular taste tests, and intentional feedback loops have helped build trust and participation in the school meal program.

A major focus of the conversation is our school's comprehensive recycling and composting program, which has diverted approximately 93 percent of cafeteria waste from landfills and saved the school an estimated $75,000 in one year. Through education, clear systems, and active student involvement, sustainability has become part of the school's daily culture, with students taking these practices beyond the cafeteria and into their homes.

The episode also explores how LFDCS centers student voice through surveys, taste tests, and wellness committee involvement, using feedback to make real-time menu changes. Students describe feeling heard and respected, while staff emphasize the importance of presentation, nutrition standards, and culturally responsive offerings in shaping a positive cafeteria experience.

Cafeteria Confessions continues to spotlight schools across the country that are rethinking what school meals can be—showing how food programs can support wellness, equity, and community pride.

Tune in here: https://www.sfwgroup.org/podcast/episode-08