Smarter school food service for K-12 public schools

Scratch-made, USDA-compliant meals and welcoming cafeterias that support health, learning, and program growth

Three smiling girls sitting closely together, eating snacks and enjoying each other's company in a busy indoor setting.

Raising the standard in school food service

Genuine Foods partners with public schools, charter networks, after-school, and year-round and summer camp programs to deliver full-service food service management rooted in scratch-made meals, USDA compliance, and tailored kitchen operations.

We don’t just meet standards, we build compliance into the culture with transparent, audit-ready systems.

We reimagine cafeterias as welcoming spaces where students feel safe, seen, and excited to eat.

Two black bowls of fresh salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms on a table with colorful fruits and vegetables in the background.

Hospitality meets education

Our approach combines student-inspired menus and Genuine Moments Hospitality Training to boost participation, strengthen finances, and fuel learning.

Scratch-made, culturally-inspired meals served with care can increase participation by up to 20% in the first year.

Talk with our Team
Person demonstrating vegetable preparation to a seated group of attentive children in a gymnasium.

What we offer: K-12 food service programs built for your schools

Comprehensive dining solutions tailored to your needs

Young girl smiling as she receives a plate of food with rice, salad, and beans.

Programs aligned with your school, budget, and federal requirements.

NSLP
SBP
CACFP
SFSP
FFVP

Program options include:

On-site scratch cooking support

Support for transitions from heat-and-serve and vended service

Smiling chef in a black uniform seasoning food in a stainless steel kitchen.

Vended meals

Available in select markets as unitized or bulk options

Pre-packaged chef salad with turkey, ham, shredded cheese, cucumber slices, tomato slices, and lettuce next to pre-packaged chicken Caesar salad with croutons and romaine lettuce.

Flexible meal options

Grab-and-go, family-style dining, snacks and supper service, and camp programs

Smiling child holding a small cup with a treat, standing in front of a colorful banner that reads 'Good Food Made From Scratch', with a school lunch tray holding a banana and milk carton nearby.

A la carte offerings

Aligned with federal and local requirements

Plate with enchilada covered in green sauce, served with lettuce, pinto beans, and corn.

Cultural & nutrition education

Programs with community-based partnerships

Smiling young girl standing indoors holding a tote bag that says 'New Mexico Loves NM' with other children and adults in the background.

Want to see how these programs perform in the real world?

Explore our K-12 and camp program case studies to learn how institutions like yours have increased participation, improved food quality, and created stronger student experiences.

explore

Hospitality and the student experience

Our Genuine Moments training creates stigma-free cafeterias where staff engage students with warmth and respect. That hospitality drives higher participation and program success.

Flexible dining & scratch cooking

We adapt to your infrastructure – from on-site kitchens, to commissary models-including support for year-round and summer camp programs.

Scratch-made meals boost participation, nutrition, and community pride.

Seamless transitions from
heat-and-serve to scratch cooking
95% scratch cooking goal in districts transitioning from re-therm service
Equipment optimization and staff training

Affordable, transparent management

Administrators gain confidence knowing every dollar improves finances and the student experience.

Several children seated around a table eating and sharing plates of food, with a decorative red heart graphic overlay on the corner.

High quality at fair cost, powered by:

Strategic sourcing + local vendor partnerships
Genuine Foods’ buying power for scratch-made meals at scale

Compliance, reimbursement & reporting

With Genuine Foods, compliance is culture, not just paperwork.

In-house dietitians, compliance officers, program specialists

Audit-ready systems and transparent documentation

Live dashboards and data so our insights become your own.

Multiple small cups filled with cooked okra and tomatoes, a jar of Cajun Chef mild pickled okra, and a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce on a table next to a black woven basket.

Menus, community,
and local partnerships

Menus that reflect your community and engage students:

Culturally responsive meals honoring traditions & dietary needs
Surveys, taste tests, and “Try It Tuesdays”
Partnerships with local farms and producers
Family meal events that turn cafeterias into hubs of pride
Black containers filled with chopped green beans and rice with vegetables.

To see even the pickiest children eating all the food they’re given each day, for us, is very exciting.

Bowls of salad with grilled chicken, spinach, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and red onion slices.

I have received so many positive responses from the meals last week. The students especially loved the meatloaf and ‘shake and bake’ roasted chicken.

Tofu slices glazed with sauce on a bed of noodles, with broccoli in the background.

That cabbage cornbread and bbq chicken tasted like a Sunday meal from my Grandma!! Awesome job on putting that one together y'all. Seasoning was on point.

Two young girls in blue shirts smiling, one holding a card with the words 'Thank You'.

As a parent of multiple children, I would like to say thank you for your hard work and commitment to providing high quality healthy foods for kids. Our family really appreciates it. We were very excited to see the transition from the old food to the Genuine Foods program!

Two male chefs in black uniforms assembling appetizers with sliced vegetables on a tray in a kitchen.

The food is so good that our staff eats it, too.

Small clear cups filled with diced cucumber and strawberry pieces, arranged on a black tray.

The food is not only nutritious and delicious but also thoughtfully prepared to accommodate diverse dietary needs.

Let’s feed change together

Every plate has the power to change a life. Together, we can build a K-12 program that reflects your district’s values, lifts participation, and creates welcoming cafeterias.

Whether you’re exploring new foodservice partners, shifting from in-house operations, or wanting to launch 
scratch-made service — we’re ready to help.

844-436-3663
contact@genuinefoods.com
Terms & Privacy
© 2025 Genuine Food Lab, LLC | Boston, MA