We'll see you in Charlotte for a deep dive into every school nutrition topic, from the nuts and bolts of K–12 school foodservice to cutting-edge insights. This year, ANC26 is a piloting new education offering, SNA Short Talks. SNA Short Talks will feature four speakers in one 60-minute block, giving you the absolute need to know takeaways in 10-minute segments. We are launching this educational offering with SNA Short Talks on leadership geared towards Directors, leadership geared towards Managers, and student engagement.

In addition, 90-minute education sessions, and more Culinary Skills Labs will be returning as part of the programming. The longer, 90-minute sessions will allow attendees the time to ask more questions and have a deeper understanding of hot topics in school nutrition. Culinary Skills Labs will allow attendees to see educational hand-on demonstrations from industry leading chefs.

Along with ANC26’s expanded education offerings, attendees can expect the usual 60-minute and 30-minute learning bursts, as well as membership section meetings covering a wide variety of topics impacting school nutrition. Membership section meetings allow peers from districts and schools all over the country to come together to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions for their school nutrition programs.

Membership Section Meetings

These special meetings allow peers from districts and schools all over the country to come together to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions for their school nutrition programs.

District Directors/Supervisors Section Meeting

District Directors Meet-ups by District Size

Directors and supervisors—choose a room set by enrollment district size and meet with your peers to talk through pressing issues that are on your mind. Join facilitated table discussions on the highest ranked topics. Potential hot topics include new regulations, meal debt, universal meals and staffing challenges or let us know what other topics are on your mind during the session’s open poll. Ideas and takeaways will be collected and shared with all attendees.

Sponsored by: Juice Bowl

Major City Directors/Supervisors Section Meeting

Building the Next Generation of Leaders: Succession Planning for Sustainable School Nutrition Programs

Strong leadership doesn’t happen by chance, it’s built through intentional planning and smart use of technology. In this engaging session, discover how effective succession planning, supported by digital tools and AI-driven insights, can strengthen your team, stabilize operations, and ensure program quality even during transitions. Participants will explore how technology can streamline staff development tracking, identify leadership potential, and simplify knowledge transfer across teams. Through storytelling, interactive polling, and activities using real-world case studies, attendees will gain practical strategies to prepare for leadership transitions and foster professional growth. By the end, participants will leave with a roadmap and tools to begin implementing an actionable, technology-supported succession plan designed to enhance stability, strengthen leadership pipelines, and position their programs, and themselves, for long-term success.

Speaker(s): Mary Gomez-Kokkinos, SNS; Christine Bendana, SNS

Sponsored by: Arctic Apples

Employee/Manager Section Meeting

Positive Culture = Productive Cafeteria: Great Food Starts with Great Culture!

A positive culture is the foundation of every productive cafeteria. This session, “Positive Culture = Productive Cafeteria,” explores how respect, communication, training, and engagement directly impact staff performance, student satisfaction, and overall workplace morale. Participants will learn how to identify cultural challenges such as low motivation, communication breakdowns, or lack of team connection, and discover strategies to turn those barriers into opportunities for growth. Through interactive discussions, real-world examples, and group reflection, attendees will explore practical ways to strengthen teamwork, encourage open communication, and create a supportive environment where staff feel valued and empowered. The session blends enthusiasm with proven, real-world practices to show that a positive culture doesn’t just feel better, it works better! Participants will leave inspired and equipped with actionable steps to build stronger relationships, improve collaboration, and lead a cafeteria that runs efficiently while fostering pride, respect, and joy in the work they do.

Speaker(s): Dee'on Bellamy, Tory Gibson

State Agency Section Meeting

This session is a must-attend for all state agency staff looking for the most up-to-date information on USDA’s recent activities and upcoming areas of interest. Please note this is only open to State Agency attendees only.

Speaker(s): USDA Representatives

Culinary Skills Labs

Join Chefs for an in-depth look at recipes/menu planning with hands-on demonstrations featuring various breakfast and lunch items you can bring to your district.

Boost Flavor, Not Labor: Scratch Made Simple

Boost Flavor, Not Labor: Scratch Made Simple brings school chefs into the culinary demonstration area for a fun, fast-paced look at how scratch and speed-scratch cooking can actually make their day easier. Presented with an energetic, playful tone, this session highlights practical techniques, clever shortcuts, and flavor-boosting strategies designed for real K–12 kitchens. Participants see how to streamline prep and transform simple ingredients into student-approved favorites without adding stress to their workflow. Packed with fresh ideas and real-time demos, this session helps chefs cook smarter—not harder—while keeping meals exciting and delicious. It’s a great pick for anyone ready to elevate their scratch game and bring more joy (and flavor!) to their cafeterias.

Speaker(s): Chef Sharon Schaefer, SNS; Corrie Clark, MS, RDN, LD, CHEP

Smart Swaps, Bold Flavors: Bringing Culinary Creativity to School Recipes & Menus

Join Chef Vahista Ussery and Chef Lindsey Schoenfeld for a dynamic session designed to inspire and equip school nutrition professionals with practical culinary resources. This 90-minute culinary skills lab blends creativity with real-world application, highlighting emerging recipe trends, global flavor inspiration, and innovative approaches to building student-friendly recipes and menus that align with evolving nutrition guidelines. Addressing key considerations such as reducing added sugars and sodium while maintaining flavor and student appeal. At the center of the session is a live cooking demonstration featuring three versatile, school-ready recipes: Beef & Lentil Tacos with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce, Mexican Street Corn, and a Mango Chili Smoothie. The session concludes with actionable menu planning insights, including sample lunch menus tailored by grade level and practical tips for balancing efficiency, nutrition, and flavor. Attendees will leave with techniques they can immediately apply, along with access to recipes, sample menus, and culinary training resources via the Smart Swaps initiative.

Speaker(s): Chef Vahista Ussery; Chef Lindsay Schoenfeld, MS, RDN

Advancing Plant-Based Eating in K–12 Schools

K–12 schools are uniquely positioned to lead the plant-based movement, promoting student health, environmental sustainability, and dietary inclusivity. This session showcases a district that successfully integrated plant-based meals into its menus, providing a model for other schools. Attendees will gain practical strategies for adoption, including student engagement through taste-testing and menu planning, phased rollouts, staff training, and cost-effective supply chain management. Real data on participation, nutrition, and cost demonstrate that plant-based integration is both feasible and beneficial. A live culinary demonstration will feature 1-for-1 recipe swaps for popular school meals, maintaining flavor, appeal, and USDA compliance. Recipes are designed for scalability, budget-friendliness, and operational ease.

Speaker(s): Chef Tracy Burgio; Sasha Palmer

Learning Bursts

These shorter 30-minute sessions get to the nuts and bolts of a topic such as training solutions, student engagement, farm to school and fundraising—for shorter attention spans but not lacking in inspiration.