Nourishing the Future: Celebrating Dietitians in School Nutrition 

Each March, we celebrate National Nutrition Month, a campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to highlight the role nutrition plays in building healthier communities. While the focus is often on the food itself, it’s also a chance to recognize the professionals working behind the scenes to make nutritious meals possible for millions of students each day. 

Registered Dietitians play an essential role in school nutrition programs. They combine nutrition science, operational expertise, and an understanding of child development to ensure school meals support both student health and learning. At the School Food & Wellness Group, we are proud to have two dietitians helping schools do exactly that: Olga Botero, Project Manager, and Melanie Romano, Client Manager, whose work supports schools across the country in building strong and sustainable meal programs. 

Finding a Passion for Nutrition 

For many dietitians, the journey begins with curiosity about how food affects the body. Melanie’s interest grew from sports and a love of science. As she explored nutrition more deeply, she realized how complex the relationship between food and health truly is. As she explains, “there’s significant chemistry and complex metabolic processes happening behind the scenes with everything we eat,” and depending on a person’s health or disease state, foods can affect the body in very different ways.  

Olga discovered a similar passion while exploring the connection between food and wellness during high school. As she researched college programs, dietetics immediately stood out. She recalls that “the discipline’s focus on the connection between food and overall wellness aligned perfectly with my academic interests and professional aspirations,” which ultimately led her to pursue the field.  

Discovering the Impact of School Nutrition 

While clinical dietetics is often the most familiar path, both Olga and Melanie found something uniquely rewarding in school nutrition. Melanie first encountered the K–12 space during her Dietetic Internship, where a rotation in school nutrition programs shifted her career outlook. She originally planned to pursue clinical dietetics but says “my K–12 rotation was so fun, dynamic, and unique that it completely changed my perspective.”  

Olga had a similar experience during an internship with a local school district’s Food and Nutrition Department. Seeing the impact of school meal programs firsthand helped her appreciate the role these programs play in supporting students and families. As she describes it, “I developed a deep appreciation for the department’s mission and was inspired by the opportunity to provide nutritious meals and meaningful nutrition education to future generations.”  

Turning Nutrition Science into Real School Meals 

One of the most important roles dietitians play in school nutrition is translating nutrition science into meals that work in a real cafeteria. Designing school menus requires balancing federal nutrition standards with operational realities and student preferences. Melanie explains that “dietitians play a critical role in bridging nutrition science with real-world school operations,” helping schools develop menus that meet regulations while still appealing to students.  

For Olga, the challenge often comes down to balancing nutrition with what students are excited to eat. As she puts it, “the greater challenge lies in balancing what is nutritionally beneficial with what children are willing and excited to eat.”  

When that balance works, the cafeteria becomes more than a service line—it becomes a place where students experience healthy food in a positive way. 

Why Nutrition Education Matters 

Nutrition education plays an important role in helping students develop lifelong habits around food. Children begin forming eating patterns early, making school environments a powerful place to introduce healthy foods and reinforce positive nutrition messages. 

Melanie notes that “in a clinical setting, we see so many diseases caused by poor nutrition habits,” which is why she believes starting nutrition education early gives students the opportunity to build healthier habits before they become lifelong patterns.  

Olga believes helping students understand why food choices matter makes nutrition education even more effective. She explains that “when children understand why a particular food is beneficial to their health, they are more likely to accept and embrace it,” especially when paired with hands-on experiences like taste tests.  

Supporting Health and Learning

School nutrition programs support far more than physical health. They also help students focus, participate, and succeed academically. Consistent access to nutritious meals helps ensure students are ready to engage in the classroom. 

Melanie explains that “when students are well-nourished, they’re better able to focus, engage in learning, and regulate behavior,” creating a stronger foundation for both physical health and academic performance.  

Olga agrees that the connection between food and learning is clear. As she says, “a child who is hungry cannot fully concentrate or perform at their academic best,” which is why school meal programs play such an important role in supporting both health and education.  

Navigating the Challenges Behind School Meals 

Despite their impact, school nutrition programs operate within real constraints. Dietitians must navigate evolving USDA regulations, limited budgets, and operational challenges within school kitchens. 

According to Olga, maintaining healthier, scratch-prepared meals that students enjoy often requires additional labor, higher-quality ingredients, and greater resources.  

Melanie notes that staffing shortages are another common challenge, explaining that “many schools struggle with the capacity to hire, retain, and train enough staff to prepare meals from scratch while still meeting nutrition standards and student preferences.”  

Celebrating the Dietitians Behind School Meals 

National Nutrition Month is a chance to recognize the professionals helping shape the future of school nutrition. Registered Dietitians bring together science, creativity, and operational expertise to ensure school meals support the health and well-being of students every day. 

At the School Food & Wellness Group, we are proud to celebrate Olga Botero and Melanie Romano, whose work helps schools build stronger meal programs and healthier communities. Their dedication ensures that school cafeterias are more than just places where students eat—they are spaces where lifelong habits around food and wellness begin. 

Because in school nutrition, every meal served has the potential to support learning, strengthen health, and nourish the next generation!