Top Five Stories of 2014

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2014 saw many ups and downs for the onsite foodservice industry. Tempers rose in K-12 foodservice over the latest implementation of rules under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. On the other side of the coin, noncommercial chefs continued showing off their culinary talents, often with exuberant flair (see the University of Minnesota’s 100-course meal below).

1. School food fight
Things got ugly this year as a whole slew of acronyms and government entities (SNA, USDA, Congress and the White House) got into, at times, a rather heated debate about regulations specified in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. School directors cried for help as whole-grain and snacks regulations took a bite out of their participation rates and bank accounts. In the end, Obama signed the 2015 Omnibus Spending Bill, which eased some of the requirements, including sodium reductions and whole-grains.

Senate Passes Omnibus Bill Granting School Meal Mandate Exemptions

SNA's Schmidt Calls on Congress for More School Meal Flexibility

First Lady Vows to Resist School Lunch Reg Changes; UPDATE: SNA Responds

A Hobbit-themed day of snacking turned a Virginia Tech dining hall into Middle Earth for a day.

A gorgeously soft-cooked egg, releasing its silky yolk into the ramen noodle bowl (Kurt Kwiatkoski)

A Good First Step, But What’s Next in School Food Debate?

2. Operations get creative
Much like in Texas, bigger is better in noncommercial. To battle dining fatigue from frequent customers, operators are finding new ways to keep dining venues and menus fresh. Here are just a few examples of operations taking things to the next level.

The Epic 100 Course Meal

Best Special Event: Bayer 150th Anniversary Employee Celebration, Bayer Corp. and Parkhurst Dining

Food Meets Fiction: VA Tech Goes Hobbit Crazy

3. The power of technology
Like so many other aspects in our 21st century world, technology is having huge impacts in foodservice. Cashiers are no longer needed to check out customers and college students can order food online if they don’t have time—or willpower—to shop for themselves.

Best Customer Service: Compass Group at Microsoft

Holy Cross Launches Online Grocery Ordering

Micro-Markets Go Macro

4. Culinary is king
No longer the stepchild to commercial restaurants, onsite operations are being held to a higher standard than ever by their customers. More and more customers have grown up with a steady diet of Food Network shows and even more are simply demanding that their lunchtime (and increasingly breakfast, dinner, snacks and late-night) grub be better and more innovative.

The Freshest Taste of Seafood: A Ceviche How-To

Ramen Noodles Are All Grown Up

That's How We Roll

5. Allergies and special diets

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Celiac. Gluten intolerance. Peanuts. Meeting the dining demands of all customers, especially those with allergies or special diets, is no longer a rare occurrence—operators now must have a plan in place to keep their diners safe.

8 Tips to Becoming More Allergy Friendly

Georgia Tech Focuses on Special Dietary Needs

Best Practices for Preparing, Labeling and Serving Gluten-Free