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Benita Gingerella

Benita Gingerella

Senior Editor

Benita is a senior editor for FoodService Director and covers K-12 foodservice. She has been with the publication since 2016. In her spare time, Benita is an avid restaurant-goer and loves to travel extensively.

Latest from Benita Gingerella

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2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee releases dietary advisory report and other news you may have missed2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee releases dietary advisory report and other news you may have missed
byBenita Gingerella
Dec 19, 2024
5 Slides
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10 stealable ideas operators shared in 202410 stealable ideas operators shared in 2024
byBenita Gingerella
Dec 19, 2024
10 Slides

All from Benita Gingerella

A student gets food in the cafeteria
K-12 Schools
New Jersey school nutrition bills would support local procurement and take on school meal junk fees
New Jersey school nutrition bills would support local procurement and take on school meal junk fees
Dec 17, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students in the lunch line
K-12 Schools
10 K-12 stories that resonated with readers in 2024
10 K-12 stories that resonated with readers in 2024
Dec 17, 2024
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10 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Chicken Edamame Bowl
K-12 Schools
10 food trends that will be popular with K-12 students in 2025
10 food trends that will be popular with K-12 students in 2025
Dec 13, 2024
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10 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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Operations
A majority of calories consumed at home come from ultra-processed foods and other foodservice news you may have missed
A majority of calories consumed at home come from ultra-processed foods and other foodservice news you may have missed
Dec 12, 2024
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5 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students get food in the cafeteria
K-12 Schools
USDA funding for local food purchases now available for school nutrition operators
USDA funding for local food purchases now available for school nutrition operators
Dec 11, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Student eats walking taco at USDA Foods Conference
K-12 Schools
Food for thought: New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s latest conference gives insight as to what could be on future school lunch menus
Food for thought: New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s latest conference gives insight as to what could be on future school lunch menus
Dec 9, 2024
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3 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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Operations
Beans reign supreme when it comes to meat alternatives and other news you may have missed this week
Beans reign supreme when it comes to meat alternatives and other news you may have missed this week
Dec 5, 2024
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5 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students working in a garden
K-12 Schools
Rialto Unified School District brings global eats and local ingredients to students’ plates
Rialto Unified School District brings global eats and local ingredients to students’ plates
Dec 5, 2024
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3 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students eating lunch at school
K-12 Schools
Montana bill would cover reduced-priced school meals for students
Montana bill would cover reduced-priced school meals for students
Dec 3, 2024
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1 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
A girl gets a piece of fruit in the cafeteria
K-12 Schools
How Minneapolis Public Schools successfully reduced added sugars at breakfast
How Minneapolis Public Schools successfully reduced added sugars at breakfast
Dec 2, 2024
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3 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Bowling Green State University dog biscuits
Colleges & Universities
From trash to treat: food scraps at Bowling Green State University get new life as dog biscuits
From trash to treat: food scraps at Bowling Green State University get new life as dog biscuits
Nov 27, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students eating in The Spot
Colleges & Universities
How George Mason University’s ‘The Spot’ became the spot to be for plant-based eating on campus
How George Mason University’s ‘The Spot’ became the spot to be for plant-based eating on campus
Nov 25, 2024
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4 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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Operations
Advocates want Kellogg’s cereals banned from Texas school meals, and other news you may have missed
Advocates want Kellogg’s cereals banned from Texas school meals, and other news you may have missed
Nov 21, 2024
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6 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Senior Dining & Meals
Beer brewed in-house is on the menu at Arizona senior living community thanks to new director of brewing operations
Beer brewed in-house is on the menu at Arizona senior living community thanks to new director of brewing operations
Nov 21, 2024
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
A student carrying a lunch tray at school
K-12 Schools
Texas bill would ban certain additives in free and reduced-price school meals
Also in this week’s legislative update: Pennsylvania announces the return of its School Breakfast Challenge.
Nov 19, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students receive lunch at school
K-12 Schools
School Food Reboot Program brings scratch-made meals to New York state schools
School Food Reboot Program brings scratch-made meals to New York state schools
Nov 19, 2024
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4 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students working in a school garden
K-12 Schools
5 things to know about the current state of farm-to-school
5 things to know about the current state of farm-to-school
Nov 15, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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Operations
Lunchables pulled from National School Lunch Program and other news you may have missed
Catch up on industry news that you may have missed this week with 5 Things with FSD.
Nov 14, 2024
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6 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students take fruit in the cafeteria
K-12 Schools
USDA announces it’s now accepting farm-to-school grant applications
USDA announces it’s now accepting farm-to-school grant applications
Nov 12, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Hospital & Healthcare
State of Healthcare 2024: Making up for lost labor
State of Healthcare 2024: Making up for lost labor
Nov 12, 2024
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6 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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UBS Arena partners with hospital to introduce healthy stadium fare and other news you may have missed
UBS Arena partners with hospital to introduce healthy stadium fare and other news you may have missed
Nov 7, 2024
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5 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students eating at school
Operations
After-school meal participation is increasing
After-school meal participation is increasing
Nov 6, 2024
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1 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Students eating lunch at school
Operations
Universal free school meals drives school meal participation in Michigan
Universal free school meals drives school meal participation in Michigan
Nov 5, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
The 2025 FAME Award winners
Operations
2025 FAME award winners announced
2025 FAME award winners announced
Nov 1, 2024
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1 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Lunch trays full of food
Operations
U.S. Department of Agriculture gets rid of school meal processing fees for low-income families
U.S. Department of Agriculture gets rid of school meal processing fees for low-income families
Nov 1, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Harvest Salad
Food & Beverage Trends
Senior living community's harvest salad surprises and delights residents
Senior living community's harvest salad surprises and delights residents
Nov 1, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Katie Ayoub speaking at IFEC
Food & Beverage Trends
3 trends popping up on breakfast menus
3 trends popping up on breakfast menus
Oct 31, 2024
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3 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Senior living residents eating at a table
Technology
How two senior living operators are using tech to improve residents’ dining experience
How two senior living operators are using tech to improve residents’ dining experience
Oct 30, 2024
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
A student grabs a milk carton
Operations
Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction requests funding for universal free school meals in upcoming budget
Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction requests funding for universal free school meals in upcoming budget
Oct 30, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Produce at a farmers market
Operations
Straight from the source: farmers market event teaches students where their food comes from
Straight from the source: farmers market event teaches students where their food comes from
Oct 28, 2024
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2 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
Fall Harvest Falafel Wraps
Operations
How Sodexo’s updated Mindful program is embracing a new era of wellness
How Sodexo’s updated Mindful program is embracing a new era of wellness
Oct 25, 2024
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3 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
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Operations
Gen Z workers more likely to skip lunch while on the job and other news you may have missed
Gen Z workers more likely to skip lunch while on the job and other news you may have missed
Oct 24, 2024
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6 Slides
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor
School lunch trays with food
K-12 Schools
Washington seeks additional funding for universal free school meals
Washington seeks additional funding for universal free school meals
Oct 22, 2024
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3 Min Read
byBenita Gingerella, Senior Editor

Read more

Students getting lunch at school
K-12 Schools
K-12 operators still dealing with supply chain challenges, but procurement disruption is easing
K-12 operators still dealing with supply chain challenges, but procurement disruption is easing

Dec 20, 2024

5 tings logo
Operations
2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee releases dietary advisory report and other news you may have missed
2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee releases dietary advisory report and other news you may have missed

Dec 19, 2024

laptops people food
Operations
FSD’s 10 best articles of 2024
FSD’s 10 best articles of 2024

Dec 19, 2024

light bulb
Operations
10 stealable ideas operators shared in 2024
10 stealable ideas operators shared in 2024

Dec 19, 2024

A student gets food in the cafeteria
K-12 Schools
New Jersey school nutrition bills would support local procurement and take on school meal junk fees
New Jersey school nutrition bills would support local procurement and take on school meal junk fees

Dec 17, 2024

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