Sponsored By

One On One With: Bringing child nutrition programs to the forefront

San Ramon Valley Unified Schools District’s Miguel Villarreal on how school food has taken the spotlight during coronavirus and how food equity plays into today’s protests over racial inequality.

Becky Schilling, Group Content Director/Editor-in-chief

June 19, 2020

1 Min Read
FoodService Director logo in a gray background | FoodService Director

Listen to this podcast on Apple PodcastsSpotify or Soundcloud.

When you’ve spent 40 years in child nutrition programs, you know a thing or two about creating a successful program. For Miguel Villarreal, that’s creating a nutrition-led program, built around community support with a big dash of recognition. Villarreal is the director of child nutrition and warehouse at San Ramon Valley Unified School District in California.

After spending 17 years in Novato Unified School District, Villarreal made the jump to San Ramon a year ago. He arrived with grand plans—and then the coronavirus hit. While he and his team have shifted quickly to maintain service to the community, Villarreal had to put a few big plans on hold. But he’s been incredibly pleased and honored to see child nutrition programs receiving some of the credit they deserve—including the cover of Time magazine (Villarreal himself was quoted in an issue).

Now, as the pandemic slows at least a bit, Villarreal talks about his plans for the fall and how the current protests surrounding racial equality also align with food equality, an issue he says child nutrition programs play a large role in. Here’s his story.

Food Management · One On One With: Bringing child nutrition programs to the forefront

Have a story to share? Email me at [email protected].

About the Author

Becky Schilling

Group Content Director/Editor-in-chief

Becky Schilling is Food Management’s editor-in-chief, and the group content director for Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group, managing editorial for digital, print and events for Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, Food Management and Supermarket News media brands. Becky holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas A&M University and a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Before joining Food Management in 2014, Becky was with FoodService Director magazine for seven years, the last two as editor-in-chief. Becky is a history nerd and a sports fanatic, especially college football—Gig'em Ags—and tennis. A born and raised Texan, Becky currently resides in New York City.

Becky Schilling’s areas of expertise include the onsite foodservice industry (K-12 schools, colleges and universities, healthcare and B&I), foodservice menus, operational best practices and innovation.

Becky Schilling is a frequent speaker at industry events including The Association for Healthcare Foodservice (AHF), The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) and The Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHFM).

Becky Schilling’s experience:

Group Content Director, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Feb. 2020-present)

Editor-in-chief Food Management (Nov. 2014-present)

Director of Content Strategy & Optimization, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (March 2019-Feb. 2020)

Editor-in-chief, Supermarket News (April 2019-March 2019)

Executive Editor, Supermarket News (July 2016-April 2017)

Editor-in-chief, FoodService Director magazine (March 2013-Oct. 2014)

Managing Editor (FoodService Director magazine (March 2012-March 2013)

Associate Editor (FoodService Director magazine (Nov. 2007-March 2012)

Contact Becky Schilling at:

[email protected]

@bschilling_FM

https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-schilling-39194ba/

Subscribe to FoodService Director Newsletters
Get the foodservice industry news and insights you need for success, right in your inbox.