SNA’s Annual National Conference features exhibits, education sessions, demos and more.
ARLINGTON, VA – More than 6,000 school nutrition professionals from across the country will gather in Charlotte, N.C., for School Nutrition Association’s (SNA) Annual National Conference (ANC), July 12-14. ANC allows school menu planners to sample healthy menu options for their students, preview new equipment and products for kitchens and cafeterias and share best practices to overcome financial and operational challenges. The conference comes as school meal programs prepare for forthcoming federal rules to align current school nutrition standards with the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).
Media wishing to attend ANC must contact Diane Pratt-Heavner at media@schoolnutrition.org to register for the conference. Eligible media guests must follow the Press Registration Policies.
More than 130 ANC education sessions will share tactics to manage staffing and equipment limitations and offer procurement and financial management strategies to help schools control costs. Sessions will highlight menu swaps to help schools meet July 2027 limits on sodium and added sugar and strategies to expand scratch cooking while ensuring food safety. ANC will also offer tips for expanding local foods in schools, including a pre-conference tour of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools’ Food Distribution Warehouse with a chef-led demo of the N.C. Farm to School program.
ANC features the nation’s largest exhibit hall in school nutrition. Attendees will taste test foods and beverages, preview equipment, supplies and technologies and discuss pricing and product availability with nearly 360 exhibitors, offering/including:
- Global flavors and menu alternatives with student appeal, including Chicken Tikka Masala, Korean BBQ Dumplings, Sous Vide Beef Birria for use in speed scratch recipes, whole grain Yakisoba noodles for freshly prepared Asian bowls, and recipes for Pastélon and Quesabirria Ramen. Attendees will also sample plant-based entrees and allergen free alternatives to support dietary accommodations.
- Culinary demonstrations and training to expand scratch preparation. Chef-led demos will offer tips and recipes for incorporating more fresh ingredients on student menus and culinary training services to help short-staffed programs more efficiently prepare meals.
- Menu options that mirror the DGAs. Attendees will sample menu options such as egg bites and whole grain sausage biscuits to boost protein on breakfast menus; muffins and after-school snacks with less added sugar; and beverages, dressings and sauces without artificial colors.
- Specialty equipment to support unique school foodservice needs. Exhibitors will showcase equipment designed to support high volume production of fresh and scratch-prepared meals to help reduce labor strain and simplify kitchen workflows.
As attendees share ideas on increasing fresh school menu options, SNA’s SY 2025-26 School Nutrition Trends Survey revealed widespread needs for increased funds, staffing, culinary training, equipment and infrastructure to help school meal programs expand scratch cooking and reduce reliance on ultra-processed foods. In the 2026 Position Paper, SNA urges Congress to increase school meal funding, protect and expand access to healthy school meals for all students and ensure updates to school nutrition standards are operationally feasible for schools.
About the School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information about ANC, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/ANC.
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