New Jersey high school students and school officials gathered to preview new lunch and breakfast options for the 2025-26 school year at the USDA Foods Conference held at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center. The event, organized by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture (NJDA), is part of the USDA Foods Distribution program, which provides reduced-cost food to school districts.
Approximately 450 attendees, including school food service directors, superintendents, business administrators, and students from across New Jersey, sampled meals that comply with National School Lunch Program requirements. The conference featured 45 vendors who offered samples for evaluation.
“This is an important event for school district food service directors and the personnel who make decisions about which food to serve their students next year,” NJDA Secretary Ed Wengryn stated. He emphasized that the variety of nutritious meal options not only appeals to students but also meets USDA standards. Students participated by testing and scoring potential options, providing valuable feedback to assist in future food choices.
More than 50 students from various districts sampled the offerings and shared their opinions with both food service companies and school officials. Samantha Seay, a senior at Cumberland Regional High School, remarked on her surprise at the diversity of available foods: “I didn’t realize how many different things there were in the food programs for schools.” Noella Oldham from Lower Cape May Regional High School expressed appreciation for being able to influence cafeteria changes: “It’s nice to have our opinion weighed in the matter.”
Xavier Burgos, a junior at Camden High School, noted his positive experience: “The food that I tried was very good... Everything was very healthy.” He appreciated that student opinions were valued in shaping future offerings.
The conference also included training sessions led by NJDA Food and Nutrition Division staff on topics such as Farm to School initiatives and various nutrition programs. Keith Leder, President of the New Jersey School Nutrition Association and Region Lead at Maschio’s Food Service, highlighted the importance of feedback received during these events: “Our top priority is to have nutritious and great tasting food options from which to choose.”
