2. Activate managers
Competing for the best meal participation rates helps managers at Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Fla., stoke an entrepreneurial spirit, says Lora Gilbert, the district’s senior director of food and nutrition services. During National School Breakfast Week—an annual campaign to encourage students to take advantage of healthy breakfast items—the district’s schools developed their own promotional materials. Schools posted photos of last year’s prize winners with their winnings and handed out awards, like tickets to Disney World or a weekly free pizza to share with friends. Twenty-one elementary schools increased breakfast participation by 2% or more. Each manager whose school had an increase of 4% or more was awarded a prize and recognized at the department’s manager meeting.