Serving Education

1. What is NAC?  

   NAC is the acronym for Nutrition Advisory Council.  The Federal Guidelines as published in the Federal Register require School Lunch and Breakfast program sponsors to solicit input from students and parents to better meet their needs.  NAC groups and events, as sponsored by CSNA, are designed to:

    

   1. Provide an opportunity for students to learn about nutrition and health.

   2. Involve students in making the school foodservice program more responsive to their needs.

   3. Serve as a communication bridge between students, administrators, school food service personnel, faculty, community, and industry.

    

2. What is the Industry Role in NAC?

   NAC meetings often include product testing and promotion. Industry can utilize these local committees to obtain information regarding what students - and consequently food service directors - want offered in their program for breakfast, lunch, and a la carte.

    

3. What do I get out of the NAC sponsorship?

   During the CSNA Annual Conference, NAC industry sponsors are highlighted in the exhibit hall.  NAC students visit their booths to evaluate products provided for sampling; we tally the information and share it with CSNA members.  This is a great way to show food service directors how students feel about your products!

   A NAC Fair is held in the opposite end of the state from the CSNA Annual Conference (for instance, if the CSNA Annual Conference is held in San Diego, the NAC Fair might be held in Sacramento or in the San Francisco Bay area).  Again, student evaluations are tallied and sent to the CSNA membership.

   NAC sponsors also receive recognition in Poppy Seeds, the quarterly journal of CSNA, at regional meetings, and at the CSNA Annual Conference.

   We encourage industry members to partner with students and food service directors in order to gain an understanding of the needs and desires of their customers.

 

At CSNA-NAC sponsored events, we encourage the sampling and tasting of products which are compliant with SB19 nutrition standards.  Click here for a summary of SB19 standards (Adobe .pdf file).

4. What are NAC sponsorship funds used for?

   All funds are kept solely for the purpose of NAC functions, including...

   • NAC Mini-Conference at the Annual CSNA conference

   • NAC Fair at the opposite end of the state from 
     conference

   • Plaques and prizes for the state-wide NAC art contest

   • T-shirts for the Mini-Conference and NAC Fair 
     student attendees

   • Door prizes for the Mini conference and NAC Fair 
     student attendees

    

Register as a NAC partner - click here

The partnerships formed between NAC students and industry sponsors play a key role in making decisions regarding what is served in our schools.  If you have additional questions, contact your local CSNA chapter or call:

Return to NAC Home Page

CSNA's Public Policy and Legislative Updates - Members only - Log-in, then click here

Become a CSNA Mentor
Click here for more info

Click here to see joint letter from the California Department of Education and the California State Controller's Office regarding Instructional Minutes and Breakfast in the Classroom