The sustenance that schools provide to Florida's students shapes their growing bodies and helps to set them up for success in the classroom. School nutrition directors are always looking for new and innovative ways to provide vitamins, nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, and other forms of nourishment to help students reach their intellectual and physical potential. But the only way that school nutrition programs can play a role is when students buy meals.

It's been widely reported the most common way for the coronavirus to spread from person to person is through tiny droplets containing the virus that float through the air. Those droplets can actually remain in the air for hours after an infected person is in the room, increasing the likelihood that others will contract Covid-19.

Being a school nutrition professional is a lot like being a parent. It's hard work. It's important work. It's often thankless. But it's certainly rewarding. This month and on May 6, we recognize our K-12 nutrition workers by honoring them on School Lunch Hero Day.

As we seem to gain traction on battling the COVID-19 situation, schools nationwide are beginning to re-open and take action in planning new cleaning and sanitation procedures. This includes more detailed around-the-clock sanitization, staggering lunch periods to provide room for better windows of time for cleaning, and working to bring a sense of normalcy to everyone's life.

Kids love pizza. Often one of the top food choices of children, pizza is a lunch staple in schools of all levels. But getting the pies cooked and onto plates quickly can be a challenge for cafeteria workers.