More Than a Meal: What We Learned Marietta
Just north of Atlanta, Marietta City Schools (MCS) began their Eat Real certification journey in fall 2024. Led by Director of School Nutrition Cindy Culver, the team serves nearly 9,000 students. MCS is finding success through strong local and regional partnerships, sourcing fresh produce and bringing more nutrition education into the classroom.
Growing up, Cindy didn’t think too much about where her food came from. The supermarket was right across the street from her childhood home in Miami. But her husband experienced food production firsthand, watching it grow from the earth on his family’s farm in Southern Georgia. Meeting her husband and seeing food through the lens of his family’s farm opened Cindy’s eyes to a deeper connection between food, culture, and community. It’s this difference in awareness and education that Cindy is passionate about bringing to Marietta’s students.
The Marietta team is all about having a variety of menu options because they believe giving students choices is what keeps them coming back. At Marietta High School, students choose from five distinct food service lines, each offering something different: Asian cuisine, Latin flavors, classic comfort food, pizza, and a fresh salad bar. By balancing familiar favorites with new dishes to explore, the team is creating a dining experience that’s both exciting and nourishing.
Thank you, Chef!
Chef David Garcia joined Marietta’s nutrition services team after his son began attending an MCS school. Cindy recruited him to bring new life to school menus, developing breakfasts and lunches that are delicious, nutritious, and locally sourced. And boy, did he deliver!
As part of Marietta’s culinary education program, Chef David also has a team of student chefs-in-training who have a passion for cooking and are learning essential skills for their future culinary careers. Together, they whipped up an incredible lunch for us that included housemade humus with za’atar pita, cajun carrots, cucumber salad, roasted asparagus with feta, and a polenta cake — all locally sourced!
A match made in school food heaven
At Marietta City Schools, students aren’t just eating fresher meals. They’re discovering where their food comes from and how to make it themselves. That’s thanks to a unique partnership with Common Market, a Georgia food hub that sources produce from local, often minority-owned farms, and Small Bites Adventure Club, our own USDA Farm to School Grant partner, bringing food education to life. Small Bites steps into the classroom, guiding students through taste tests and simple recipes. Together, they’re turning school meals into lifelong healthy habits.
“Breakfast After the Bell”
Mornings can be rushed, and too many students start their day without the fuel they need to focus and learn. Marietta’s “Breakfast After the Bell” program ensures no one has to miss out. When a student needs breakfast, teachers simply place a blue sign on their door — a quiet signal to the nutrition team, who hand-deliver a hearty, nutritious meal right to the classroom. Since launching, the program has doubled breakfast participation, helping more students start their day with full, happy stomachs.
“My favorite part of my job is feeding my students. Getting to hug on them and love on them!”
—Foretta Broussard, Kitchen Manager
It takes a village of talented, dedicated people to nourish the future, and at Marietta City Schools, it’s a true community effort. Thank you Marietta City Schools for your warm hospitality and for showing us what school food can really be!
