Eat Real is in Texas!

Eat Real has landed in Texas — and it’s a big deal. Through new partnerships with Manor Independent School District (ISD) and Aldine ISD, Eat Real is expanding into one of the largest K–12 student populations in the country. Across many Texas communities, longstanding gaps in health and nutrition persist, making school meals one of the most effective levers to improve outcomes for all students.

“Texas school districts are navigating a complex and rapidly evolving nutrition landscape while continuing to prioritize the health and success of their students. We’re proud to partner with districts like Manor ISD and Aldine ISD and support the incredible work already underway.” —Nora LaTorre, CEO and Co-Founder of Eat Real

*Eat Real is now in 21 states — including the great state of Texas! — reaching over 1M students nationwide.*

Eat Real’s expansion brings a proven, data-driven certification program designed to support school nutrition teams in delivering fresh, minimally processed, and nutritionally balanced meals at scale. Together, these partnerships reflect a rapidly growing energy across Texas to raise the bar for school food.

From Innovation to Impact: Manor ISD and Aldine ISD Set the Pace

Led by Food Service Director Ryan Cengel, MS, MA, RDN, LD, SNS, Manor’s ongoing commitment to student health has been recognized by Healthy Kids Collaborative and by the Texas Department of Agriculture as a recipient of the “Cream of the Crop” award.

“We believe school meals should set the standard for quality, transparency, and culinary excellence. Our students deserve food that is fresh, minimally processed, and thoughtfully prepared.” —Ryan Cengel, Manor ISD

*Pictured: Manor team member at True Harvest Farms in Belton, TX. This lettuce is served daily on their lunch salad bars.*

Aldine ISD brings that same commitment at an incredible scale, serving more than 56,000 students across 80 campuses, totaling nearly 12 million meals each year. Led by Susan D’Amico, Executive Director at Aldine ISD Child Nutrition Services and President of the Texas Association for School Nutrition, Aldine ISD is one of the largest school districts in Texas. With 85% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals, the district also extends its impact beyond breakfast and lunch through after-school snacks and suppers, and a robust summer feeding program spanning approximately 50 sites to support consistent, year-round food access.

*Pictured: The Aldine ISD nutrition team during Breakfast Week.*

“Eat Real’s work in Texas represents an important step toward building a more student focused and resilient food system. At the end of the day, we aren’t just feeding kids, we’re helping them grow up healthy.” —Susan D’Amico, Aldine ISD

Eat Real will keep growing its footprint across Texas in the year ahead, partnering with more districts and stakeholders working to strengthen school nutrition.

Want to bring Eat Real to your Texas district? Reach out to us!