The Dish - Quarterly E-Newsletter - Summer 2014

Menus Submitted for CN18 Evaluation

Meals Plus' Menu Planning and Nutrient Analysis Program has been submitted to the USDA for CN18 evaluation. The software helps standardize and streamline your district menu planning, while maintaining compliance with the USDA guidelines.

Click here to request a free 30 day trial of Meals Plus Menu Planning and Nutrient Analysis!

Play the Matching Game with Meals Plus

With its new update, Meals Plus' DC and Household Matching Tool makes matching and importing DC files easy! Students in the same household can now be easily grouped to the same application so they can receive the same benefits, such as the reduced school lunch program. The DC and Household Matching Tool's simplicity will cut down on manual labor, resulting in a reduction in manual labor cost, saving time, money, and stress!

Meals Plus is a PowerSchool Partner

Meals Plus now offers a PowerSchool integration tool for our Point of Sale software, giving Meals Plus and PowerSchool customers more functionality and control over their student data management.

With the PowerSchool Connector, it will be easier to bring accurate data into Meals Plus Point of Sale on a timely basis, therefore decreasing manual data management and increasing productivity. Seamless, automated data exchange will reduce, if not eliminate, many of the hassles associated with managing the flow of import data. This allows you to reduce manual hours and get back to the important work – feeding your students!

If you are interested in purchasing the PowerSchool Connector, please contact your sales representative or email us for more information.

Online Payments from Meals Plus

This Fall, parents can access Meals Plus' online payment website easier from their mobile devices! The mobile site is live and makes it easy for parents to pay for school meals or other school-related fees from their mobile devices.

The site's capabilities include:
- Parents can see what their students
  are buying in the cafeteria
- "Low Balance Notifications" let
  parents know when their account
  falls below an amount they choose
- Automatic integration with Meals Plus
  Point of Sale and the site is FREE for
  your district to use if you use Meals
  Plus Point of Sale
- Parents receive text notifications
  when a school-related fee is
  assigned to their students and more!

Click here to see an overview of the system or email us to request more information!

Do You Use Video Menus Boards
in Your Cafeterias?

Introducing a Video Menu Board Interface
from Meals Plus!

• Easier access to your menu's
            nutritional data
• Reduces manual data entry
• Compatible with any system
• Quick and easy installation!
• $795 to install and only $275
            per year for maintenance


• Requires latest version of Meals Plus Menus

Customer Spotlight

Kim Terry, River Road Independent School District (TX)

The Dish: How long have you been using Meals Plus?
Kim Terry: We have had Meals Plus for four days last school year and are starting up fresh this school year!

TD: What duties and responsibilities does your position entail?
KT: I am the Food Service Director at River Road ISD. I manage the whole enchilada!

TD: What aspects of your position do you enjoy the most?
KT: I love being out in our schools sharing with my staff and visiting with the kiddos.

TD: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
KT: I love spending time with my family, being outdoors, camping or curling up with a good book.

TD: What is your favorite "like" about Meals Plus and/or how has it helped your operations?
KT: I love the simplicity of Meals Plus; so user friendly and your customer service is impeccable! I have never been transferred to another person because the person I'm talking to does not know the answer! Never had to wait longer than 60 seconds for someone to pick up or had to leave a message! #1 in my book!

Welcome to the Meals Plus Family, Kim Terry,
and the rest of your team at River Road ISD!

Meet the Team: Brant

Get to know the Meals Plus Team! Brant is a Technical Account Specialist serving on the Meals Plus Support Team that also trains cafeteria staff. After going to Oconee County Schools (GA) in August of 2012, one of his trainees noted, "[Brant] was very precise with everything and the training was a success!"

The Dish: How long have you been at Meals Plus?
Brant: I've been with Meals Plus since May 2011, and had two years of Technical Support experience prior to joining the Meals Plus Team.

TD: What duties and responsibilities does your position entail?
B: Technical support and training, including on-site training.

TD: What aspects of your position do you enjoy the most?
B: I enjoy working with our customers via the Help Desk on their support issues and working with Microsoft SQL Server.

TD: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
B: Fishing, golfing and going to the beach.

TD: What was your favorite lunch when you were in school?
B: The square pizza with green beans and tater-tots.

Visit our blog to meet the rest of the Meals Plus Team!

School Nutrition Conferences

We are spreading the word on how Meals Plus makes managing your school's students, staff, menus, finances and inventory easier. Come see us at the following conferences:

Welcome to Meals Plus

We'd like to welcome the following school districts to the Meals Plus Family!

Click here to see the complete list of new
Meals Plus Customers!

In This Issue

- CN18 Evaluation
- DC and Household Matching Tool
- PowerSchool Partner
- Online Payments
- Video Menu Boards Interface
- Customer Spotlight
- Meet the Team
- Trade Shows
- New to Meals Plus

In Case You Missed It...

- Meet the Team: Karen

- Case Study: Austintown Local Schools (OH)

- Case Study: Isle of Wight County (VA)

- ANC Boston

- New eBook!

- Protect Your Data