The Feed

"Spring is a time for new growth, a time for us to look ahead and continue moving forward. But as we continue to grow and meet our goals, it is also important to remember to celebrate. This month, FCNS will be celebrating National School Breakfast Week. This week-long event celebrates all things school breakfast. We will be hosting contests at all grade levels, giving away apple products, serving special menus, and much more. For us here at FCNS, this is the ultimate thank you for our students, and we want to celebrate them as we draw attention to the importance of starting the day right."

— Debi Rowley, Executive Director, Dallas ISD's Food and Child Nutrition Services

Forget what you think you know about school breakfast. Because March 3-7, 2025, Dallas ISD is flipping the script with a full-on, mystery-themed extravaganza designed to get your kids not just eating, but thinking—and maybe, just maybe, solving the biggest riddle of all: Why is breakfast the most important part of the day?

This year’s National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) is bringing a dash of intrigue to Dallas ISD’s morning routine, with a week-long series of mystery-themed activities. It’s called "Clue In to School Breakfast," and if the idea of breakfast with a side of suspense sounds a little wild, well, that’s because it is. The message is simple: breakfast isn’t just fuel. It’s the key to unlocking your child’s day, and maybe even their future.

The Breakfast Game Is On

Let’s be honest: kids don’t always want to eat breakfast. But what if you could turn breakfast into something fun, exciting, maybe even a little daring? That’s the goal behind this year’s NSBW theme—let's make breakfast feel like a discovery!

“We want every student to walk into the classroom feeling nourished, energized, and ready to succeed,” said Debi Rowley, the Executive Director of Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services. “School breakfast isn’t just about feeding kids—it’s about giving them the fuel they need to think, learn, and grow.”

And to drive that message home, Dallas ISD has created a series of mystery-themed events that will leave kids wide-eyed and curious about the power of a healthy, well-balanced meal, with plenty of surprises lurking behind every corner.

The Clues to a Better Morning

Starting March 3rd, students across the district will be given the opportunity to participate in breakfast-themed contests with fabulous prizes like AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches. But the breakfast excitement doesn’t end there. Throughout the week, the district will roll out activities that make breakfast feel like an event. “Clue In to School Breakfast” will involve themed dress-up days, mystery meal reveals, and challenges that will teach kids how a balanced breakfast powers your brain. This is the week they’ll finally understand why breakfast is the missing piece of their morning routine.

Solving the Mystery of Food Insecurity

The week’s festivities will also shine a light on a very real issue—hunger. Food insecurity remains a major problem in Dallas, with over 20% of children in Dallas County facing hunger and food insecurity every day. For many students, the meals they get at school may be the only ones they have each day.

Dallas ISD’s commitment to ensuring that all students have access to healthy, nourishing meals is a lifeline. And that’s why this year’s “Clue In to School Breakfast” isn’t just about fun and games; it’s about making sure no child is left behind when it comes to reliable access to nutritious food. Over 80% of Dallas ISD students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and for them, breakfast isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity.

A Clue for Parents

For parents, it’s not just about making sure your kids have breakfast and calling it a day. This week is also an opportunity to clue into the bigger picture: the impact of a good breakfast on your child’s academic success. Research shows that students who eat breakfast are more likely to perform better academically, attend school more regularly, and exhibit improved behavior in class. But beyond the research, it’s simple. Breakfast gives your child the energy and focus they need to thrive in school. When they walk into that classroom with a full stomach, they’ve already cracked the first puzzle of the day—getting their brain to work properly. And when they’re able to solve that first puzzle, they’re setting themselves up for success in everything else that follows.

The Big Reveal

The grand finale of the week will come on March 6, when the district holds a recognition ceremony to honor the schools with the highest breakfast participation rates. These schools will be celebrated for their commitment to ensuring that kids start their day with the fuel they need, and for their outstanding dedication to serving their local communities. Student contest winners will be announced at the end of March.

So, get ready to crack the case. The clues are all around you. The mystery of school breakfast is no longer a secret, and it’s time for our kids to get in on the action. After all, when it comes to school breakfast, the answer is simple: Feed the future.

In February, Dallas ISD will be serving Turnip Greens in all school cafeterias! These leafy greens will be sourced directly from Rio Fresh, a family-run farm based in San Juan, Texas. For Dallas ISD students, this is a chance to not only experience a leafy green that they might not encounter in their day-to-day, but also a tangible connection to Texas’s rich agricultural history.

Turnip greens are known for their high fiber content, vitamins, and antioxidants. But beyond its health benefits, turnip greens also represent a shift in the types of meals that are increasingly finding their way into schools. With an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, this move aligns with a broader trend toward improving the quality of school meals. The turnip greens served in Dallas ISD cafeterias may be just one small step in a larger movement toward better food education and healthier communities. But for the students, teachers, and farmers involved, it’s a symbol of the kind of change that’s both possible and necessary: a future where the food we eat not only nourishes us but also connects us to the land, the people, and the legacy of where it all begins.

This initiative, known as Harvest of the Month, is part of a broader effort to introduce Dallas ISD students to seasonal, locally grown produce. Each month, a different fruit or vegetable takes center stage in the Dallas ISD cafeterias, not only to expand the culinary palate of our students but to connect them with Texas's agricultural roots. The produce featured in Harvest of the Month is always locally grown, ensuring that each bite supports Texas farmers and family farms like Rio Fresh.

Want to know more about Rio Fresh? Read more in our February Newsletter!

Cami Cobbin's journey into school food service wasn’t planned—it was a decision made out of necessity. With young children at home, a husband working nights, and no room in the budget for childcare, she needed a job that aligned with her family’s schedule. She found that opportunity in Dallas ISD’s Food and Child Nutrition Services, and more than three decades later, she has built a career defined by dedication, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the students she serves.

Cobbins began her career at San Jacinto Elementary, where she spent 16 years before stepping into a supervisory role. She started as a pastry chef, crafting rolls, cakes, and cookies—an experience she remembers fondly, not just for the baking but for the team that made every day enjoyable. Encouraged by her supervisor, Ms. Warren, she entered the district’s manager training program, overcoming her initial hesitation to push herself beyond her comfort zone. “I felt too content,” she recalls. “I wanted to shake things up.”

As a cafeteria supervisor, Cobbins has made an undeniable impact. Colleagues admire her leadership, her precision in managing inventory and production, and the way she sets her team up for success. “You have to know your people,” she says. “Start with what they know, play to their strengths, and then build from there.” Her philosophy centers on flexibility and adaptability—ensuring that her team is always ready to meet the needs of the students they serve.

“Ms. Cami goes above and beyond to ensure that the cafeteria runs smoothly, always maintaining a positive attitude,” said Gabriella Flores, an Area Supervisor for FCNS. She has built a team culture that reflects her work ethic—one of care, professionalism, and service. “Ms. Cami always has a wonderful attitude, and it reflects with her staff and how they interact with the students during meal service. I am truly happy to have her be part of the team.”

Beyond the logistics of running a cafeteria, Cobbins finds joy in her daily interactions with students. “Kids are honest,” she laughs. “If they don’t like something, they’ll tell you. But I love getting them to try something new.” She sees her role as more than just feeding students—it’s about nourishing them, making sure they have the fuel they need to succeed.

Her strong work ethic was instilled in her by her parents. Her father believed in getting to work early, setting the tone for the day before anyone else arrived. Her mother taught her to cook, and even now, on holidays, still calls Cobbins for advice in the kitchen. One cherished family tradition remains: the Dallas ISD peanut butter cake. Cobbins keeps the original recipe pinned to her refrigerator and bakes it every year for her brother’s birthday—a small reminder of the joy food can bring.

Cobbins isn’t just managing a cafeteria; she’s fostering a culture of teamwork, growth, and care. Her leadership has shaped countless colleagues, and her presence has left an indelible mark on the students she serves.

Thank you, Cami, for your passion, dedication, and service to Dallas ISD!

We are proud to announce that we will be serving break meals during spring break!

We will provide “pop-up” meal services on Monday, March 10th. Families will be given two days' worth of nutritious meals per child during the Spring Break at no charge. Cooking instructions will be provided for parents. All children 18 years and younger, or up to 21 with disabilities, qualify to receive these free meals! Kids must be present to receive meals.

For more information on our break meals program as well as locations and pick up times, visit our website!

Dr. Seuss did not cook. Not in the conventional sense, anyway. He didn’t stand over a stove, fretting over reductions and emulsions. He never composed a soufflé or debated the merits of sous vide. There are no records of him crafting the perfect omelet or kneading dough with the precision of a Parisian pâtissier. And yet, his name is forever linked to food—absurd, surreal, and utterly inedible food.

In the kingdom of Seussian gastronomy, logic takes a back seat. A plate of green eggs and ham can convert the most stubborn of skeptics. A tree can sprout a seven-hump Wump roast, and lakes teem with Grickle-grass-fed fish. A can of Who-Hash can become a desperate meal on Christmas morning. Food, in the world of Seuss, is never just food—it’s metaphor, mischief, and sometimes an outright menace.

The Strange Banquet of Theodor Geisel

Theodor Geisel—better known as Dr. Seuss—was a man who trafficked in rhythm, rebellion, and the chaotic genius of childhood wonder. A writer, illustrator, and subversive satirist hidden under the guise of a children’s author, Seuss had a knack for making the mundane utterly bizarre. And no theme proved as rich for his particular brand of literary mischief as food.

Look no further than Green Eggs and Ham—published in 1960, it remains one of the most successful food-related books of all time. The premise is aggressively simple: a grumpy, unnamed protagonist categorically refuses to eat a plate of unnaturally colored eggs and ham, only to eventually cave in and discover that, yes, he loves them after all. But beneath the playful rhyme is something deeper: a parable of picky eaters, of human stubbornness, of preemptive judgment, of the ultimate joy of discovery.

Then there’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1957), where food plays the role of communal salvation. The Whos of Whoville, despite being robbed blind by a curmudgeonly green recluse, still gather and sing, because Christmas was never about the Roast Beast in the first place. But make no mistake—the Roast Beast matters. It represents abundance, joy, togetherness. The Grinch’s redemption isn’t truly complete until he carves that ceremonial first slice.

And let’s not forget Scrambled Eggs Super! (1953), a fever dream of a book where a young boy embarks on a wild culinary expedition to collect exotic eggs from fantastical birds, each one more ridiculous than the last. The result? A scrambled egg dish so decadent, so unhinged, that it could make a Michelin-starred chef break out in a cold sweat.

Seuss, Surrealism, and the Gastronomic Absurd

Dr. Seuss’s relationship with food wasn’t about recipes or refinement. It was about imagination weaponized. His meals were impossibilities—blue, striped, floating, glowing. They defied the laws of physics and taste, making them something more than food: they were challenges to reality itself. Would you eat green eggs? Would you eat them in a house? With a mouse? On a train? In the rain? Sam-I-Am wasn’t just offering breakfast; he was offering a fundamental shift in perspective. To eat in the world of Seuss is to take a risk, to embrace adventure, to surrender to chaos.

The Secret Satirist of the Dinner Table

But like all things Seussian, the nonsense masked something sharper. Geisel was, at heart, a satirist. Long before he cemented himself as a children’s author, he was an editorial cartoonist skewering fascism, isolationism, and the stupidity of blind allegiance. His food-related works weren’t just whimsical—they were subversive cultural critiques wrapped in palatable rhyme.

Consider The Butter Battle Book (1984), a thinly veiled metaphor for the Cold War. The conflict? Whether one should butter their bread on the top or bottom. The absurdity of the dispute is the point—petty divisions escalate into existential threats, and before long, the Zooks and the Yooks are facing mutual annihilation over breakfast preferences.

Food in Seuss’s world is often ridiculous, but the absurdity is never meaningless.

The Seussian Table Today

So what’s left of Dr. Seuss’s culinary legacy? In a world where molecular gastronomy is blurring the lines between science and dinner, where chefs are infusing foam with existential dread, where rainbow bagels are served unironically, the world has finally caught up with Seuss’s vision.

If Seuss were alive today, he wouldn’t be a chef. He’d be something stranger—an Anthony Bourdain with a rhyming dictionary, a Willy Wonka for the postmodern age, a culinary anarchist bent on breaking every rule in the book. And maybe, just maybe, he’d sit down with you in a house, with a mouse, and order a plate of green eggs and ham. Just to see if you’d try it.

Turnip greens are more than just a side dish—they’re a Southern tradition, a symbol of resilience, and a deeply rooted part of American food history. Brought to the South by early European settlers, turnip greens thrived in poor soil and cooler climates, making them a staple in Southern kitchens. African American and working-class communities embraced them as a nutritious, affordable green, that was easy to grow, cooking them low and slow with smoked meats, garlic, and vinegar to create rich, comforting flavors.

Nutritional Highlights of Turnip Greens

• Vitamin K: Supports bone health and blood clotting—one cup has over 600% of the daily value (DV).
• Vitamin A: Promotes healthy vision and immune function.
• Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system, with 40% of the DV per serving.
• Calcium: A strong plant-based source for bones and teeth.
• Antioxidants: Help combat inflammation and oxidative stress.

How to Enjoy Turnip Greens

For generations, turnip greens have been slow-cooked with ham hocks, onions, and spices, creating a dish rich in flavor and tradition. But they’re just as versatile today:

• Sautéed with garlic and chili flakes for a quick, bold side.
• Simmered in soups and stews for added depth and nutrition.
• Mixed into cornbread for a classic Southern twist.
• Blended into smoothies for an unexpected nutrient boost.

Whether eaten for their rich history or powerhouse nutrition, turnip greens are a Southern classic worth celebrating this month!

Celebrate National School Breakfast Week with a classic favorite—fluffy homemade pancakes! These classic breakfast cakes provide a warm, comforting, and nutritious start to the day, and are loved by eaters of all ages. Made with simple ingredients like flour, eggs, milk, and a touch of vanilla, they are easy to whip up, and can even be made in advance for busy mornings. Top them with fresh fruit, honey, or a drizzle of maple syrup for a delicious twist and added flavor. Whether served in school cafeterias or enjoyed at home, pancakes bring families together and promote the importance of a healthy, balanced breakfast to fuel learning!

This easy recipe will walk you through the basics. Try making them at home for a fun breakfast with the family.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.