Lincoln SD27 - Lincoln, Illinois
How Lincoln 27 Transformed School Meals, From 100% Processed to Fresh, Scratch-Cooked Food
A replicable systems-change model improving student nutrition, participation, and community impact.
THE CHALLENGE
For years, Lincoln 27 meals relied on almost entirely processed foods. Leadership knew that well-fed children learn better, behave better, and perform better but the kitchens, staffing, and systems were built for convenience, not real cooking.
Shifting to scratch cooking required a completely new approach: new skills, new sourcing, new recipes, and new operational systems.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Lincoln 27 saw scratch cooking as the next evolution of its wellness efforts, a chance to serve more nutrient-dense meals, increase participation, and build a model that could spread across districts statewide.
The district also understood the business case: better meals → higher participation → stronger reimbursement.
SFIA’S APPROACH
Culinary Skills Training
Hands-on coaching to help staff shift from reheating to real cooking.
Menu Redesign
Fresher, nutrient-dense meals kids actually enjoy.
Scratch Cooking Systems
Recipes, batch-cooking routines, and workflow improvements.
Local & Fresh Procurement
Support to source fresh ingredients within a cost-neutral model.
Stakeholder Engagement
Bringing administrators, cooks, principals, and partners together.
Budget-Conscious Transition
Equipment, purchasing, and participation strategies that protect the bottom line.
EARLY OUTCOMES
↑ Higher Meal Satisfaction
Students are responding to fresher, better-tasting meals.
↑ Participation Growth Expected
Higher-quality meals are anticipated to drive steady increases in reimbursement.
↑ Stronger Kitchen Culture
Staff report pride, teamwork, and a renewed sense of purpose.
↑ Community Connection
Fresh, local ingredients bring more regional producers into the school ecosystem.
A Replicable Blueprint
Lincoln 27 now demonstrates how small districts can successfully shift from processed to scratch cooking.
QUOTES
“We jumped at the chance to build a sustainable project other districts can adopt.”
“Moving from convenience foods to scratch cooking is tough — but worthwhile.”
“We could not have done this without the ALMH Foundation’s support.”
Supported by the ALMH Foundation
Powered by SFIA’s national model for scratch-cooked school meals