Food Service Resources

blue school cafeteria tray with 2 bars of yogurt bark topped with granola and strawberries

Access to the Nutrition They Need

Your Dairy Council of Arizona team is here to help with your school food service efforts. Explore available resources to expand meal service operations and grow student participation and ensure all students have access to the nutrition they need, empowering them to take charge of their health and wellness.

Scroll down or tap a button below to learn more about our school programs!

Whole Milk in Schools

whole milk in schools

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, signed into law in January 2026, expands the types of milk schools may offer as part of the National School Lunch Program. Schools may now offer a broader range of fluid milk options, including whole and reduced-fat milk, while continuing to meet federal nutrition standards. These updates provide schools with greater flexibility to support nutrient intake, student choice and diverse preferences, while maintaining compliance with USDA meal pattern guidelines.

flavored milk

Flavored Milk

Flavored milk is a crucial product in schools to increase dairy consumption so that students can get all the essential nutrients found in milk and meet the recommended 3 servings of dairy every day. 

Benefits

  • Increased meal participation
  • Nutrient rich
  • Great taste
  • Decreased waste

flavored milk 1 pdf image
milk cooler repair

Milk Cooler Repair

Purpose

The Dairy Council of Arizona is offering grants to help schools repair or replace milk coolers in their cafeterias. Funding is awarded based on the submitted quote and is designed to improve milk quality, support student nutrition, and ensure reliable access to cold, fresh milk.

This program helps schools address rising equipment, maintenance, and labor costs, while enhancing the overall school milk experience for students.

Program Requirements (for awarded schools):

  • Complete repairs or replacement during the 2025–2026 school year (or sooner, if possible; equipment delays may apply)
  • Submit a Repaired Cooler Tracking Sheet (provided by DCAZ) for six active school months following the completed repair or installation of the new unit

Benefits

  • Improves milk taste and appeal
  • Maintains safe milk temperatures
  • Encourages student milk consumption
  • Reduces waste & supports student nutrition

Application timeline:

The grant opens in October of each school year and will be available until funds are fully allocated.

Speed Scratch Resources

Yogurt Parfait Bar Grant

The Dairy Council of Arizona will award two schools a grant to receive a Turbo Air Countertop Refrigerated Prep Rail and a MoTak MBB-2D-60 Bar Refrigerator to launch a Yogurt Parfait Bar in their cafeteria.

This initiative empowers students to build their own yogurt parfaits with ingredients they enjoy, encouraging choice, participation, and healthier eating habits. It also equips schools with the tools to offer fresh, nutritious, speed-scratch meal options featuring dairy.

The Yogurt Parfait Bar supports increased student engagement, improved meal participation, and reduced food waste by giving students greater ownership of their meals.

Program Requirements (for awarded schools):
  • Implement the Yogurt Parfait Bar within 45 days of receiving equipment or at the start of the next school year
  • Submit the 2025–2026 Yogurt Parfait Bar Tracking Sheet (provided by DCAZ) for six active school months following receipt of the final equipment item
  • Serve yogurt parfaits at least three times per month during the six-month tracking period (equipment may be used more frequently)
Benefits:
  • Increases long-term breakfast participation and ADP
  • Strengthens student satisfaction and program retention
  • Expands appeal of reimbursable meal options
  • Supports sustainable menu innovation in cafeterias

The grant opens in October of each school year and will be available until October 30th or allocation of both grants.

Mac and Cheese Bar Grant

The Dairy Council of Arizona will award three schools a grant to receive an Open Well Steam Table to launch a Mac and Cheese Bar in their cafeteria.

This initiative gives students greater autonomy by allowing them to customize their own mac and cheese bowls, while enabling school nutrition professionals to ensure all selections remain compliant with weekly menus and program guidelines.

The Mac and Cheese Bar provides an engaging, student-centered meal option that increases choice and personalization, while featuring dairy as a key ingredient in balanced, nutritious school meals.

Program Requirements (for awarded schools):
  • Implement the Mac and Cheese Bar within 45 days of receiving equipment or at the start of the next school year
  • Submit the 2025–2026 Mac and Cheese Bar Meals Served Sheet (provided by DCAZ) for six active school months following receipt of the final equipment item (data should reflect active school months only)
Benefits:
  • Increases long-term lunch participation
  • Supports program financial sustainability
  • Encourages repeat student engagement
  • Enables compliant menu flexibility

The grant opens in October of each school year and remains available until October 30th or until all three grants are awarded.

Cold Brew Program

Coffee shops have become a regular part of daily life for today’s teenagers, with many students purchasing coffee before or after school. The Dairy Council of Arizona supports schools in meeting this demand by offering a smarter, more nutritious option through the Moo Brew Program.

Students are better able to learn when they are well nourished. Milk provides key nutrients, including calcium, protein, vitamin D, and potassium that support bone health, muscle development, and sustained energy. When paired with coffee beverages students already enjoy, Moo Brew helps increase milk consumption while offering a more balanced approach to caffeine.

Program Overview

The Dairy Council of Arizona partners with schools each year, beginning in December, to help establish a Moo Brew Program on campus. Starter kits are customizable to meet each school’s needs and typically include:

  • Two cold brew dispensers/brewers
  • Cold brew concentrate starter kit
  • Sugar-free syrup options

The Moo Brew Program helps schools align with student preferences while maintaining greater control over the nutritional quality of caffeinated beverages offered on campus.

Explore Our Programs

Interested in one of our programs? Fill out the form below and our team will connect you with the right information and resources.

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