Due to labor shortages, many K-12 kitchens struggle to provide from-scratch meals to students. Some of these kitchens also may not be designed with the equipment needed to properly support a scratch cooking model. However, there are grants and assistance programs available to support school districts with a move toward school menu planning that incorporates fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins.
When Connor Haren purchased what was then the Troy Meat Shop at the age of 20, he saw the potential to bring healthy, locally sourced food to the Troy, Ohio community. With that vision, Haren’s Market was born and thirteen years later, it is still thriving — and not just because of the quality of the meat and produce.
Commercial kitchens come in all sizes, but it’s not uncommon for independent restaurants to have smaller ones. According to Webstaurant, commercial kitchens range from 500 to 2,000 square feet with anything less than 500 square feet considered small. That space comes with certain advantages and disadvantages.
