Baobab, rose hips, mamey sapote, sapodilla, and breadfruit are common foods in various parts of the world. Here's the fiber in each one, where it grows, and how to eat it.

When Murray LaSaine Montessori School in James Island, South Carolina, opened its cafeteria doors for a meet-and-greet, Balanced was there to support cafeteria manager Sarah Richardson. Families built fruit kabobs, took home fresh peaches and plums, and got a warm first look at the space their students will visit all year. It was a low-key reminder that fresh produce is on the menu every single day, and that a friendly cafeteria can ease first-day jitters before the school ye

Balanced joined 6,000+ school nutrition professionals at the School Nutrition Association's 2026 Annual National Conference in Charlotte, and the message was clear: plant-based school meals are growing. From a bigger-than-ever roster of plant-based vendors to districts sharing real results—Michigan's $250K grant pilots, Brookline's rising plant-based menu share—here's what our team saw on the ground, and why showing up in these rooms matters for the students we serve.

Balanced's Plant-Powered School Meals Cohort is a year-long program helping school food service professionals add more fiber-rich, plant-based options to their permanent menus. The 2026–2027 cohort brings together twelve school nutrition leaders from nine states for peer learning, menu-planning and procurement guidance, and community engagement support. Meet the members driving lasting menu change, and see why student demand and new state funding are making plant-forward scho

A "high-fiber" label doesn't always mean a food is good for you. When a processed product claims high fiber, it usually means an isolated fiber like inulin or chicory root was added during manufacturing—and that's not the same as the fiber you get from whole plant foods. Some added fibers do have real benefits, but the label alone doesn't make the product healthy. Learn the difference between natural and added fiber, and how to read a "high-fiber" label with confidence next t

Wondering if freezing kills the fiber in fruits and vegetables? We break down what actually happens to fiber in the freezer and steps you can take to protect the quality of your food.

Nigerian cuisine is naturally built for high-fiber, plant-based eating. Staples like black-eyed peas, ugu, ewedu, okra, unripe plantain, tigernuts, millet, and sorghum pack 6-12+ grams of fiber into dishes like moin-moin, ewedu soup, and bean porridge. This guide breaks down 10 plant-based Nigerian foods, their fiber content, traditional prep, and easy ways to add them to your week, plus quick answers to common questions like which Nigerian foods are highest in fiber and best

Massachusetts has taken a major step for student health. Through Section 63 of the FY27 budget, the Commonwealth established a permanent School Meal Nutrition Standards Advisory Council—an expert-led, collaborative body building on the success of Universal Free School Meals and the 2023 Nutrition Standards Commission. As a member of the Massachusetts Healthy School Lunch Coalition, Balanced is proud to celebrate this shared milestone and to collaborate on the next chapter of

At 3:30 a.m., I crossed the finish line of a 67-mile ultramarathon I'd almost quit at mile 53. Fourteen weeks of training led to a black bear, a mountain lion, roughly 500 gunshots, and one decision made alone in the dark, at my lowest point, that determined whether I'd finish the race or drop out. That same decision also decided whether Balanced would hit its fundraising goal. The outcome: 67 miles finished and $3,161.46 raised for fiber-rich, nourishing school meals for K-1

The people who feed our kids show up every single day, often unseen and under-resourced. We spent three days with them at the Colorado SNA conference. Our recap looks honestly at the challenges facing school meal programs and the real reasons for hope, from universal free meals to plant-powered momentum spreading across the country.

Field notes from four days with higher ed dining leaders in Charlotte discussing plant-rich strategy, local food systems, and the future of institutional meals.

There are roughly 95,000 schools across the country where someone shows up early, ties on an apron, and starts cooking, not because the pay is great or the recognition is abundant, but because kids need to eat. On May 1, 2026, School Lunch Hero Day gives us a chance to say what should be said more often: thank you. What Is School Lunch Hero Day? School Lunch Hero Day is a national celebration held on the first Friday of May each year, honoring the school nutrition profession