The Carroll County Schools Food Services Department is more than a cafeteria—it’s a full-scale restaurant operation woven into the heart of the school system. With over 100,000 meals served each year and annual revenue reaching $2.7 million, the department operates as a self-sustaining business, receiving zero funding from the district’s general budget.
Led by Angie Adkins, who brings over two decades of experience in school food service, the department prides itself on being efficient, innovative, and deeply community-oriented. “We’re the largest restaurant in Carrollton,” Angie says. “And we have to plan like one.” Planning for the next school year begins as early as January, with USDA commodity orders—totaling around $125,000—already placed months in advance.
The program includes breakfast, lunch, after-school snacks, summer feeding, and a fresh fruit and vegetable grant. Thanks to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), every student in Carroll County receives free meals—breakfast, lunch, and snacks—without needing to apply for assistance. That’s crucial in a district where more than 60% of students rely on government aid.
Historical roots run deep: school lunches were first established under President Truman, and school breakfasts under President Johnson. Today, that vision continues in Carroll County, where good nutrition remains foundational to academic success. “If they don’t have a full belly in the morning, they will not be able to focus and learn,” Angie notes.
Innovation drives participation. At the high school, themed lunch days and calendar-based events like “National Hamburger Day” help draw students in. Farm-to-school menus—featuring USDA-inspected beef and pork from local Double H Farms—are a hit. Meals like beef tacos, chili, and Salisbury steak (a new favorite) are made from scratch. She said they try to offer scratch-cooked meals at least twice a week. “We have to entice them by marketing our program,” Angie says, “so we make food they want to eat.”
Participation is strong—85–90% of students eat school lunch, even at the high school level, where rates often drop. The department also combats stigma with fun, food-focused events like Easter basket giveaways, cake decorating contests, and even a grill-out with sirloin steaks for students and staff.
Even during the summer, the work doesn’t stop. In 2024, over 40,000 meals were distributed through the drive-through summer feeding program. With more than 1,100 children enrolled, it was a massive logistical effort. “It’s a beast of its own,” Angie says, describing early mornings, long days, language barriers, and pallets upon pallets of food. Yet the team pushed through to meet a critical need, with $330,000 in federal reimbursement and $73,000 in reinvested profit.
Despite the challenges—rising food costs, shifting government policies, allergy management, and changing tastes—Angie and her team remain committed. They offer leftover entrees the next day as a choice to reduce waste, maintain share tables for prepackaged-unopened items, and discreetly support students who may be food insecure. “By your third month, you know who isn’t eating all weekend,” Angie says. “If they come back and say they’re hungry, I guarantee they’re fed.”
In conjunction with our summer feeding program, the summer months are used for kitchen renovations. Last year, 2024 brought a new walk-in cooler and freezer for Kathryn Winn, plus a new warmer for Cartmell, Carroll County Middle, and Carroll County High schools, and space saver can racks for Carroll County High School.
“Food service is such an important part of our school system,” said Carroll County Schools Superintendent Casey Jaynes. “It is an opportunity for all of our students to receive a complete and healthy meal. Angie Adkins and her team are to be commended for their dedication to our students and community.”