Byron Elementary named 2026 Cafeteria of Excellence

The cafeteria uses Georgia Grown products in more than 20% of its weekly meals while maintaining an “A” health inspection score.

BYRON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Byron Elementary School has been named a 2026 Cafeteria of Excellence, recognizing its work to provide nutritious meals and incorporate Georgia Grown products into its menu.

School leaders say the recognition highlights the behind-the-scenes work done every day to make sure students have healthy and tasty meals.

Byron Elementary Principal Norika Blanton says she’s proud of her cafeteria team for including Georgia-grown items in more than 20% of weekly meals, while also maintaining an “A” health inspection score and meeting lunch participation benchmarks.

“They’re the first ones in the building, and they’re here making sure breakfast is ready as soon as students are coming off the bus,” she said. “Then they’re straight into making lunch. They’re a great team, hardworking, and they’re just always ready to put a smiling face forward when the kids come through the line.”

Cafeteria Manager Taiyana Dollar says seeing students’ excitement in the lunch line makes her day, and she even takes their requests into consideration when planning the menu.

“A lot of the times our students come through the line, and to see the excitement on their faces just makes my day,” she said. “We get letters sometimes requesting meals, and I try to put them on the menu because they love it.”

Blanton and Dollar say they take pride in making sure students have access to nutritious meals while creating an appealing cafeteria experience that keeps them excited to come through the line and eat each day.

“I’m excited about sending them home with a nutritious meal, and it makes me feel happy to know that they come in here, excited, and wanting to eat,” she said. “We try to do different things on the line and make the line appealing, so they will eat.”

“They do have their nutritious guidelines that they have to abide by, and within that they try to make things exciting and new,” Blanton said. “A lot of the students I heard really like the Asian chicken with egg rolls, and some say they’ve never had that before. So, they’re trying things here at school they’ve never tried before and realizing they do like it. So, that’s helping to broaden their horizons in that way too.”

Blanton says the award highlights Byron Elementary’s efforts to make sure every student has access to a nutritious meal, including those facing food insecurity at home.