Pride in Foodservice Week is observed annually starting from the first Monday in February. This year, it takes place from February 1 to 5. In a tradition initiated by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals to honor and recognize food and nutrition professionals and other members of nutrition services teams for their hard work and dedication to their job.
History of Pride in Foodservice Week
Pride in Foodservice Week aims to celebrate the effort and impact of the group of service providers who seek to care for us in more ways than one: Food and nutrition professionals.
The day is observed each year from the first Monday in February. It was initiated by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals, a nationwide body of over 30 years that started first as Hospital, Institution, and Educational Food Service Society in 1960, then Dietary Managers Association in the 1980s, and finally its current name in 2012.
Pride in Foodservice Week is a great way to help dietary managers and foodservice teams connect and strengthen their love for the work they do. 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of Pride in Foodservice Week and was celebrated from February 3 to 7 to recognize all the amazing and hardworking food service staff at facilities across the U.S who are helping to make a difference in food service delivery.
The 2020 edition is also considered to be perhaps the most important one ever with the impact of the viral pandemic on food delivery and how it prompted increased safety and sanitation protocols among many other changes that required the additional effort of foodservice professionals to keep everyone safe and healthy.
Pride in Foodservice Week timeline
Foodservice workers form the group that becomes the predecessor of the organization that initiates Pride in Foodservice Week.
The organization’s members vote to change the name to Dietary Managers Association (D.M.A.).
The move makes easier access to information for organization members.
The name changes to the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals (A.N.F.P.).
Pride in Foodservice Week FAQs
What is the Reason for Pride in Foodservice Week?
Pride in Foodservice Week was initiated by the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals to honor and recognize food and nutrition professionals and other members of nutrition services teams for their hard work and dedication to the job.
How do you praise and recognize your team?
For food business owners, nothing beats writing personalized thank you notes or publicly sharing a proportionate amount of praise on team members who go above and beyond. You might even use your company’s online channels and give out prizes.
How do you celebrate Pride in Foodservice Week?
You can either buy a thank-you meal for the food service workers from your favorite restaurants or show an unusually generous appreciation for their service through your tip during this period.
Pride in Foodservice Week Activities
Buy them a thank you meal
A simple thank you and a small act of appreciation go a long way. And celebrating Pride in Foodservice Week would usually mean buying a thank-you meal for the food service workers from your favorite restaurants. For food business owners, nothing beats writing personalized thank you notes or sharing a giant meal with your entire team as an act of appreciation.
Tip them
TIpping remains an important equalizer of the usually below-average wages most food service workers earn. So if you find yourself in a restaurant during Pride in Foodservice Week, showing an unusually generous appreciation for their service through your tip will be appreciated.
Spread positivity
For foodies and owners of eateries, ensuring workers know that you recognize their hard work and dedication and appreciate it is another good way to celebrate the holiday. You can surprise them with gifts or by sharing a story that highlights a situation in the past where you grew an even deeper appreciation for their service.
5 Facts You Should Know About The Association Of Nutrition And Foodservice Professionals
It is a non-profit organization
The Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals has been a non-profit organization serving its communities all over the United States since the early 1960s.
It started over three decades ago
Pride in Foodservice Week was first initiated in 1991 and is sponsored by the Association of Nutrition and Foodservice Professionals.
A.N.F.P. has a flagship textbook
In 2007, the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals launched its flagship textbook.
A.N.F.P. has over 14,000 professionals
As of 2021, the A.N.F.P. reports that it has over 14,000 professionals dedicated to the practice of providing nutritional care in its network.
Encompassing
According to the A.N.F.P., the organization’s name change from Dietary Managers Association was to “accurately represent the entire scope of members’ responsibilities. ”
Why We Love Pride in Foodservice Week
It makes foodservice workers know they’re important
How much more crucial can a service provider get than the ones who feed us? Chefs and waiters and all the other things behind the scenes are responsible for serving us healthy and nutritious meals. There’s no better way to celebrate them than a dedicated holiday to make them feel special.
It highlights foodservice workers’ plights
One of the purposes of Pride in Foodservice Week is to reflect and work on the things that need to be changed in the foodservice delivery chain and make everyone work better. Pride in Foodservice Week serves as a time to drive those changes.
It helps drive regulatory support
Legislative actions are important. The idea behind Pride in Foodservice Week is to highlight the challenges that several stakeholders in the food and nutrition industries face and hopefully garner government support to make important policies to address them.
Pride in Foodservice Week dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | February 3–7 | Monday–Friday |
| 2026 | February 2–6 | Monday–Friday |
| 2027 | February 1–5 | Monday–Friday |
| 2028 | February 7–11 | Monday–Friday |
| 2029 | February 5–9 | Monday–Friday |
