AREAS
AREA E
Bonding, Buffalo, and An Unhurried Gastropod
BY KATE DORR, RD, MBA Director of Shared Food Services Oneida Herkimer Madison BOCES
It began like every other NYSNA Annual Conference- a group of noble school lunch heroes setting out for professional development, networking, and many, many samples of chicken nuggets. Directors, dietitians, and managers from across the land gathered to learn about new sugar restrictions, sodium limits, 30% NYS sourcing, and how to make a reimbursable lunch look exciting on a tray. But once the powerpoints were over, the show floor closed and the exhibitors packed up their free stress balls and spatulas, someone said those famous last words: “Let’s grab just one.” One turned into maybe just one more and a truly questionable amount of Buffalo, NY’s famous “buffalo wings”- the kind that require safety goggles, a bib and a waiver. Conversation flowed from “best oven for sheet pan pizza” to “who can handle the hottest sauce without crying” and “can you believe she got a 100% on her civil service test?” Just when the night should have ended, destiny (and Google Maps) guided them to a small, neon-lit establishment advertising “Live Snail Races & Local Cider.” Naturally, they went in. The place was everything a group of school nutrition pros
could dream of: a mean owner and her even meaner dog, a sticky bar top, snacks made from 1990’s a la carte dreams featuring Zebra Cakes, Cosmic Brownies, Oatmeal Cream Pies and HoneyBuns and a very unexpected surprise; a sign-up sheet for “Snail Race Heat #3.” Fueled by cider courage, and their leader's love of pet snails, the team adopted a snail named “Sloppy Slow.” The crowd cheered as their slimy athlete inched forward at the speed of paperwork approval. When “Sloppy Slow” miraculously crossed the finish line (in just slightly longer than the average lunch period), the bar erupted- glasses clinked, high-fives were exchanged, and the director shouted, “THAT’S HOW YOU MEET A DEADLINE!” The next morning, the entire crew arrived on time for the Keynote Speaker smelling faintly of mollusks, buffalo sauce and apples. No one spoke of the previous night, but every time someone mentioned “team bonding,” they all just nodded knowingly. Because they hadn’t just gone to a conference- they’d conquered Buffalo’s nightlife, the wing inferno, and one very determined gastropod named Sloppy Slow. This story is a creative reflection on true events from the NYSNA Annual Conference. The bonding was genuine; the details, like our wing count, may have gotten a little out of hand. ■
32
FreshBites
WINTER 2026
Powered by FlippingBook