|
A fifth school will participate in early February with a taste test featuring Lummi Island Wild Smoked Salmon. In addition, the district recently received fresh apples and frozen cherries from Rowley and Hawkins Fruit Farm, further expanding the diversity of Washington-grown foods available to students.
 Following the taste tests, students specifically requested that daikon radish, roasted delicata squash, and pumpkin bars be added to school menus, including salad bars and breakfast offerings. The beloved pumpkin bar recipe comes from New School Cuisine, a cookbook developed through the “Fresh from Vermont” initiative.
Local Foods in Schools Success Stories
This January, Hood Canal School hosted a flavorful taste test featuring a medley of roasted leeks, carrots, and broccoli, lightly seasoned with fresh rosemary. The event invited 5th and 6th grade students to sample the trio of vegetables. Some were familiar with the vegetables, and for others, they were brand new.
The star of the day was the leeks, which quickly became a surprising favorite. Many students shared that they had never tried leeks before, making the taste test a fun and memorable introduction to a new vegetable. The roasted carrots were also a hit with several students returning for second tastes.
The event was a wonderful opportunity for students to expand their palates, explore fresh produce, and celebrate nutritious foods prepared simply and deliciously.
 |
|
National School Breakfast Week is March 2-6, 2026! Your quest for a strong start begins here.
National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) celebrates the important role a nutritious school breakfast plays in helping students start their day ready to learn, grow, and succeed. This year, the #NSBW26 theme is “The Quest for School Breakfast.” And now is the time to get a head start on promoting your program and celebrating the school nutrition professionals who fuel students every morning!
|
Why should you participate?
Recognizing NSBW in your district or cafeteria helps you:
- Increase student participation in your program.
- Spread the message to parents that you're serving a healthy, tasty breakfast at school each day.
- Connect with teachers and administrators at your school, and throughout the district, to spread the word that school meals are healthy and delicious.
- Earn media coverage from local papers, blogs, and TV stations.
How can you participate?
-
Promote National School Breakfast Week. Download SNA's Marketing & PR Resources to increase awareness of #NSBW26!
-
Use the NSBW toolkit to plan your event. The NSBW Toolkit has prompts to help you plan your event(s), tips for engaging students, decoration ideas, and more!
- Visit the School Nutrition Association and USDA webpages for ideas and resources.
Send Us Your NSBW Celebrations!
We want to see all the activities, celebrations, and fun you have for #NSBW26! Send your photos to the School Meals team to be highlighted in upcoming newsletters and webinars!
Visit the School Nutrition Association and USDA webpages for ideas and resources.
 These are the final days to apply for a Rooted in Excellence award!
Applications close on February 28.
School Food Authorities (SFAs) that operate the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program are eligible to apply. SFAs are invited to apply for one award within either the Culinary Cultivator track or the Nurturing Navigator track. Award categories include Breakfast Excellence, Culturally Inclusive Meals, Farm to School. Scratch Cooking, Marketing and Promotion, Nutrition Education, and Partnerships and Engagement.
How to Apply: Applications are available online.
Award Recipients Receive:
- Signed certificate
- Digital badge
- Press release template
- Public recognition
- And more!
Resources
To learn more and apply online, visit the Rooted in Excellence webpage.
Questions? ContactCNStraining@k12.wa.us.
Harvest of the Month
Harvest of the Month resource sheets help districts feature seasonal, Washington-grown foods. March's Harvest of the Month is bok choy. Each sheet includes fun facts, nutrition highlights, selection and storage tips, recipe ideas, and classroom/cafeteria activities.
Access the bok choy resource sheet on the Farm to School webpage under the Harvest of the Month drop-down menu. If you don’t have access to bok choy near you or want to feature another food item, check out past Harvest of the Month resource pages on the OSPI Farm to School webpage under the Harvest of the Month drop-down menu. What local item will you feature this month?
For support sourcing Harvest of the Month items, email farmtocnp@k12.wa.us.
|
NW Food Hub Summit
 Register to attend the NW Food Hub Summit! Review the full agenda to get an overview of the day.
When: March 12, 2026, 2 – 8 pm & March 13, 2026, 8 am – 4 pm
Where: Hemmingson Center at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA
Registration closes: Friday, February 27, 2026
Review the January S.S.T.A.R. for more information.
Salad Bars to School Grant
 Salad Bars to Schools is a national grant program operated by The Chef Ann Foundation. The goal of this program is for every school in the United States to offer a salad bar as part of their meal program.
Application Closes: March 31, 2026
Review the January S.S.T.A.R. for more information.
|
