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Local Foods Take Center Stage in School Cafeterias on Taste Washington Day
Olympia – Locally grown food in school cafeterias across Washington will be in the spotlight next week as schools and farms participate in Taste Washington Day.
Taste Washington Day is an annual celebration of farm to school connections and provides Washington’s children with the opportunity to enjoy and learn about the bounty and diversity of healthy and delicious Washington-grown foods. This year, Governor Inslee proclaimed October 4th to be Taste Washington Day. The day helps kick off National Farm to School Month locally.
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Child Nutrition (OSPI), and the Washington State Nutrition Association (WSNA) work in partnership to promote the Taste Washington Day, which is now in its thirteenth year.
Every year schools feature Washington-grown menus and plan special events, such as inviting a farmer to lunch or participating in the Washington Apple Crunch. Many students also visit school gardens and learn about nutrition and agriculture through cafeteria and classroom activities.
“Taste Washington Day is a great way to illustrate the connection between the agricultural community and the nutritious food our children need to succeed,” said WSDA Director Derek Sandison.
More than 40 schools and nearly 50 farmers and food producers have already signed up for the event, and it’s not too late for schools to sign up and share how they plan to celebrate local foods in school meals on Taste Washington Day. Participating schools use Taste Washington Day as an opportunity to highlight special seasonal menus and celebrate what “farm to school” means to them.
Planned activities include serving Washington-grown food as part of a breakfast or lunch, such as whole wheat muffins with local flour, local grass-fed beef in burgers, chilis and stews, and a rainbow of local fruit and veggies such as kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, carrots beets, potatoes, and of course local apples and pears. Schools are sourcing many ingredients directly from local producers, highlighting the local farm source on menus, sharing special “Taste WA Day” recipes for students to take home, and offering taste tests to introduce students to new local foods. Some schools also plan to harvest and distribute produce from their gardens. Many students will bite into an apple on October 4 at noon as part of the "Washington Apple Crunch.”
Schools may choose to celebrate on a different day, or plan activities throughout the whole month.
“Taste Washington Day is an excellent opportunity to celebrate all the foods that are produced in Washington, helping kids learn about the foods they eat and where they come from,” Annette Slonim, WSDA Farm to School lead, said. With support from the WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant, school districts can also apply for additional funding to support local food purchases all year-round. The application period is currently open and closes Monday, October 16, 2023 at 5:00 PM.
Visit WSDA Farm to School’s Taste Washington Day webpage to learn more and sign up, or contact WSDA Farm to School lead, Annette Slonim at aslonim@agr.wa.gov or 206-714-2757.