BISD Farm to School Program aims to support students to learn about and try new foods while also supporting local farmers. Our program focuses on developing new recipes, using scratch cooking techniques and integrating local products. We emphasize students gaining access to healthy, local foods as well as education opportunities such as school gardens, cooking lessons and connections to the local community while celebrating cultural food traditions. We believe that farm-to-school empowers children and their families to make informed food choices while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. We are a part of a national movement! Please visit the National Farm to School Network and Washington State Farm to School Network websites to learn more. Check out more about the 3 C’s model we follow, integrating the Classroom, Cafeteria and Community as our approach to farm to school

Farm to School Institute

BISD was one of 9 teams accepted into the first Farm to School Institute in the Pacific Northwest, launched in the summer of 2024. The Farm to School Institute was launched in Oregon and Washington to grow comprehensive farm to school programming in both states. The Institute model is a year-long professional learning experience that brings site-based teams together to build relationships, skills, and a collaborative action plan to further their farm to school goals. Team members bring a variety of expertise and include classroom educators, administrators, nutrition services staff, and community partners. With the support of a coach, teams spend the school year putting their plans into action and strengthening their capacity to integrate lasting impacts across classrooms, cafeterias, and communities. We are thrilled to be participating in this Institute to further our farm to school goals! Link of Institute team photo

Farm Partnerships

Our local farms are key to a healthy and sustainable food system and we encourage our community to support local farmers whenever possible! We are excited to have partnered with the following farms and food hubs to source local produce, eggs and meats.

• Bainbridge Island/Suyematsu Farms: Squash and pumpkins 
• Paulson Farms: Carrots, Eggs, Garlic, Broccoli, Tomatoes 
• Butler Green Farms: Potatoes, Onions, Tomatoes and Greens
• Kitsap Farms: Lettuce (grown with aquaponics!)
• Northwest Food Hub Network: Fresh pasta made with WA wheat and made locally, Tamales made locally, Sunchokes, Lopez Island Ice-cream for Ice-cream sandwiches sold at BHS, Cabbage, Leeks, Fingerling potatoes, Shallots, Fresh sausage Italian, Andouille Sausage, Beets, Coho Salmon
• Washington State Local Purchasing grant has allowed us to purchase local bison, salmon, frozen berries, stew meat and lentils 
• Pheasant Fields Farms Arugula, Spinach, Rapini, Bok Choy, Tatsoi, Komatsuna, and Choy Sum

Scratch Cooking

• Our team is excited to develop new recipes that are healthy and tasty for kids. We are working hard to prepare as many meals as possible here in our kitchens. Please see the monthly menu for daily meal choices that outline options that are cooked by scratch. Some recipes that we’ve been excited to roll out this year include:

  • Muckleshoot Tribal Fisheries coho salmon with rosemary smashed potatoes
  • Coconut curry with local butternut squash, chicken with rice
  • Shepherd's pie with local pork and beef 
  • Sparty (vegan) burger (recipe developed by BHS students!)
  • Tomato and Corn Salad
  • Gazpacho
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Pumpkin Soup 
  • Pea Pesto Pasta
  • Carnitas

Harvest of the Month

BISD Food and Nutrition Services is excited to launch a Harvest of the Month for the 2023-24 school year. Though local products will be regularly incorporated throughout our menus, Harvest of the Month is a model for featuring and promoting one local fresh fruit or vegetable each month. The “harvest” item is served in meals and snacks, used for taste tests, featured in education and highlighted in our community. It’s a wonderful opportunity to support our local farmers and try new recipes and foods. Please see our Harvest of the Month calendar, and the resources available for each month, listed below!

Harvest of the Month Calendar

Harvest Festival Ideas