Brookings-Harbor School District (BHSD) is excited to celebrate National School Lunch Week for the first time. BHSD is proud to be a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) District, which means all students receive free meals. The district is dedicated to providing healthy, nutritious meals through its participation in several programs, including Farm to School, the Department of Defense’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, Breakfast After the Bell, and Summer Foods.
BHSD's elementary, middle, and high schools each offer two salad bars that feature a wide variety of seasonal vegetables, fruits, legumes, proteins, grains, and homemade salads. The high school has recently added a deli bar, where students can choose from five different sandwiches and personalize them with items like sprouts, avocado, pepperoncinis, and more.
As Nutrition Director, I am committed to bringing a wide range of new and exciting foods to the students' meals. Our menu has included crab ceviche, breaded alligator bites, smoked salmon cucumber bites, a crawfish boil, Korean street tacos, chicken caprese sandwiches, jicama, mushrooms, kumquats, rainbow carrots, and colored cabbage. Our goal is to provide students with a memorable meal experience, incorporating locally sourced ingredients such as fresh-caught tuna, local beef, and dairy products from just across the state border.
To celebrate National School Lunch Week, which runs from October 14-18, the elementary and middle schools have provided a national school lunch activity guide, a handmade treasure map, and October’s menu, along with daily activities that students can enjoy throughout the week. We are looking forward to making this week a fun and engaging way to highlight the importance of school meals in fueling students' learning and well-being.
~Cindy Badger, Food Service and Nutrition Director
Monday: Dress like a pirate
Tuesday: Tasting table, pomegranate and celery
Wednesday: Find a message in a bottle
Thursday: Sink a ship
Friday: Reimbursable meal treasure seekers
Oregon Department of Education and
Oregon School Boards Association
Celebrate National School Lunch Week
(Salem, OR) – The week of October 14 - 18 is National School Lunch Week. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) and the Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) are teaming up to raise awareness of the importance of Child Nutrition Programs in schools.
Around the state, school board members will eat with students during the week to learn about the healthy and tasty options and experience the social benefits of school lunches. You can follow along on social media through the #NSLW24inOR hashtag and the ODE and OSBA X accounts.
“National School Lunch Week is a welcomed opportunity to highlight the nutritious meals served to kids in Oregon’s schools,” ODE Director of Child Nutrition Dustin Melton said. “In addition, it provides a chance to commend the amazing Child Nutrition staff that work in schools to ensure meals are provided to Oregon’s kids each school day.”
"It's this simple: kids learn better and build better connections with their peers and teachers when they receive nutritious, tasty lunches at school," Governor Kotek said. "School Lunch Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the school staff who provide lunches to our students every day, and the state and local leaders who year after year prioritize the health and wellbeing of our kids."
In 2023-24, over 43 million school lunches were served to Oregon students. The state legislature has endorsed the value of school meals, including funding of $106 million in the Student Success Act, in the 2023-2025 biennium for expanded school nutrition programs.
“Children learn better when they are nourished, and our schools provide vital nutrition for hundreds of thousands of students every weekday,” said OSBA Board President Sami Al-Abdrabbuh. “Our caring school staff are making sure students are not going to class hungry, giving each and every student a better opportunity for success.”
More information about National School Lunch Week and Oregon’s School Nutrition Programs can be found online.