Taste Washington Day 2021 – celebrating the farm to school connection

Annette Slonim

WSDA Farm to School 

Purchasing Grant Specialist

 Each year, soon after students return to school, the annual Taste Washington Day is held as a way to promote both the farm to school movement serving local foods in school meals and Washington agriculture.

Yakima School District, Taste Washington Day 2020.

This year, Taste Washington Day 2021 will be held on Oct. 6. Schools from around the state have been encouraged to share their farm to school efforts, whether those activities are year-round, or once-a-year on this special day. Eighteen school districts and more than 20 farms have signed up to celebrate local foods in Washington. Visit agr.wa.gov/FarmtoSchool to see the growing list of participating schools and farms.

To celebrate Taste Washington Day, schools are planning a range of fun and engaging activities, such as serving a Washington-grown food as part of breakfast or lunch, highlighting farm sources on menus, doing a “Washington Apple Crunch” at noon, sending students home with a “Taste Washington Day Recipe,” teaching lessons in school gardens, hosting a pop-up Farmers Market, and more!

Still time to join

Valley School District, local lettuce and tomatoes, 
Taste Washington Day 2020

School districts and farmers can still sign up online to be part of the event and share their plans with WSDA by the Taste Washington Day page on our website.

Local Washington-grown foods are a part of school meals in many school districts across the state as farmers support schools with products ranging from apples and pears to local cheese and yogurt, Washington-raised beef, seasonal veggies, grains, and legumes.

Washington is a major farming state with farms in every county, so Taste Washington Day is also an opportunity to teach students about agriculture by learning about what is being grown and produced in their own communities. 

Everett School District, 
Taste Washington Day 2020

WSDA partners with the Washington School Nutrition Association to organize Taste Washington Day, with support from Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Child Nutrition. Local nonprofits, parents, volunteers, and community partners also work to support Taste Washington Day.

Where to learn more

If you are a farmer or work at a school and would like more information about participating in Taste Washington Day, contact WSDA Farm to School Purchasing Grant Specialist, Annette Slonim at aslonim@agr.wa.gov or 206-593-6953. You can also visit agr.wa.gov/FarmtoSchool to learn more about WSDA’s Farm to School program.