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Welcome back to another year of scratch-made, locally-sourced, Free School Food! Yes, school meals remain free for all students, including breakfast for the 2026-27 school year. Try meals from our award-winning School Food Project, including a gluten-free and dairy-free option every day.

This year the BVSD School Food Project is excited to introduce the following menu items in our schools. Check out this year's school food menus to see when it will be available to try!

• Pork Posole Rojo with Cabbage Garnish
• Japanese Yakisoba Noodles & Tofu
• Filipino Adobo Chicken with Garlic Fried Rice
• Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich
• Veggie Chili with Sweet Potato Cornbread
• Birria Beef Burrito with Consumme dip
• Chicken & Street Corn Tacos
• Turkey, Bacon, Pepper Jack Melt
• 3 Sisters Quesadilla

Along with two student-created dishes from our middle school Iron Chef competition:

• This year’s winner, Chicken Shawarma on Pita
• and a runner-up, Chicken Parm sandwich.  

Newly available to elementary: Chicken Ramen, Nashville Chicken Sandwich, Pho Ga

We also have some new 'Harvest of the Month' dishes, sides, and desserts:

• Chili crunch smashed cucumbers
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Peruvian-style mayocoba beans
• Salsa macha
• Parmesan-roasted new potatoes
• Mexican street corn casserole
• Sweet potato churro bars

See the full menu online

BVSD’s School Food Project was recently honored with a “Snail of Approval” award from Slow Food Boulder County, the local branch of a national organization that recognizes food and beverage businesses that practice the organization’s values of “good, clean and fair food for all.” 

These values closely align with how the School Food Project approaches preparing meals for students every day. Serving up nearly 17,000 meals daily—amounting to ~3 million meals over a school year—creates a tremendous opportunity to positively support student health, local farmers and the local economy, BVSD’s sustainability goals, and the planet.

From reusable trays and utensils to composting food scraps, sustainability is ubiquitous throughout SFP operations: 

WASTE REDUCTION

• Scratch cooking in large batches from fresh ingredients reduces packaging 
• Food scraps from the Culinary Center are used to create vermicompost 
• Food scraps in school kitchens and cafeterias are composted by a local partner
• Extra food, dressings, etc. are donated to Boulder Food Rescue and Community Food Share
• Share bins at schools for whole fruits and unopened cheese sticks reduce food waste
• Reusable trays, glasses, and utensils reduce waste from disposables
• Bulk milk dispensers eliminate carton waste
• Buying "ugly" or odd-sized fruits and vegetables from farmers that they wouldn't otherwise be able to sell reduces food waste

SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMS, ECONOMY, AND LAND

• Our small, local farmer partners typically practice more sustainable farming
• Fewer "food miles"—distance traveled from source to consumer—contribute to a smaller carbon footprint
• Local purchasing keeps money circulating in the local economy
• BVSD practices "micro purchasing"—buying small amounts from many different farms to help keep them running and spreading the profits
• Salad bar flexibility—we can buy whatever farmers have based on what is growing, which supports farms and reduces their waste 
• Indoor grown lettuce—uses recycled water (and less of it than traditional farming) and no pesticides

Learn more about BVSD’s amazing School Food Project at our open house, April 30, 4-6 p.m.

BVSD’s school meals nourish more than students—they feed worms, too!

At the School Food Project’s central kitchen, vegetable peels and trimmings are transformed through vermicomposting, where worms turn food scraps into nutrient-rich compost. Instead of becoming waste, these scraps support a sustainable, closed-loop food system right here in our district. As Head Chef Yuri Sanow shares, “Under the right conditions, composting worms can process up to half their body weight in organic matter!”

This rich vermicompost strengthens soil, helping plants retain water and grow more resilient to pests, disease, and drought. Students witness this cycle firsthand during field trips to the central kitchen and greenhouse, where they explore scratch cooking, composting, and seed planting—bringing classroom learning to life.

Each spring, the greenhouse also supports the beloved Annual Plant Sale Fundraiser, with proceeds benefiting garden and nutrition education programs. For students eager to dig deeper, summer camps offer hands-on experiences in gardening, cooking, and sustainability.

A System That Comes Full Circle

When food scraps in the kitchen can decompose into soil, which is then added to plants in the greenhouse and garden, where edible plants are grown for learning and eating, a circle is drawn. The circle is about building awareness, responsibility, and connection.

These programs show students that small actions–like where food scraps go–can have a meaningful impact. 

And in doing so, they’re helping cultivate the next generation of thoughtful eaters, growers, and community members.

 

Five incredibly talented teams of BVSD middle schoolers gathered on Wednesday, March 11 for the annual Middle School Iron Chef competition at the BVSD Culinary Center. Thirteen young chefs representing Aspen Creek K-8, Eldorado K-8, Horizons K-8, Monarch PK-8, Manhattan, and Centennial Middle School brought the heat as they demonstrated their culinary skills in a live cooking competition. These five teams were carefully selected from an impressive pool of 24 team applicants.

“We are thrilled that for the second year we get to hold the competition in this beautiful space,” said Shawn Marie Rivera, a BVSD District Manager and judge. Since its completion in 2024, the competition has been held in the Apex Teaching Kitchen at the Culinary Center, giving students a glimpse into a potential culinary pathway in high school.

This year’s theme, “Food on the Move,” challenged teams to create handheld dishes. Final creations included Chicken Parmigiana Sliders, Chicken Shawarma Wraps, Buffalo Chicken Caesar Wraps, Mediterranean Empanadas, and Brazilian Street Empanadas.

With minimal assistance from adult mentors, each team prepared their dish and selected a student to present its story or inspiration to the judges. Participants spoke confidently about their culinary choices while serving samples to BVSD chefs and managers, Apex culinary teacher Amber Graff and one of her students, and guest judge Amy Kimoto-Kahn—an accomplished author, personal chef, and food blogger based in Boulder. Kimoto-Kahn elevated the competition by gifting signed copies of her books to members of the winning team.

“I might say this every year, but I think this was the best Iron Chef event yet,” said Food Services Director Chef Carolyn Villa. “The kids keep raising the stakes with their skills and dedication!”

Warehouse Manager Doug Kasarosian enthusiastically emceed the event, ultimately announcing Team E+M—Eli Schlissel and Maya Willner—as this year’s champions for their standout Chicken Shawarma Wraps. Chef Carolyn Villa presented the top three teams with “big checks” for their schools, with top prizes going to Centennial and Platt Middle Schools. In keeping with BVSD Iron Chef tradition, the winning dish will be featured on next year’s school menu.

All teams earned high praise for their preparation, creativity, and performance under pressure, and Villa congratulated every student participant.

The Daily Camera covered the event, highlighting both the competition and its winners. A favorite event among BVSD staff and the broader community, the Iron Chef competition continues to inspire connection, creativity, and the next generation of chefs year after year.

Ambassador Team Launch

This year Americorp service member, Hailey Neuburger co-created the School Food Project’s Ambassador Program, along with BVSD middle and high school students. Through connecting with the BVSD Green Youth Council, she met students who care about sustainability, climate action, and the district’s environmental footprint. Their perspective, along with every other student voice districtwide, is essential to our mission — because the way students eat every day is one of the easiest and most powerful ways to reduce waste, support the local economy, nurture the land you are on and build healthier communities.

Ambassadors will work with the School Food Project team to design campaigns, create outreach materials, deep dive into informal research & lead student-driven initiatives that support a healthier and more sustainable lunch culture. 

Passion Project: Hydroponic Farm Tour 

As a student-led collective, members chose to individually take on a passion project that connects school food to sustainability. One of the ambassadors Jude Schryver, a Broomfield High junior, was curious about where the lettuce comes from on the salad bar in the lunchrooms- as he thinks “it's delicious and fresh”. 

The School Food Project, along with the team over at What Chefs Want, were able to set up a tour with 80 acres farm, a hydroponic farm based in Denver, where the lettuce is sourced from. Kalera uses vertical, hydroponic systems to grow pesticide-free, non-GMO leafy greens. Jude had the opportunity to meet with Max, the grow supervisor and Jordan, the farm manager. This farm is just one of the many examples of how the SFP invests their dollar into the local community, amplifying initiatives such as this one. 

Jude’s interview questions that left us feeling inspired:

What do you hope students will take away from learning about where their food comes from?

• “This is the future of feeding people that don't have access to fresh produce around the world. I hope that students will take away a sense of optimism- this pushes the boundaries of what we can accomplish as humans. Mother nature can be unpredictable and as we've seen this year, we haven't had much of a winter. Here, there is a controlled environment, where we can control our inputs like water, light, and temperature.”

What is the largest difference in terms of sustainability between traditional farming vs hydroponics?

• “The water and land usage. We have about a one acre building where we can grow around 10 acres worth of produce! The system produces 22 separate harvests a year, while most traditional farms produce 1. We also recycle about 95% of our water.”

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