Bellevue School District Honored for Featuring Culturally Inclusive School Meals

Bellevue, WA — Bellevue School District (BSD) has been honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services as a recipient of the Rooted in Excellence Culturally Inclusive Meals award. The award program highlights the creativity, dedication, and impact of school nutrition teams across Washington state. 

This award celebrates schools that honor and reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students through inclusive and representative menu offerings. Bellevue School District was selected for its outstanding efforts to create a more inclusive dining experience by: 

• Developing a new culturally inclusive scratch recipe based on student interest that provides the minimum creditable amount of at least one meal component and fits into weekly meal pattern requirements. 

• Featuring a culturally inclusive scratch recipe, regularly throughout the school year. 

• Hosting a culturally inclusive meal event for students, families, and/or the community 

These initiatives reflect a strong commitment to equity, student engagement, and cultural celebration through food. This year’s menu features scratch-made options such as Butter Chicken or Chickpeas, Braised Beef Birria Tacos, Salmon Rice Bowl, Pork Pozole Verde, Green Chili Bean & Cheese Burritos, Chicken Dumpling Soup, and Shoyu Chicken Ramen. 

“We are honored to be recognized by OSPI for our Nutrition team’s multi-year efforts to expand our school meal menus to include flavors from around the globe,” says Wendy Weyer, RD, SNS Bellevue School District Nutrition Director 

Looking ahead, BSD plans to expand its culturally inclusive offerings by introducing several new recipes and offering more student taste-test opportunities in the fall of 2026.  

Photos of the culturally inclusive meals are available on the BSD’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bellevueschools405/. 

The Culturally Inclusive Meals Award is one of several categories in the Culinary Excellence track, which also includes Breakfast Excellence, Farm to School, and Scratch Cooking. The Rooted in Excellence program also recognizes schools that demonstrate leadership in Nutrition Education, Marketing and Promotion, and Partnerships and Engagement.  

To learn more about the Rooted in Excellence recognition program, including award criteria and how to apply next year, please contact CNStraining@k12.wa.us. 

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