Did you know the Sedro-Woolley School District serves approximately 3,475 breakfasts and lunches every school day?
At the October 26 School Board meeting, Food Service and Warehouse Director Allison Johnston shared an inside look at the district's school meal programs, including how meals are prepared, how federal funding works and what's changing this school year.
Her presentation also highlighted the district's ongoing efforts to improve meal quality, support local farms and provide nutritious food for students.
Why Are Meals Still Free at Most Schools, but Not SWHS?
For the past four years, every student in the Sedro-Woolley School District could receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day through a federal program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP).
CEP allows qualifying schools to serve meals at no cost to all students, regardless of individual family income.
However, schools must meet specific federal eligibility requirements to participate. When the district reapplied in April 2026, it no longer qualified to offer CEP districtwide.
The good news is that 10 of our 11 school meal sites continue to offer free breakfast and lunch to every student.
Here's how that works:
Eight schools qualified to continue participating in CEP through June 2030.
Big Lake and Clear Lake elementary schools qualified through Washington state's Meals for WA Kids program, which allows qualifying schools serving younger students to provide free meals to everyone.
Sedro-Woolley High School no longer qualifies for either program and has returned to the standard school meal system.
At SWHS, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals can still receive those benefits. Students who do not qualify must purchase their meals.
Why did eligibility change?
Federal meal programs use specific eligibility calculations to determine which schools qualify.
Districtwide, the percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals has declined from 43.9% in 2022-23 to 40.9% as of October 27, 2026.
While the district would like to continue providing free meals to every student, the federal and state eligibility requirements determine which schools can participate in these programs.
What Does It Take to Feed Thousands of Students Every Day?
Our Food Service and Warehouse team includes 35 employees who prepare, serve and deliver meals throughout the district.
The district operates two main production kitchens:
Sedro-Woolley High School prepares meals for SWHS and State Street High School.
Cascade Middle School prepares meals for CMS and the district's elementary schools.
Meals are transported daily to other schools using specialized equipment to maintain appropriate temperatures and food safety.
The department operates on an annual budget of approximately $3.3 million, including about $235,000 in food provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Of that amount, $50,000 is directed toward purchasing fresh produce through a federal program.
More Fresh Food and Better Meal Quality
The Food Service team has been making changes to improve the quality of meals students receive.
At four elementary schools, new equipment allows staff to receive food cold and heat it closer to serving time, rather than keeping meals warm during transportation. This reduces the time food spends in warming equipment and helps improve its quality.
The district has also purchased new salad bars for all elementary schools, giving students more opportunities to select fresh fruits and vegetables.
Supporting Washington Farms and Local Businesses
Since 2022, the district has received nearly $208,000 in Washington State Department of Agriculture Farm to School Purchasing Grant funding to support the purchase of Washington-grown foods.
These funds help bring fresh, locally produced ingredients into school cafeterias while supporting farmers and food producers across our state.
The district recently celebrated Taste Washington Day on October 8, featuring foods from several Washington farms and producers, including Grace Harbor Farms in Lynden, Sakuma Brothers Farms in Burlington, Sauk Farm in Concrete and Hedlin Farms in La Conner.
These partnerships help connect students with the agricultural communities that produce their food.
Investing in Better Food Storage
The Food Service Department also received a $192,435 Healthy Kids, Healthy Schools grant to purchase and install a new walk-in refrigerator and freezer at the district warehouse.
The additional cold storage will improve the district's ability to store fresh and frozen foods and support future meal planning.
Installation is expected to be completed by the end of the 2026-27 school year.
What's New at Sedro-Woolley High School?
While the high school's meal funding structure has changed, the Food Service team is working to provide students with more choices.
This year, SWHS has brought back several popular options:
Cubway: Custom-made deli sandwiches.
Grab-and-go choices: Premade salads, wraps and sandwiches for students who need a quick lunch.
Snack Shack: An à la carte area where students can purchase additional food items.
The department also plans to gather student feedback to help guide future menu decisions.
Thank You to Our Food Service Team!
School meals involve much more than what students see on their lunch trays. From planning menus and preparing thousands of meals to transporting food safely and finding ways to purchase more Washington-grown ingredients, our Food Service and Warehouse employees play an important role in supporting students every day.
Thank you to Allison Johnston and the entire Food Service and Warehouse team for their dedication to feeding our students and continually improving the meals we serve!