School Nutrition Programs

School Nutrition Program Overview

Welcome to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction School Nutrition Programs homepage. Members of the Bureau of School Nutrition (BSN) provide nutrition information and program guidance to sponsors of the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Wisconsin School Day Milk Program, Afterschool Snack Program and the USDA Foods Program. Staff are also responsible for a variety of nutrition education initiatives that involve collaboration with other state agencies, UW-Extension, and regional and statewide child nutrition advocacy groups.

BSN Mission Statement: To ensure a strong nutritional foundation that supports learning and development for all students through state-wide leadership, guidance, partnership, and advocacy.

Wisconsin School Meals Rock!

There are great things happening in Wisconsin's school cafeterias. Follow our Wisconsin School Meals Rock! page to read stories and share yours!

Events

Farm to School Events

October 2026: National Farm to School Month – Celebrate National Farm to School Month by enjoying locally grown foods, supporting local farmers, and discovering the fresh, nutritious foods grown in your community.

October 8, 2026 (Thurs): Great Apple Crunch – Crunch into locally-grown apples to celebrate local food purchasing and encourage healthy eating during National Farm to School Month.

October 12-16: National School Lunch Week

November 12, 2026 (Thurs): Wisconsin Local Food Day – Highlight Wisconsin’s state fruit, the cranberry through lessons about the cranberry-growing industry, cranberry-infused school meals, and education about the many health benefits of this local fruit.

February 2027: Wisconsin Chili Lunch – Celebrate Wisconsin-grown foods by serving chili made with local ingredients for school lunch.

May 2027: Wisconsin School Garden Day – Celebrate with a fun activity that gets kids involved in gardening—through planting, observing, art, reading, STEM, weeding, or other garden-based experiences.

May 2027: Muffin Maynia – Enjoy delicious muffins made with Wisconsin-grown fruits, vegetables, eggs, and/or grains for breakfast, lunch, or a la carte!

Summer 2027: Cucumber Crunch – Enjoy summer and promote local foods by hosting a fun Cucumber Crunch—pick any date during the summer to have staff and students bite into fresh, local cucumbers or another in-season fruit or veggie.

Recognition Events

Participate in the Wisconsin Farm to School (F2S) Recognition Program to gain recognition and celebrate your F2S accomplishments.