District sets a new standard in Washington state with ambitious plant-based pledge

Northshore School District is the first school district in Washington state and the entire Pacific Northwest to sign a plant-based pledge with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), paving the way for school meal programs.

As one of Washington's largest districts serving approximately 22,000 students, Northshore School District represents a wide range of cultural backgrounds. The district’s plant-based goal responds to the growing demand from students for diverse and nutritious meal options that honor and support their cultural, ethical, religious, health and environmental values. Since 2019, the district has been serving students a variety of delicious and nutritious meal options including rajma masala, chickpea coconut curry, Thai noodle salad, and Moroccan harira.

To kick off this collaboration, the Humane Society of the United States and Northshore School District co-presented at the Washington School Nutrition Association’s annual conference in July. The presentation highlighted the importance of serving more plant-based menus and provided practical tips for implementing these offerings in schools. The HSUS Food Service Innovation team will continue to partner with the district to achieve its goal by providing recipes and chef-led culinary trainings, as well as student engagement strategies and marketing support.

“Signing the Humane Society of the United States’ Forward Food pledge is a significant step for us in Northshore School District,” said Juliana Fisher, director of food and nutrition services at Northshore School District. “We are dedicated to reaching 28% plant-based options by 2027. We serve a wonderfully diverse community, with over 123 languages spoken, and it's vital that our menu choices reflect this diversity. By embracing more plant-based options, we are making a meaningful move towards sustainability and ensuring that every student can enjoy nutritious, inclusive meals. This pledge underscores our dedication to health, inclusivity and environmental responsibility."

Kym Bower, food service innovation specialist at the Humane Society of the United States, praised the district for setting an example for other schools in the region: “We commend Northshore School District for taking this step in becoming the first district in Washington to showcase its dedication to humane, inclusive and climate-friendly menus. We hope this commitment to diversifying school menus inspires other districts in Washington to follow suit and see that they too can make a difference.”