Question: What do roasted Brussels sprouts, Marin Sun Farms burgers, miso mushroom soup, and Sharlyn melons all have in common?
Answer: They're local . . . students love them . . . and they're favorites on the Bay menu!

The dining program at the Bay School is really something special. Arriving on campus each morning before classes begin, we are greeted with bagels, fresh breads and jams, fresh fruit, and hot tea as the smell of home-cooked food floats through the building. Whether gathering for daily lunch or celebrating special holiday meals together at times like Thanksgiving, Lunar New Year, even St. Patrick's Day--every day of the school week, students, faculty and staff all come together at lunch time to break bread and share conversation in a warm, welcoming, family-like setting. This unique community experience is a defining aspect of the spirit at Bay, and members of the Acre Gourmet culinary team are all much-loved members of the Bay School family.

Acre Gourmet's dining program at Bay School whets students' appetites while more than meeting their nutritional needs. Every day, lunch is cooked from scratch in the on-site full-size catering kitchen; our food is ecologically conscious, local, seasonal, and predominantly organic. Our meals are delicious and offer an abundance of nutritious options ranging from kiwi to kale, beets and butternut squash, to enchiladas, home-made soups, Marin Sun Farms beef lasagna, and bona fide Middle Eastern feasts. We use grass-fed meat and free-range poultry that is free of hormones and antibiotics. Plus, our menus are low in salt, sugar, and free of trans fats. Menus are continually changing, purposefully highlighting seasonal fruits and vegetables, and an expansive salad bar is a daily feature. Students at Bay develop adventurous palates, and the food we serve reflects a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. Of course, when planning menus, Acre is ever-mindful of the health needs and dietary restrictions of individual Bay students and staff; all special dietary needs are happily accommodated.

Our dining program reflects the Bay School's commitment to respecting our environment, one of our guiding precepts. To this end, we use local, primarily organic ingredients provided by Bay Area farms, cooked strategically for the number of people we serve each day. We proudly implement sustainable practices such as a full composting/recycling program that aims for 'zero waste'.

Note: The cost of all food and drink served on campus is included in each student's comprehensive service fee. Thus there is no need for students to carry cash.

Resources:
View Bay School Weekly Menus
Appetizing News: Read the Acre Gourmet School Lunch Blog
Acre Gourmet's Real School Lunch