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Bethel School District Facilities Tour
Hosted by Bethel School District
1.5 hours, PS Code, 1100 & 2100

Curious about centralized food production? What is a cook-chill system? What is reduced oxygen packaging? Come and see our real-life lunch lab in Bethel School District! This session will provide you with an overview of centralized food production and it's application in the school nutrition environment. Leeda Beha, Director of Child Nutrition and Warehousing Services at Bethel School District, will provide an overview how it is similar and different from on-site and central/satellite production models and it's advantages and challenges when producing food USDA school meal programs. This session will be a combination of classroom instruction and tour of Bethel School District's central kitchen.   

Lunch Lab: From Farm to Tray — The Science of Fresh-Cut Produce
Hosted by Penny's Salsa
1.5 hours, PS Code, 1100

Step into the Lunch Lab for an immersive behind-the-scenes experience exploring how fresh-cut fruits and vegetables move from Washington farms to school cafeterias. This hands-on session begins with a guided farm tour and continues through the processing and distribution journey, giving attendees a firsthand look at how locally grown produce can support school meal programs across the state.

Participants will learn about: Attendees will also dive into the science behind fresh-cut produce, including how fruits and vegetables are kept fresh, crisp, and protected from browning after processing. This interactive session blends agriculture, nutrition, food science, and practical school nutrition applications into one engaging Lunch Lab experience.

• Perfect for school nutrition professionals, menu planners, farm-to-school advocates, and anyone passionate about bringing local foods to students.
• Fruit and vegetable processing techniques
• The benefits of using fresh-cut and processed produce in school nutrition programs
• Strategies for sourcing local Washington-grown products
• Ways schools can successfully incorporate these products into menus
• Produce seasonality and sourcing throughout Washington State
• Distribution systems that help connect farms to schools  

Tacoma Scenic Walking Tour
Hosted by Pretty Gritty City Tour
Does not meet the requirements to credit to towards professional standards training requirements

Get to Know Tacoma:
Time: 1.5 hrs
Distance: 10 blocks
What to bring: Comfy Shoes, Camera, Curiosity

Tacoma is a city with a lot of stereotypes and myths. Which of these is true and which of them is propaganda? Find out with us on this walking tour as we discover "The City of Destiny" along one of its most famous and powerful streets, Pacific Avenue...

We will see the major sites of Tacoma, the Glass Museum, Union Depot, the Tacoma Dome, the Chihuly Glass Bridge, and Old City Hall, and lets you get acquainted with our great city. This tour will also take you past some of our favorite restaurants along the way in case you would like to stop after.
If you've never been to Tacoma before or want to know more about what makes this city unique, this is the tour for you.

A walking tour of the downtown corridor that talks about all the myths, legends, and famous tales that made Tacoma one of the most famous cities on the West Coast. From Whiskey Row to the giant octopus, this tour focuses on the best of the best. This tour will help you get to know Tacoma faster than any other and highlights the amazing parts of our downtown corridor.

Wellness Activity
Hosted by our Wellness Sponsors
Does not meet the requirements to credit to towards professional standards training requirements

This event is a great low-impact wellness activity hosted on-site at the convention center! Learn skills to keep wellness top of mind in you kitchen, office, and as you move through life.