Rocky Boy schools serve culture, health and tradition through school meals.

Rocky Boy School District now serves tribally sourced foods such as bison, bannock and berry soup in school meals, using ingredients grown and processed on the Chippewa Cree reservation.

Rocky Boy School District has shifted school lunches to include tribally sourced and Indigenous foods as part of reconnecting students with culture and supporting community health. Food service staff are replacing many processed items with ingredients native to the land. Much of the food is grown, harvested, and processed on the Chippewa Cree reservation. School leaders say the change also ties into tribal food sovereignty efforts and the tribe's buffalo ranch. Key facts: - Students were served bison chili made with tribally sourced ground bison, baked bannock from locally grown grain, and a traditional berry soup. - Food services director Lori Osgood said the bison served is grass-fed and comes from the tribe's own buffalo ranch. - Donna Gopher, food development specialist with the Chippewa Cree Tribe, said the tribal food sovereignty program grows, harvests, and mills food before it reaches the school. - Theron Oats, buffalo ranch manager, said the ranch supplies bison to schools, the local help lodge, and community markets to support community health. - The district must still meet state and federal nutrition requirements and continues menu planning to satisfy those standards. Summary: Leaders say the effort supports cultural reconnection and long-term health and continues into summer meal programs. They report they hope the model can expand to other tribal communities and local markets. Undetermined at this time.