BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS
We offer breakfast and lunch under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program which is a federally assisted meal program that was established under the “National School Lunch Act” and signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
School districts that choose to take part in the breakfast/lunch program get subsidies and donated commodities from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for each meal they serve. In return, they must serve breakfast and lunches that meet Federal requirements, and they must offer free or reduced price breakfast and lunches to eligible students.
A school breakfast consists of four different food components.
The four components are:
1. Fluid Milk (8 oz.)
2. Vegetable/Fruit or Full-Strength Juice (1/2 cup)
3. Two Servings of Bread/Bread Alternate (1 Bread each), or Meat/Meat Alternate (1 oz. yield each)
4. Or one serving of Bread/Bread Alternate and one of Meat/Meat Alternate
Students must take three of the four components listed above in order for the meal to be counted as a reimbursable breakfast. Students who take less than three of the meal components will be charged individually for each item. Students who take more than four of the meal components will be charged individually for each item. This sometimes results in a higher price for the student; therefore, all students are encouraged to take at least three but not more than four of the meal components offered at breakfast. Students have the option of which items to decline.
A school lunch consists of five different food components. The five components are:
1. Meat/Meat Alternate (2 oz. yield)
2. Bread/Bread Alternate
3. Vegetable (1/2 cup)
4. Fruit (1/2 cup)
5. Milk (8 oz.)
Students must take three of the five meal components listed above in order for the meal to be counted as a reimbursable lunch. Students who take less than three of the meal components will be charged individually for each item. Students who take more than five of the meal components will be charged additional for each item. This sometimes results in a higher price for the student; therefore, all students are encouraged to take at least three but not more than five of the five meal components. Students have the option of which items to decline.
The Child Nutrition Department is self-supporting, which means we must generate our own funds to help purchase food and supplies; pay salaries and benefits of all Child Nutrition employees, repair or replace equipment, etc. This is why we offer a wide variety of supplemental sale items including many baked chips, reduced fat cookies, water, low-fat ice cream, etc.
It is the goal of the Child Nutrition Department for each student to eat a nutritious and healthy meal each day. In addition we provide healthy and nutritious snacks. We invite you to eat breakfast or lunch with your child at any time. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call the School Cafeteria Manager or the Child Nutrition Director at the Central Office.
The following is an explanation of how meals are charged:
If a student takes three of the four meal components for breakfast or all four components, then that student is charged current breakfast price if they are a paying student. A reduced paying student pays the current reduced price for breakfast (30 cents). A free student must take three of the four components for breakfast or all four components in order to receive the breakfast at no charge. If a student takes less than three of the four components, they are charged individually for each item, whether they are paying, reduced or free.
This also applies to lunch. A student must take three but not more than five of the meal components for lunch. A reduced paying student is charged a reduced price for lunch (40 cents). A free student must take at least three but not more than five of the five meal components in order to receive the lunch at no charge. If any student only takes two or less of the five meal components, they are charged individually for each item, whether they are paying, reduced or free.
Extra charges occur when students get two of the same item, i.e., two bowls of fries, mashed potatoes, applesauce, an extra entrée, etc. Then the student is charged accordingly for the extra item. Extra charges also occur when the student buys supplemental sale items, i.e., chips, cookies, ice cream, etc.
Money may be applied to your child’s account at anytime. The federal Child Nutrition program does not allow charging for meals or extra items. At this time, each school principal sets the guidelines for a student who does not have money in their account.
I hope that this information will be helpful and if you have any questions, please feel free to call the Child Nutrition Director at 828-464-8333, ext. 362.