Child Nutrition Department FAQs

Why do Staff, Adults and Visitors pay more for a tray than students?

Federal guidelines state that the adult meal must be priced so that it is sufficient enough to cover the cost of the meal. This is to include all  USDA entitlements and bonus commodities used to prepare the meal. All students, even Full Paid status students, receive federal reimbursement and commodities to subsidize the cost of their meals so that their meals cost less than staff, adults, or visitors.

Why do the meal prices seem to go up every year?

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act addresses the Equity in School Lunch Pricing.  The law requires School Food Authorities to set paid meals prices so that the total paid meal price and the paid reimbursement equal the amount of funding provided for Free meals. As a result of this new regulation, we have developed a plan to comply with the current regulation. Non program food items such as adult meals and a la carte sales must also be priced at a rate that covers their cost with non-program revenues.

What happens if a student does not want to pick up the minimum required meal components for a USDA reimbursable meal?

Student meals that do not meet the USDA requirements are not reimbursable as Free, Reduced-price or Student Paid price. Students are encouraged to select a complete reimbursable meal, but if they refuse the individual items on the plate must be charged as an a la carte purchase. The a la carte prices are higher than regular student meal prices because they are not subsidized by the USDA.

What is a reimbursable meal?

A single priced meal that offers all of the USDA daily required meal pattern components for each age/grade group served in the minimum required amounts. Quantities vary by age/grade group, but components remain constant and necessary for all student meals claimed for reimbursement.

Why have our menus changed, and why do we have all these vegetables offered?

Under the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2012, The USDA put into place new menu planning guidelines for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. These guidelines state that ALL meals must include a fruit or vegetable. Under offer vs serve, (meaning students are able to select their menu items) in the National School Lunch Program, a student must take at least 3 components in the required serving sizes, but may take up to five of the components. One of those selections MUST be 1/2 cup from either the fruit or vegetable component. These components are as follows: fruits, vegetables, grains, meats or meat alternates, and milk. Vegetable components are now broken down into types of vegetables and minimum amounts of each type must be served each week.