Food Services

Meal Nutrition and Account Information

USD 373 is committed to watching the calorie and fat intake of our students. We use a service called Nu Menus that provides a nutrient breakdown, per age group, for our school meals. Menus with the nutrient breakdown are available on the website. They will also be sent home with elementary and middle school students so that both students and parents will be able to make healthy choices.

Each student will have a breakfast/lunch account. You may deposit any amount of money to the account for your student to purchase meals. Middle and High School students also have the option of purchasing items from the A la Carte program. You may sign a form if you do not wish your student to use the A la Carte line. If you have questions, please call the school your student attends and ask for the person who handles Food Service accounts.

If you have questions regarding the lunch program, please call me at 284-6297, email Elaine.Gaeddert@usd373.org or contact your child’s school office.

Elaine Gaeddert
Director of Food Service

Meal Modifications
Offer Menus

Meal Modifications

Meal modification form 19-B is obtained by parent from the school, food service department or can be downloaded here.
Parent and physician complete form.
Parent returns completed form to building secretary or food service.
Food service personnel follow up on meal modification form 19-B with parent and gives copy to school nurse.
Form 19-C is obtained by parent, completed by the parent and physician and returned to school secretary or food service to discontinue a meal modification.

Meal modification forms should be obtained by the parent, completed by the physician, and returned to food service or the school secretary. If the form is returned to the school secretary, it should be forwarded to food service.

Food service personnel contact the parent to discuss the meal modification and clarify any questions.

A copy of the meal modification form should be provided to the school nurse for the purpose of documenting food allergies. Life threatening food allergies will be noted in the conditions tab of Infinite Campus and will be noted on the teacher roster with an asterisk.

On page 7 of the USDA food and nutrition service guidelines it states that “Under no circumstances are school food service staff to revise or change a diet prescription or medical order.” To stop a meal modification order form 19-C must be completed.

The medical statement to Request School Meal Modification form 19-B applies to food served by school food service. It does not regulate food that is not provided by school food service and brought into the classroom.

Parents should communicate preferences for foods/snacks in the classroom directly to the teacher.

Offer Menus

LUNCH

Offer increases your choice in student meals. Every lunch is planned to include all five food groups;

1. Fruit 2. Vegetable 3. Protein 4. Grains 5. Milk

The food groups for each meal will be posted at the beginning of each serving line. You are encouraged to take all the foods offered; however, you may decline up to two (2) food groups. Whether you take 3, 4, or 5 of the food groups, the meal is the same price.

Offer allows you to build a healthy meal by selecting 3 to 5 different food groups. One of those food groups must be fruits, vegetables or a combination of both.

Step 1: Choose 1/2 cup of fruits, vegetables or a combination of both.

Step 2: Choose 2 or more of the following:

Full serving of Fruit-K-8 (1/2 cup)
- 9---12 (1 cup)
Full serving of Vegetables -K-8 (3/4 cup)
- 9-12 (1 cup)
Grains
Protein
Milk

The choice is up to you; just be sure to choose 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable and 2, 31 or 4 full servings from the 5 food groups. Check the menu daily so you will know which items in the school lunch you want to eat. School meals meet federal nutrition standards and give you the fuel you need to stay healthy and active.

BREAKFAST

Every breakfast is planned to include three food components:

1. Fruit 2. Grains (with optional meat/meat alternates allowed) 3. Milk

The food components for each breakfast will be posted at the beginning of each serving line. You are encouraged to take all the foods offered; however, you must take at least three items, one of which must be 1/2 cup of fruit. Whether you take three items or more, the meal is the same price.

Offer allows you to choose three or more food items you would like to take to build a healthy reimbursable meal. One of those three food items must be 1/2 cup fruit.

Step 1: Choose 1/2 cup of fruit.

Step 2: Choose two or more of the following items:

Grains ( 1 oz. equivalent) or optional meat/meat alternate ( 1 oz.)
Milk( 1 cup )
Additional Fruit Serving (1/2 cup)

Example Menu:

Whole Grain Cereal
Whole Wheat Toast
Grapes
Orange Juice (fruit)
Milk

You may take all five food items OR choose a combination of 3 or 4 items that includes 1/2 cup of fruit.

Breakfast & Lunch Menus

Meal Program & Prices

Breakfast and lunch will be offered at each school starting the first day. If you have a child with a special diet, please contact the school as special diets are prepared for students in these cases. A doctor’s note will be required.

2024-25 Meal Prices
	Lunch	Breakfast
Reduced	$0.40	$0.30
Grades K-4	$3.45	$2.15
Grades 5-8	$3.55	$2.40
Grades 9-12	$3.65	$2.65
Adults without milk (subject to change)	$4.75	$2.95
Milk	$0.65

-BOE approved 7-8-24

Online Payments can now be made through the Parent Portal. For more information on paying for meals, please see Food Service (My Cart).

Checks should be made payable to USD #373.

Money or checks should be sent to the school in an envelope marked with your child’s name and classroom teacher’s name printed on the front.

Charges are limited to 5 meals (including breakfast & lunch) per student.

Students with 5 charges and no money will be offered a cheese sandwich and milk.
Students may not purchase extra items or items from the A-la-Carte line while they have unpaid charges.

An application can be obtained from the school secretary or online in order to apply for free or reduced meals at any time during the year.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at the USDA website - How to file a program discrimination complaint and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
Email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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