Food and
Nutrition Services would like to take you through the cafeteria to
"Take A Fresh Look" at the school lunch program and the services
it provides for students.
It is between
five-thirty and six o'clock in the morning and Food and
Nutrition Services' Managers all over the county are beginning
their day. By seven, the equipment is turned on, the ovens are
warming up, and the food is being prepared to feed the
thousands of children who will be visiting the thirty-two
cafeterias during the school day.
Students are
encouraged to participate in the school breakfast program because
studies have shown that students who eat breakfast do better in
school than their non-breakfast-eating peers. Breakfast is
available at all schools in the district. The cost for secondary
school breakfast is $1.25, for an elementary student it is $1.10.
Reduced priced breakfast for both secondary and elementary costs
$0.30, and free breakfast is also available for qualified
students. (Breakfast Menu)
Lunch is
offered for all students throughout the district, and the best
value is the regular lunch, or Type A meal. This lunch consists
of an entree, two choices of fruit and/or vegetables, and a
carton of milk. The menu items offered are selections that
students genuinely enjoy. (Lunch Menu)
Meals are balanced to be nutritious and healthy for students.
This lunch is a great value; the cost at the secondary schools
is $2.25 and at the elementary schools it is $2.00 ($.40
for
reduced, and free for qualified students). The regular lunch is
a tasty choice for students.
Students also
have the option of selecting from an a la carte menu at lunch.
These items are individually priced (although the regular lunch is
a better value!). Parents may prohibit children from selecting
from the a la carte menu by calling the Food and Nutrition
Services Manager at the school the child attends.
During an
average day in the school district, between 30,000 and 35,000
meals are served to students. Cafeterias also provide breakfast ($1.50)
and lunch ($3.00) to
school visitors and faculty. If you have not eaten a school lunch in a long time, you
might want to give us a try. You will be pleasantly surprised
with the variety and quality of the food.
Food and
Nutrition Services also offers a nutrition education program in
which children may participate. Students from all over Sarasota
County learn about the importance of nutrition and health. Items
like the Food Pyramid, healthy snacking, tasting parties, sports
nutrition, and many other nutrition-related topics are taught to
children. Teachers may schedule nutrition education by contacting Karla
Pignotti, Nutrition Educator, at 486-2199.
We hope you
enjoyed your "Fresh Look at School Lunch." If there is anything
we can do to better serve you or your child, please give us a
call at the above phone number, or call your school's Food and
Nutrition Services Manager.
Take A Fresh Look At School Lunch
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