Food Based Menu Options for Lunch

Let's not waste!

by C Sullivan

August 04, 2008

Dear Student:
You have the opportunity to choose only those foods which you intend to eat in the School Lunch
Program. This feature of the National School Lunch Program is designed to give you the opportunity to select foods that you want to eat and to reduce food waste. Each day you will be offered a complete lunch including a serving of:
1. Meat/Meat Alternate
2. Fruit
3. Vegetable
4. Grain/Bread
5. Milk
The servings of fruit and vegetables may be a combination of a serving of fruit and a serving of
vegetables, or two servings of two different fruits, or two servings of two different vegetables.
A school lunch provides approximately one-third of your daily nutritional needs. You are encouraged to take all the foods offered; however, you may decline up to two (2) items. The price of the meal remains the same whether you select the minimum of three food items or all five. For example, if the menu is:

Hamburger on a Bun (Meat and Bread)
Tossed Salad (Vegetable)
Corn (Vegetable)
Milk (Milk)

You could take all five food items (hamburger, bun, tossed salad, corn and milk) or you could select full portions of four items or a combination of a minimum of three items such as:

Hamburger
Bun
Milk

OR

Hamburger
Tossed Salad
Milk

Hamburger
Bun
Corn

Corn
Tossed Salad
Milk

Bun
Tossed Salad
Corn

Hamburger
Bun
Tossed Salad

Other combinations could be chosen. You must select three different items. For example, two hamburger patties would count as only one food item. Check the menu daily so you will know which items in the school lunch you want to eat. Through your careful selection of only those foods you wish to eat, you will be helping to conserve food and money – two valuable resources. Enjoy your lunch!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.