The Edgewood City School Food Service Department operates five on site preparation kitchens. The cafeterias serve lunch and breakfast at each location daily. Continual efforts are made to improve the service and quality of the products we provide our customers.

Eating breakfast has proven benefits of overall better heath, better test scores, and fewer disciplinary problems. These are all excellent reasons to encourage your child to eat breakfast every morning.

The Food Service Department provides our students and employees wholesome appetizing food choices. This is important as it contributes to the physical and mental growth of our children. The Department is operated as a business. All costs including salaries associated with the Food Service Department are paid by money collected from students, staff and federal reimbursement for participation in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.

A pre-paid lunch ticket is also available. Five-day ticket for Elementary School costs $10.50 Middle School pre-paid ticket cost $11.75. Parents are always welcome to have lunch with their children. Lunch consists of milk, entrée, fruit and/or vegetable.

Elementary schools offer a daily choice of:	Secondary schools offer a daily choice of:
Hot Lunch Chef Salad Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich Pizza	Hot Lunch Chef Salad Hamburger or Cheeseburger on Bun Pizza Sub Sandwich

Edgewood High School and Middle School offer students a large amount of choices including salad entrees, variety of pizza and deli sandwiches.

BREAKFAST

Each BREAKFAST provides at least ¼ minimum of the RDA's* for your student. The foods are:

• 1 Serving (4oz.) Fruit or Fruit Juice
• 2 Servings (2oz.) Breads, Cereals, Grains
• 1 Serving (8oz.) Milk
OR
• 1 Serving (1oz.) Bread
• 1 Serving (1 oz.) Meat or Eggs
• 1 Serving (8oz.) Milk

LUNCH

Each LUNCH provides at least 1/3 of the RDA's* for your student.

• 1 Serving (2 to 3 oz.) Protein Foods (Meat/Cheese)
• 2 or 3 Servings (2 to 3 oz.) Breads, Cereals, Grains
• 2 or more servings (3/4 cup or more) Fruits and/or Vegetables
• 1 Serving (8oz.) Milk

The Free and Reduced Price Lunch Program
Free and reduced price lunch/breakfast is available to students who qualify and meet the eligibility guidelines. Students who qualified last school year are automatically qualified for the first 30 days of the school year. However, a new application must be completed for the upcoming 2007-08 school year within 30 days from the start of the school year for child to continue on the program.

Applications are sent home the first day of school. Call your school if you did not receive one. You may also locate an application on the school web site; http://www.edgewoodschools.com

Applications are accepted anytime during the school year. Parents who have any change in employment or income anytime during the year may apply for benefits.

Foster children automatically qualify for free lunch once an application is received and approved in the Food Service Department office.

No child is discriminated against because of race, sex, color, national origin, age or handicap.

Food Allergies
Parents please contact the school nurse if your child has any food allergies or restrictions. Students who are lactose intolerant must have a written notice from a health care professional in order to receive juice in place of milk. USDA guidelines prohibit serving substitute drinks to students without written medical directives from a medical authority. Notes from parents requesting any beverage other than milk are not acceptable under USDA guidelines of the National School Lunch Program.

Returned Checks
A $29.00 charge will be assessed for a returned check. Additional checks will not be accepted until all fees are paid. For a second offense, no checks will be accepted for the remainder of the school year. Call the Food Service office at 513-867-7433 to arrange for payment.

Lunch Charges
From time to time, a student will not have lunch money available. When this occurs, a lunch charge is created. Parents are notified in writing when charges accrue. Please pay them promptly.

Cafeteria Manners
Students are encouraged to use good manners in the dining area. This includes sitting in their seats until excused by lunchroom monitors, talking softly at the table and cleaning up after themselves.

Wellness
Edgewood City Schools will promote a supportive approach for parents to be active role models and to encourage their children by making suggestions about healthy choices from the school menu. Parents are discouraged from bringing in fast food or soft drinks into the cafeteria for student lunches.

About the School Lunch Program
The U.S. Congress created the school lunch program in 1946 in the belief that "it is a measure of national security to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation's children." The objective of the program is to provide nutritional meals at an affordable price. Menus meet USDA Dietary guidelines for Americans. The meal pattern has four components: meat/meat alternative foods, fruits and vegetables, bread/bread equivalent foods and fluid milk as a beverage.

Why do lunches offer foods high in carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates and fats are the major source of energy in the American diet. Nutritionists recommend that Americans increase their intake of complex carbohydrates and decrease their intake of fats. Calories from complex carbohydrates such as white grain breads and cereals, fruits and vegetables also add fiber to the diet. Fiber is needed in a healthy diet. Schools are encouraged to limit simple carbohydrates (sugar) and replace deserts with fresh fruits. Students however need more calories than adults do.

Can parents help?
You have already helped by encouraging your child to buy a nutritious school lunch. Sound nutrition is the basis for growth of body and mind. We do offer employment opportunities. Short hours are available. A great way to earn income while your students are in school.

Are school lunches healthy by today's standards?
Conscientious efforts are made to reduce the amount of salt, fat and sugar in the diet in keeping with UD Dietary Guidelines. This is because eating habits develop early. The healthy diet consists of a variety of foods eaten in moderation. This is the reason most schools offer students a choice of menus or menu items.

Free & Reduced Lunch Instructions (PDF)
Free and Reduced Lunch Form (PDF)