About Food Service

The Food Service Department serves 460,000 lunches and 46,000 breakfasts each school year with a budget of over $1 million. Food Service has over 50 employees in 6 schools.

The department operates under the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. The district agrees to serve breakfasts and lunches that meet meal requirements; provide free and reduced price meals to eligible children; provide meals to all children regardless of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability; and operate on a nonprofit basis.

Maize USD 266 uses NuMenus meal planning system to meet nutritional goals. The objective of this planning system is to meet USDA's guidelines of the School Meals Initiative (SMI) for Healthy Children. These goals include meeting recommended dietary allowances and calorie goals, and complying with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Aim for a healthy weight 
• Be physically active each day 
• Let the Pyramid guide your food choices 
• Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables daily 
• Keep foods safe to eat 
• Choose a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and moderate in total fat 
• Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars 
• Choose and prepare foods with less salt 
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, do so in moderation

Building Lunch Menus

• Maize High School 
• Maize Middle School 
• Maize East Elementary 
• Pray Woodman Elementary 
• Maize Elementary 
• Vermillion Primary

Free and Reduced Price Meals

Application forms are available at the school offices, in the school calendar/handbook or by calling 722-0900. The form may be completed at the beginning of or any time during the school year. Families receiving food stamps need only submit the form letter they receive from the SRS for direct certification.

Determination of eligibility for free and reduced price meals will be made based on current income. Students whose parents or other adult household members have been temporarily laid-off may qualify if the total household income falls within the guidelines.

If temporary eligibility is determined, the student will be notified prior to the end of that temporary eligibility. Accompanying the notification will be another application form, which may be completed and resubmitted if needed.

Parents or other adult household members are required by law to report any changes in status and eligibility (such as return to work) immediately.

School officials are required by law to verify by random selection the source and amount of income, as well as household composition of at least three percent of all applications each year.

Job Opportunities

Are you looking for a job that lets you be at home when your family needs you there? The food service program has openings for folks who appreciate family-friendly working hours and working with great people. All that, plus a free lunch! Call today for more information.

Openings:

Food Service Trainee: Substitute food service employees perform all duties including food preparation, service, storage and the clean-up operations related to these duties. The trainee is assigned to various locations until full-time vacancy is available.

For other job openings and to apply for any position, please contact Julie Shrewsbury, 722-0900.

Prices and Payment

Milk: .30

Breakfast:
K-6 grades:  $1.15
7-12 grades and Adult Regular Price: $1.25

,
Reduced Price: $.30

Lunches:

All Reduced Lunch Price: $.40
Adults in all buildings Regular Price: $2.35

Payments:

• Parents may send any amount (cash or checks) to apply to their child's meal account. 
• Breakfast, lunch and milk may be debited from their accounts as the child passes through the meal line. 
• Damaged or lost meal cards should be reported to the lunch ticket clerk. 
• When two meals remain in the child's account, reminder slips are sent home with the child, indicating that additional money is needed in the meal account. If additional money is not received, the child will be instructed to phone the parent to advise the parent the account is defunct. 
• NO MEAL CHARGES WILL BE ALLOWED.
• Meals may be purchased with cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why does my school serve 1% milk? 
Answer: Because low fat milk has a lower fat content, it is consistent with the dietary guidelines to avoid too much fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. When low fat milk is offered, only the fat content changes. All other nutrients are comparable to those in other milk. Chocolate and strawberry milk, which are also low fat, are offered as well. 

Question: Why can't carbonated beverages be sold? 
Answer: Schools are required to comply with the "foods of minimal nutritional value" rule. Carbonated beverages, chewing gum and certain candies shall not be sold in the food service area during lunch and breakfast periods. These foods, with minimal nutritional value, may be sold, at the discretion of local school officials, in other areas of the school campus throughout the school day. 

Question: Why is the adult charge higher than the student charge? 
Answer: The intent of the National School Program is to provide nutritious and low cost meals to children. Since this program is for children, there is no federal assistance for meals served to adults. Therefore, the adult meal charge has to be at least a combination of the basic reimbursement rate and must be higher than the highest charge to the child in the school district. An adult should receive the same size meal as that of a secondary student for the established charge. 

Question: What does "offer vs. serve" mean? 
Answer: Offer versus serve was established in 1975 and mandated that students in high school would not be required to accept offered foods they did not intend to consume. At the middle school and elementary levels, the policy is optional, and it is up to each individual district to decide whether they wish to extend offer vs. serve to the middle or elementary level. Maize Food Service Department has extended this offer to all buildings except Vermillion Primary. 

Question: Will I be able to pay less for my meal if I don't take all the options? 
Answer: No. The purpose of the offer vs. serve program is to reduce plate waste and allow students a choice in what they wish to have for lunch. The student may take everything if he desires; as a result, there is no reduction in price. 

Question: Why isn't there a statewide (or nationwide) charge set for all paying students? 
Answer: Because food, labor, and other costs vary so greatly throughout the state, an established charge for all students would not be feasible. In this district, the food service department maintains a self-supporting operation. 

Question: Why can't students and adults have seconds? 
Answer: The intention of the National School Lunch Program is to provide "one meal per child per day." Kitchen managers plan and prepare meals based on the average number of students who participate in the lunch program. In order to control costs, the manager should not prepare for second servings and should practice portion control on the servings she does prepare. 

Question: Is the breakfast program only for students on the free and reduced lunch program? 
Answer: No. Breakfast is available and offered to all students and faculty. Breakfast is a sound nutritional benefit. Studies show that students who have breakfast are more alert, do well in morning classes and have fewer discipline problems. 

Question: What is the Food Service Department doing to decrease fat and sugar in school menus? 
Answer: The Food Service Department understands parents concerns and is continually striving to reduce fat, sodium and sugar in the foods served. The following steps have been taken: 

• Fat content is decreased.
• Ground is beef rinsed.
• Most foods are oven baked instead of deep fat fried. The high school is the only building with fryers, used for French fries. 
• Low fat 1% milk is offered in all schools.
• Turkey ham is purchased.
• Extra butter is rarely offered.
• Vegetables are prepared with no butter.
• Low fat cheese slices are used.
• Canned fruits in light syrup are purchased.
• More fresh fruits have been added to our menus.