Please note: Menus translations are posted as they become available.
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You must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org.
You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
The school meal programs provide nutritious meals to children during the school day. In order to serve healthy, high-quality meals to all children, we must ensure that we are financially secure. You play a key role in this effort, and are responsible for purchases made by your child in their school cafeteria. MCPS wants to ensure that you are notified when student cafeteria accounts are low or go into a negative balance. Everyone is expected to pay.
MCPS will make the following efforts to ensure that unpaid meal balances are addressed:
If your child's growing negative balance is concerning you, your child may be eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Apply online at MySchoolApps.com or complete a Household Application for Free and Reduced-price Meals, available from your child's school.
Our dietitians focus on balancing many aspects of menu planning to provide healthy, tasty meals to our customers.These include regulations established by the United States Department of Agriculture, food safety, cost, preparation, storage, seasonal availability, Healthy Guidelines for Americans, and donated government food.
Also, we collaborate with manufacturers and develop specifications to provide foods that not only taste good, but also are low in fats and sodium.
New products are tested periodically with student groups. If results are positive, the products are introduced on menus for all students.
Sometimes foods, such as whole grains, are not particularly acceptable to students, but are we recognize them as highly beneficial and healthy. We will always try different ways to present the product, believing that, over time, students will become more accustomed to having these foods as a regular part of their diet.
MCPS menus are planned in cycles during the school year. Different menu items may be offered for a specific period of time and then replaced with new offerings later. This allows us to increase the variety of foods offered during the year.
We continue to promote and maintain a healthy school environment. We have updated guidelines for the sale of snack and beverage items through vending machines, school stores, athletic departments, and fundraisers. The Office of the Chief Operating Officer notifies schools of the nutritional requirements for the sale of food sold to students from midnight until 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day.
A variety of à-la-carte items may be available in your student's school cafeteria. All items available for sale are in compliance with JPG-RA, Wellness: Physical and Nutritional Health. Specific items vary at each school.
Examples of items for sale: baked chips, crackers, and low-fat ice cream.
For specific information regarding items available at your child's school or to request that the purchase of à-la-carte items be restricted, please contact the school cafeteria manager.
Carbonated beverages, candy of any type, and donuts are prohibited from sale to students, regardless of their nutritional profile.
Click here for Smart Snack Calculator.