For Principals and Teachers

Meals For Achievement
Good nutrition contributes positively to a student’s learning ability, behavior and general well being. The National School Breakfast and Lunch programs are available in all Bellingham schools each school day. Meals are nutritionally balanced with a variety of foods from the food pyramid. Menus are planned by a School Foodservice and Nutrition Specialist and menus, highlighting a variety of daily food choices, are available at each school.

Food Services primary purpose is to offer nutritious meals that meet dietary guidelines at the lowest possible cost to all students. At the same time, nutrition education activities are encouraged to improve students’ eating habits and help them understand the relationship between eating and a balanced diet and good health. Students learn best when they are properly fed.

Students in all grades are encouraged to pre-purchase meals. Breakfast is $ 1.50 for elementary, $1.75 for middle/high school grade levels and lunch prices are $ 2.75 for elementary, $ 3.00 for middle/high school.

Our goal is to reach each student’s nutritional needs through our Food Service programs. If you have any questions concerning any of the child nutrition programs, contact the Food Services office.

Encourage a Positive School Nutrition Environment
Adults serve as good role models for students by their words and actions. Some ways to do this are:

• Emphasizing to students the importance of developing good nutrition and physical activity habits
• Speaking well of the school foodservice program and encouraging students to choose and consume nutritious school meals
• Supporting the social aspects of the school meal period: the enjoyment of pleasant conversation, the use of good table manners, and the need for responsible student behavior
• Spend time in the school dining room, to eat lunch with students (at least occasionally) and make healthful choices, to use meal periods as an opportunity to communicate with students, and to encourage students to talk and socialize
• Develop appropriate training for those who supervise the school dining room on how to maintain safe, orderly and pleasant eating environments

Adult Meals
Adult are encouraged to eat breakfast and lunch at school from a variety of options:

• Student menu specials – these are items offered from the regular menu. Adult portions are the same as those offered to high school students.
• Adult Only Garden/Orchard Buffets – availability is increasing at the elementary level. Check with your school foodservice staff.
• Special Options – You may be able to order special meal options, such as Chicken Caesar Salads or Wraps from your cooking school. Email your cooking school manager for more information on this option.
• A La Carte – individual food items are available, priced individually, if a complete meal (entrée, grain, fruit, vegetable and beverage) is not selected.
  Federal and state reimbursements and USDA commodities are not available for adult meals. Adult meal prices must cover all food and labor costs.
• Adult Meal Prices: Breakfast $2.25  and Lunch $4.00

Cooking School Clusters

Bellingham High School
Alderwood Elementary, Columbia Elementary, Cordata Elementary, Shuksan Middle School, Options High School

Squalicum High School
Northern Heights Elementary, Parkview Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, Silver Beach Elementary, Sunnyland Elementary

Sehome High School
Happy Valley Elementary, Larrabee Elementary, Lowell Elementary, Wade King Elementary, Fairhaven Middle School

Kulshan Middle School
Car Cozier Elementary, Geneva Elementary, Whatcom Middle School

Offer vs. Serve
Implemented to reduce food waste, this option requires that students be offered five meal components. However, they need not select All the components for the meal to qualify for state and federal reimbursements. At the Elementary level students may decline any one of the five food items offered. At the middle and high school level students may decline any two of the five food items offered. Student selection of a complete, balanced meal is encouraged by food services staff.

Meal Charges
State law has no provision for school districts to allow meal charges and no meal charges are allowed for middle and high school students. At the elementary level, however, we realize that there may be instances when meal account balance notification to parents is delayed. Therefore, a maximum of three meal charges per student, if necessary, is permissible to facilitate parent notification to bring their student’s meal account balance up to date. Payment for any charges incurred must be collected by the school prior to the end of the school year. If three charges are utilized and the student account balance remains negative, an alternate meal will be offered. The alternate meal will consist of a peanut butter or cheese sandwich, fruit and milk.

After School Snack Program
Schools interested in offering the federally funded After School Snack Program must make application to the Child Nutrition Section, Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. (click on After School Snack Program parameters link).