HOUSTON – Spring Independent School District will be able to serve free meals at 31 schools this year after an expansion of a program that makes the free meals possible.
Through the Community Eligibility Provision, which last year operated at only six schools in the district, the 31 schools will serve free breakfast and lunch meals to students regardless of income.
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“Parents will not have to complete a free and reduced application at those participating campuses,” said Kevin Truong, assistant director of child nutrition. “They do not have to worry about making sure their child has lunch money.”
Other benefits include less time for students in cashier lines and more time to eat nutritious meals. In determining which schools are eligible to participate in the CEP, the federal government considers data on income and poverty collected through other sources.
The coming school year will bring some exciting changes to school menus with the addition of several new items, including Greek turkey pitas at the secondary level and toasted ham and cheese sliders with broccoli cheese soup at the elementary level.
All the recipes making their debut were developed to meet federal nutrition standards and please the palates of students, who were consulted through taste tests. Besides the daily menu, students may also purchase additional snacks and beverages a la carte. Menus and pricing are available on the district website but also at www.SchoolCafe.com, which offers complete nutritional information and an easy way for parents to manage their child’s lunch account.