Nutrition Services

1720 Oregon Street, Berkeley, CA 94703
Tel: 510.644.6200 | Fax: 510.644.8784
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Click here to visit us on Facebook

Bonnie Christensen, Director of Nutrition Services
Gitara Spinks, Executive Chef

Free & Reduced Lunch Information

We are encouraging every family to complete an application for free/reduced price school meals. Even if your student does not intend to take advantage of the lunch program, every qualified application is counted towards bringing significant federal and state funding to our schools!

Apply here: www.ezmealapp.com
For more information, please see this letter from the Superintendent (in English and Spanish).

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Free and Reduced Price Meals
Preguntas Mas Frequentes Sobre Las Comidas Escolares De Precio Gratuito y Precio Reducido
19-20 Public Media Release for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (2019-20)

To set up and deposit money on your child’s lunch account:

www.ezschoolpay.com/Login.aspx

Lunch Menus

Elementary and Middle School 2019-20 Lunch Menus

Allergen Information

Allergen Information for School Breakfasts

Useful Information

• Gardening and Cooking Program
• Meal Charge Policy 2019-2020: English | Español
• 2011 SIO BreakfastFirst
• School Lunch Information
• Meal Guideline Toolkits for Parents
• Request for Bag Lunches 2016-17
• Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations
• CalFresh/SNAP Information
• Apply for CalFresh
• Medi-Cal & Single State Application for HealthCare
• The Women, Infant & Children Program
• Summer Lunch
• Wellness Committee

 

Message to Families

Dear Parents and Caregivers,
Welcome back to another school year. We have continued to make positive changes to the school meals and want to encourage you and your children to participate in the school breakfast and lunch programs this year.

Since 2007, all of our schools serve Universal Breakfast and have a Fresh Buffet Style Service approach to lunch. Universal Breakfast means all of our schools are serving free breakfast for all students.

A year-long calendar was sent home with your student so you know what we are serving every day. The calendar lists the elementary and middle and high school’s breakfast and lunch menus for the entire year. Additionally, each month of the calendar includes recipes that are being taught in the cooking classes and served in the cafeterias as well. We hope you will try cooking these at home with your family. The links above link to the calendars.

The changes we are making are part of a district-wide effort called the School Lunch Initiative (SLI). SLI has two primary goals: to serve more nutritious and delicious, freshly-prepared meals using locally-grown food to all of our students and to educate children in kitchen, garden and academic classrooms about their food choices and the impact those choices have on their health, the community and the environment.

We are extremely proud of the accomplishments we are making, including the following:

• Salad bars in all of our schools
• Hormone and antibiotic-free milk
• Fresh fruit and vegetables served daily
• Almost all of our food made from scratch
• All bread and dinner rolls are organic
• All other rolls are whole-grain
• Swipe card systems in almost all of our schools

A majority of our food is now purchased locally:

• Breakfast muffins
• Whole-grain pizza crust
• Sliced bread and dinner rolls
• Salad dressings
• 25% of our produce
• Organic salad bars at Berkeley High School, middle and elementary schools
• All hamburgers and hot dogs are natural and grass-fed

We hope you will join us in helping your children make healthy food choices in school and at home. Together we can help raise a new generation of healthier and better educated young people. Thank you for your continued support and please don’t hesitate to call or email if there’s anything I can do to help.

Board Principles

The Board of Education recognizes the important connection between a healthy diet and a student’s ability to learn effectively and achieve high standards in school. The Board also recognizes the school’s role, as part of the larger community, to promote family health, sustainable agriculture and environmental restoration. The Board of Education recognizes that the sharing of food is a fundamental experience for all peoples; a primary way to nurture and celebrate our cultural diversity; and an excellent bridge for building friendships and intergenerational bonds.

Mission

Part of the educational mission of BUSD is to improve the health of the entire community by teaching students to establish and maintain life long healthy eating and physical activity habits. The mission shall be accomplished through nutrition education, physical education, garden experiences, the food served in schools, environmental restoration and core academic content in the curriculum.

• Elimination of Reduced-Price-Lunch Fee
• BUSD Food Policy
• Food Allergy Board Policy
• A Guide to Smart Snacks in School

Statement of Non-Discrimination

The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Declaración de No-Discriminación

De conformidad con la Ley Federal de Derechos Civiles y los reglamentos y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los EE. UU. (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), se prohíbe que el USDA, sus agencias, oficinas, empleados e instituciones que participan o administran programas del USDA discriminen sobre la base de raza, color, nacionalidad, sexo, discapacidad, edad, o en represalia o venganza por actividades previas de derechos civiles en algún programa o actividad realizados o financiados por el USDA.

Las personas con discapacidades que necesiten medios alternativos para la comunicación de la información del programa (por ejemplo, sistema Braille, letras grandes, cintas de audio, lenguaje de señas americano, etc.), deben ponerse en contacto con la agencia (estatal o local) en la que solicitaron los beneficios. Las personas sordas, con dificultades de audición o discapacidades del habla pueden comunicarse con el USDA por medio del Federal Relay Service [Servicio Federal de Retransmisión] al (800) 877-8339. Además, la información del programa se puede proporcionar en otros idiomas.

Para presentar una denuncia de discriminación, complete el Formulario de Denuncia de Discriminación del Programa del USDA, (AD-3027) que está disponible en línea en:http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html y en cualquier oficina del USDA, o bien escriba una carta dirigida al USDA e incluya en la carta toda la información solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de denuncia, llame al (866) 632-9992. Haga llegar su formulario lleno o carta al USDA por:

1. correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
2. fax: (202) 690-7442; o
3. correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov.

Esta institución es un proveedor de igualdad de oportunidades.