Food and Nutrition Services team members are partners in education, contributing to a successful academic experience for students through an innovative, nutritious and cost efficient program that encourages a lifetime of good nutrition. The program adheres to the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs.
Families may apply for free or reduced-price school meals through the USDA National School Breakfast and Lunch programs. Applications are provided to students on the first day of school. A new application must be submitted each school year, and it must be completed in full to be considered. The most convenient way to submit an application is to apply online. The online application is available in English and Spanish.
If your earnings are at or below current federal income eligibility guidelines, you are encouraged to complete an application.
If you receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits or participate in other federal assistance programs such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) all of your children who attend school automatically qualify for free school meals.
If you are eligible for unemployment compensation or The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), you may also be eligible for free or reduced price school meals.
The USDA has identified a number of Chesterfield schools to receive the community eligibility provision during the 2022-23 school year through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. Through this provision, all students at the identified schools may eat breakfast and lunch at no charge, and they do not have to submit a free/reduced lunch application to participate. Schools covered by this provision for 2022-23 include:
Elementary Schools
Middle Schools
High Schools
Food and Nutrition Services offers a Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program at Bellwood, Bensley, Chalkley, Ettrick, Falling Creek and Harrowgate elementary schools.
They offer a fresh fruit and vegetable snack to students 4-5 days a week in school. They also provide extra fruits and vegetables to the curbside bags for families to take home.
The information provided in the documents below are student and parent handouts reflecting some of the fruits and vegetables that are offered. The students handouts give nutrition information and some interesting facts about the fruits and vegetables. The parent’s handouts include a recipe and information about how to select and store the fruit and vegetable when purchasing from the store.
The goal of the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program is to:
Snacks will be eaten in the classroom, along with fun and educational information led by school staff. Children will be encouraged to try the fruit or vegetable snack of the day, but they may choose to not participate if they do not like or cannot eat the fruit or vegetable offered. Please encourage your child to participate in the snack, as this is a great way to show students healthy food choices that are both familiar and new!
MySchoolBucks.com is a simple and convenient alternative to ensure your child has money in their account for school meals. Access the service via web or download the app.
Food and Nutrition Services contracts with Envision Payment Solutions for services related to returned checks. A $50 fee is charged for each returned check in addition to the value of the check. For questions, call 855-832-5226.
Chesterfield County Public Schools provides nutritious breakfasts and lunches, offering milk, fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains and meeting strict limits on saturated fat and portion size. Nutrition is prioritized, and CCPS is meeting the challenges set forth in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. School lunches must meet federal standards that require
Here are some of the steps taken to make school breakfasts and lunches healthy and nutritious:
To view your school’s menu, visit MealViewer.com and create a free account. Meals can be viewed via the website link or through the MealViewer app.
Parents can use this link to the Food Allergy/Food modification Medical Statement or get one from their school’s nurse or cafeteria manager. This form must be completed and signed by a Licensed Healthcare Provider and returned to the school’s nurse. The school nurse will provide the statement to the cafeteria manager who will send it to the Food & Nutrition Dietitian to determine any meal accommodations.
Yes. School meals are healthy and meet the requirements set by the USDA and the Government Accountability Office. Additionally, it is good practice to encourage your child to eat all the meal components, including fruits and vegetables, and to limit a la carte items for optimum nutrition.
No. Studies show that lunches from home are less nutritious, contain more snack foods and rarely include milk. School lunches offer high nutritional value at a low cost.
Yes. Contact the food service manager at your child’s school or write on your check “meals only.”
Yes. All snacks sold on school campuses must meet the UDSA Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards:
When a student cannot consume milk because of a medical condition, the federal program requires a statement from a recognized medical authority. Lactose-free milk is the only approved substitution. For other allergies, please contact the Food and Nutrition Services Department.
Yes. An application must be completed each year, and it can only be processed if it includes all the required information. One application listing all school-age children should be submitted for each household.
If your income is too high or the information requested on the application was incomplete, your application will be denied.
Chesterfield County Public Schools
