As we begin the 2025-26 school year, we strive to continue growing our breakfast and lunch programs, ensuring students have access to healthy meals. Meals continue to be free this year as part of state legislative requirements.
As a public school, we fall under USDA guidelines which means we have requirements of what we can/cannot serve. While most of our items contain less sugar and sodium than those found in grocery stores, more restrictive requirements were put in place for sugar consumption at breakfast this school year.
The new limits are for cereal to contain 6 grams or less of added sugar per ounce, yogurt to contain 12 grams or less of added sugar per 6 oz and milk to contain 10 grams or less of added sugar per 8 oz for this school year. Manufacturers have reformulated their products to meet this requirement for schools.
(For example, if you purchase Cinnamon Toast Crunch at the grocery store, the grocery store version has more sugar than the Cinnamon Toast Crunch school serves for breakfast. The school version contains ½ the sugar than the retail version.) We also offer protein items to students at breakfast, such as string cheese and breakfast sandwich-type entrées and we continue to introduce and offer more savory items in place of the sweet breakfast items.
Lunch choices offered to students continue to evolve. Fresh salads, fresh fruit and vegetables are available at all schools and we continue to offer seasonal fruits and veggies to introduce new items to students throughout the school year. Students have more entrée choices as they get into secondary school.
We are excited to begin a new school year and to continue to provide healthy school meals to students and staff!