APS school lunches

[Anonymous]

I’m thinking of signing my son up for school lunches instead of packing lunches.

I did not see a menu. Can anyone provide an understanding of what the lunches are like? I’m hopeful it includes fruits and veggies.

[Anonymous]

https://apsva.nutrislice.com/menu

[Anonymous]

For very young children, who have dietary restrictions, is there anyone to help them make sure they don't accidentally take something they shouldn't eat? I'm not speaking about allergies but more so vegetarian or certain meats, etc.

[Anonymous]

It includes fruits and veggies, and is slightly healthier with more variety than you may remember from your own school lunches. But. It is still mass produced cafeteria lunch. There is no kale salad, but there is salad! Some times. That my kid throws away.

So keep your expectations in check, it's standard school lunch. We ate is almost every day last year. I had my DD point out the days that had things she REALLY didn't like and then I'd make her lunch. But no more than once a week. Buying school lunch is an AMAZING mental load relieved. So it's our default for now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For very young children, who have dietary restrictions, is there anyone to help them make sure they don't accidentally take something they shouldn't eat? I'm not speaking about allergies but more so vegetarian or certain meats, etc.

Just to be blunt, you should probably pack their own if they’re not able to make those determinations on their own. They are very good about allergies, gluten/vegetarian but when you get into specific types of meats I would not risk it.

[Anonymous]

Is it still free?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it still free?

No.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it still free?

No.

How do you pay? Is there an account where I can add money?

Also, do most kids bring lunch or eat school lunch? My kid is entering K so not sure what the dynamics are (and maybe they're school specific?)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it still free?

No.

How do you pay? Is there an account where I can add money?

Also, do most kids bring lunch or eat school lunch? My kid is entering K so not sure what the dynamics are (and maybe they're school specific?)?

My kid was in K last year and there was some of each, bringers/buyers. A lot of kids got school lunch, but it was free last year - not sure if that dynamic will change.

[Anonymous]

MySchoolBucks is the platform that APS uses to load $$ onto your child's account. They do not pay in cash, they use their student IDs and the money is auto-deducted. Don't worry, for K'ers they have the student IDs (maybe the teacher has them?). Lunch was free during Covid under federal legislation paying for food for all kids. That law has expired so we're back to pre-Covid paying for lunch unless you qualify for free or reduced lunch.

IIRC, when my kids started K in pre-Covid times they recommended having the young kids pack for at least the first week. It's already a stressful transition, and the cafeteria is loud and lunch is short. As it is, many kids come home with lunch half eaten because all the extra stimuli means they don't focus enough to eat. Having lunch in their hands rather than the extra process of standing in line, choosing food and paying for it takes a bit of stress away in those first few days. Something for consideration if packing is an option for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MySchoolBucks is the platform that APS uses to load $$ onto your child's account. They do not pay in cash, they use their student IDs and the money is auto-deducted. Don't worry, for K'ers they have the student IDs (maybe the teacher has them?). Lunch was free during Covid under federal legislation paying for food for all kids. That law has expired so we're back to pre-Covid paying for lunch unless you qualify for free or reduced lunch.

IIRC, when my kids started K in pre-Covid times they recommended having the young kids pack for at least the first week. It's already a stressful transition, and the cafeteria is loud and lunch is short. As it is, many kids come home with lunch half eaten because all the extra stimuli means they don't focus enough to eat. Having lunch in their hands rather than the extra process of standing in line, choosing food and paying for it takes a bit of stress away in those first few days. Something for consideration if packing is an option for you.

This is super helpful -- thank you!! Will plan to pack for the first couple weeks -- that's my kid's preference anyway, was just wondering if I could slowly eliminate that bit of mental load.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For very young children, who have dietary restrictions, is there anyone to help them make sure they don't accidentally take something they shouldn't eat? I'm not speaking about allergies but more so vegetarian or certain meats, etc.

My kids are vegetarian and our experience in elementary school is that the online menu may indicate a vegetarian option will be available, and then in reality it frequently isn't. The lunchroom staff were not accommodating or helpful, for example they wouldn't let my child have both a fruit and vegetable on a day when the vegetarian lunch wasn't available - my kid had to choose one or the other. Things were a lot better before the free lunches last year - there were frequently multiple cold lunch options available for purchase and these worked for us. I really hope those will be back this year. We pretty much just packed a lunch every day last year except for cheese pizza day (but even that would run out by the time the 5th graders got to the cafeteria).