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A typical day for many Chisago Lakes School District's students starts with a nutritious school breakfast, followed later by a healthy school lunch. All meals are prepared and served in five school kitchens by 31 school nutrition professionals.

School Meals

The school nutrition staff are trained and certified in sanitation, nutrition and other areas that are related to their positions. They do a wonderful job serving lunch to 86% of the students attending school each day.

The average number of breakfasts served district wide per day is 350 and lunches average 2,700 per day. The price of a lunch for elementary is $1.75, secondary is $1.95 and adults pay $2.75. The last increase in lunch prices was 2002-2003.

In May 2006, the School Breakfast program was expanded to cover all five schools in the district. The greater percentage of breakfasts are served to full paying students. The goal is to encourage more of the approved free/reduced students to participate. The cost of breakfast is $.75 full pay, no charge for approved free and reduced.

It is news (and often a surprise) to many parents and others that school meals are:

• governed by federal guidelines and meet nutrition standards.

• lower in fat than bag lunches and contain three times as many dairy products, twice as much fruit and seven times the vegetable amounts as lunches brought from home.

• not super-sized and are one of the only places left where age-appropriate servings sizes are used.

• "safer" than fast food restaurants and grocery deli counters according to a 2000 U.S. Food and Drug Administration report.

• planned, prepared and provided by trained professionals who care deeply about the children they serve.

Wellness Policy

The Food & Nutrition Department continues to make healthy changes in accordance with the school's "Wellness Policy."

This policy addresses nutrition education, physical activity, and all foods available at school (i.e.; school meals, classroom party treats and snacks, fundraisers, vending sales, school stores, student rewards).

This involves working together as a school and community. Parents are essential partners in the health and wellness of children, both during and outside of the school day. Students are more likely to adopt healthy eating and activity habits if they see and experience them at home, as well as at school.

Services

The Food & Nutrition Dept. continues to strive to make improvements in the services we offer our customers.

The breakfast and lunch menus are available on the school district's website and are printed in the Chisago County Press every week. They are also sent home with the elementary students every month.

In addition to making the menu readily available, a "Nutrition Nuggets" newsletter is sent home along with the menu as a nutrition education piece for parents and students, with the intent to encourage healthy eating and exercise at home.

PayPAMS is a prepayment system available as a service for parents/guardians who want to make payments and monitor their student's meal account via the internet or phone.

This school year an automated call system was installed that sends phone calls to the homes of students that have low or no balances. Approximately 240 calls "go out" every day. There is a significant decrease in the number of disappointed students who previously were unable to eat due to an "unfunded lunch account."

You are always welcome to join your child for breakfast or lunch - a reservation is appreciated at the elementary schools due to the lunch count.

If you need information regarding any of the services we offer, visit the district's website - click on Food Service or call the Food & Nutrition Dept @ 651-213-2506 with any questions or comments.

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