School Meals

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    School meals have made drastic improvements in recent years with efforts to provide more food choices to students, including increased fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, while decreasing the amount of saturated fats, sugar, and sodium. The Office of School Nutrition offers meals that follow the nutrition guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Breakfast Program

  • Breakfast meals served must include 3 of the 5 meal component offerings. 

    1. Grains: cereal, breakfast pastries, muffins, pancakes, or french toast
    2. Fruits: fresh whole fruit or low sugar canned fruit
    3. Vegetables: harvest salad, baby carrots, celery, or grape tomatoes
    4. Meat/meat alternatives: yogurt, cheese stick, or turkey sausage
    5. Milk: 1 cup (8 oz) serving 

Lunch Program

  • Lunch meals served must include five meal component offerings. Under the Offer Vs. Serve model, students must select a minimum of 3 of the 5 meal component offerings.

    1. Grains: hamburger buns, dinner rolls, bread, pasta, or rice
    2. Fruits: fresh, whole fruit, or low sugar canned fruits
    3. Vegetables: harvest salad, baby carrots, broccoli, or grape tomatoes
    4. Meat/meat alternatives: beef, chicken, turkey, soybeans, tofu, or cheese
    5. Milk: 1 cup (8 oz) serving

    Our meals are developed to meet the needs of students at every age level, taking into account the appropriate calories, & serving sizes for age.

Serving Standards

  • Grades K-8

    The minimum serving requirements for lunches include ¾ cup vegetable, ½ cup fruit, 1 oz. grains & meat/meat alternative, & 1 cup milk.

    Grades 9-12

    Servings sizes for high-school aged students are slightly increased, & includes a minimum of 1 cup fruit & vegetable, 2 oz equivalent grains & meat/meat alternative, & 1 cup milk.

Special Dietary Needs

  • Dietary Accommodations

    If your student has a disability supported by a statement signed by a licensed physician that prevents the student from eating a regular school meal, substitutions or modifications will be made. The Office of School Nutrition is not required to make meal substitutions or accommodations to students without a documented disability. Schools are also not required to make substitutions for a food allergy unless it meets the definition of a disability. Food allergies are generally considered a disability if it impacts a major bodily function or major life activity such as (digestion, respiration, immune response, skin rash, etc.) Our menus are free of peanuts & tree nuts, as well as fish & shellfish. If your student meets the criteria for disability & requires dietary accommodations, please submit a Special Dietary Needs Accommodations Form located in the School Meal Requirements folder. 

    Religious Requests

    District chefs develop menus to offer a variety of options that appeal to students of various cultural backgrounds. All school lunches provide a daily vegetarian entrée option. We offer a variety of Halal items & all of our sausage or ham products are 100% turkey, chicken or beef and contain no pork. We are continually working to increase our variety of options available to our students. 

Contact Information

  • Aaron Halama
    Registered Dietitian
    Support Services Complex, Building C
    1601 Farnsworth
    Detroit, MI 48211
    Office (313) 578-7241

School Meal Requirements