Food & Nutrition Services

Food and Nutrition Services

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The Vegetable of the Month

Meal Prices

All students who qualify for free or reduced lunch do not pay anything for lunch or breakfast. All students are assigned a PIN (personal identification number) to be used daily to receive/purchase breakfast and/or lunch.

Free and Reduced Lunch Program

Information about the federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program is sent home with all students on the first day of school. Students who enroll in the Somerville Public Schools after the school year starts can receive information at the Enrollment Office (formerly the Parent Information Center).

• Complete Application Packet for 2019-2020 in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole.​​

Paying for School Lunch

Payment for school lunch is only required if your child/children are not eligible for free or reduced price meals. Online Payment: School lunch payments can be made online through PayPams ($1.95 non-refundable fee per online transaction). You will be required to set up a FREE account when you first log onto PayPams. You may also bring a check or cash to your student's school. For more information, read the PayPams informational flyer.

Check/Cash Pre-Payment: A check or cash can be submitted to Somerville Food and Nutrition Services to pre-pay for your child's school lunch. Checks are preferred as cash transactions are difficult to trace. If a check is not possible, cash can be processed. Checks made payable to Somerville Food and Nutrition Services can be mailed to 8 Bonair Street, Somerville, MA, 02145. You can also have your child submit a check during breakfast time to his/her school's Kitchen Manager. To insure proper credit when paying by check, please make sure your student's name and school is noted on the memo line. If you have more than one student in the school system, please indicate which child's account should be credited and for how much. The amount of the payment will be credited to the child's account and automatically deducted when a lunch or milk is purchased.

Prepayments are non-refundable. However, the child's balance will be transferred to another Somerville school automatically if the student changes schools within the District. Any remaining balance at year end will automatically transfer to start the new school year.

School Lunch Payment Policies

All students who are not eligible for free or reduced priced lunch or have not submitted a lunch application are required to pay for lunch. Students in Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade are allowed to debit and still receive lunch. The Food and Nutrition Service Department generates monthly outstanding balance letters for all students who owe a balance greater than $2.50 at the start of each month. These letters are mailed directly home to parents for notification of payment for the outstanding balance. All outstanding balance amounts must be paid in full as soon as possible

The Value of School Lunches

All of the meals and snacks offered by the Food and Nutrition Services Department (FNSD) meet the nutritional and meal pattern requirements  set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for participation in the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. Visit the USDA website for more information. All food and beverage items sold through the a la carte programs meet the guidelines established by the Massachusetts Action for Healthy Kids.

The FNSD is recognized around the nation for its innovative approach to healthy eating in a diverse community. The Director, Lauren Mancini and Assistant Director, Pauline Uccello are both members of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) of Massachusetts. The FNSD is committed to providing high quality, nutritious, and innovative meals for students and staff throughout the school year and the summer. The FNSD is continuously developing new recipes featuring fresh fruits and vegetables and making nutrition education a priority. There are opportunities for students to explore healthy options through the Vegetable of the Month program, school taste tests, and with the help of the Farm to School grant use locally-sourced food as much as possible to continuously improve food options and student outreach. 

SPS complies with the USDA Non-discrimination Statement

Medically necessary dietary accommodations can be made; please contact the Food & Nutrition Services Department at (617) 625-6600, x6083.

Questions or comments about school meals? Call or email Food & Nutrition Services Director Lauren Mancini, (617) 629-5690.

Lauren Mancini, Director

Pauline McMahon, Assistant Director

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