Food & Nutrition Services

Information about additional Free Food Resources

Food and Nutrition Services

Menus for Summer Meals

Visit the Summer Meals page for menus, locations, and dates.

School Lunch and Breakfast free in 2021-2022 school year

Breakfast and lunch will be FREE for all Somerville students for the 2021-2022 school year. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a number of nationwide child nutrition waivers that will be available through the 2021-2022 school year. This is great news for our children and schools as the nation continues to recover from the economic and health emergencies of the past year. Under the nationwide waiver that allows the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) through School Year 2021-2022, all schools can continue serving FREE breakfast and lunch to all students. For more information on the USDA Covid-19 waivers approved through June 30, 2022 please visit the link: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/child-nutrition-response-85

The Vegetable of the Month

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 2020-2021 in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole.

Paying for School Lunch

*Please note that all breakfast and lunch meals are FREE for all SPS students through the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Payment for school lunch is only required if your child/children are not eligible for free or reduced price meals. All Somerville Public School students will receive free Breakfast and Lunch in the school year 2021-2022. 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 St., Somerville, MA, 02145. You can also have your child submit a check during breakfast time to his/her school's Kitchen Manager. To ensure 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 and Nutrition Services Department at (617) 625-6600, x6083.

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

Lauren Mancini, Director

Pauline Uccello, Assistant Director