Free breakfasts and lunches for all: USDA has extended national waivers for all students to continue receiving free breakfast and lunch daily during the 2021-22 school year. Students who bring their lunch from home to school can add a fruit, a vegetable and a milk free. Meals will be available curbside for students learning in a virtual environment. The waivers allow Food and Nutrition Services to provide meals to students at no charge without parents submitting an application. However, if a student has an approved meal application on file, then other benefits outside the school system are available to families in need, such as P-EBT food assistance, reduced or waived internet fees and waived school and testing fees. To receive these benefits, submit an application online for free or reduced-price meals. If you do not have internet access using a smartphone, tablet or computer, then contact Food and Nutrition Services at 804-743-3722. A new application must be submitted each school year; only one application per household is needed. Parents will be notified of the status of their application by email or letter, so be sure your student’s school has the correct email and mailing address on file.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Food and Nutrition Services offers a Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program at Bellwood, Bensley, Chalkley, Ettrick, Falling Creek and Harrowgate elementary schools. They offer a fresh fruit and vegetable snack to students 4-5 days a week in school. They also provide extra fruits and vegetables to the curbside bags for families to take home.
The information provided in the documents below are student and parent handouts reflecting some of the fruits and vegetables that are offered. The students handouts give nutrition information and some interesting facts about the fruits and vegetables. The parent’s handouts include a recipe and information about how to select and store the fruit and vegetable when purchasing from the store.
The goal of the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program is to:
Create healthier school environments by providing healthier food opportunities and education
Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience to increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption
Make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health
Snacks will be eaten in the classroom, along with fun and educational information led by school staff. Children will be encouraged to try the fruit or vegetable snack of the day, but they may choose to not participate if they do not like or cannot eat the fruit or vegetable offered. Please encourage your child to participate in the snack, as this is a great way to show students healthy food choices that are both familiar and new!
The Chesterfield County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services, as a partner in education, contributes to a successful academic experience. We provide an innovative, nutritious and cost efficient program which strives to encourage a lifetime of good nutrition.
Our Values
To serve nutritionally sound meals that are popular and affordable to all students.
To adhere to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs
To exceed our customers’ expectations in quality and service
To encourage students to experience new foods
To manage all resources efficiently
To provide an enjoyable, pleasant, customer friendly eating environment
To advance the public’s image of school breakfast and lunch
To remain financially self-supporting
To grow professionally through continuous education
To maintain high standards of sanitation and safety
Teamwork between staff, students and community
Promote the mission as stated by Chesterfield County Public Schools
Utilize technology as needed to enhance effectiveness of the program
Are you tired of writing checks or searching every morning for cash to pay for your child’s lunch? MySchoolBucks.com can help. There are many benefits to this website, which is secured through Verisign.
Decrease the chance of your child running out of breakfast or lunch money
Eliminate the need to send lunch money daily or weekly
Deduct from your credit card or debit card automatically or by request depending on which method you prefer
Enable you to check your child’s account for the past seven days to see what they are eating and have purchased
Allow you to place limits on how your child may spend the money in his or her account. We recommend setting a daily spending limit rather than a weekly spending limit.
Notify you by e-mail when your child’s account balance drops to a certain level.
How does MySchoolBucks.com work? First, you need a computer with Internet access. Go to MySchoolBucks.com and follow the on-screen direction. We encourage a $10 minimum payment. Once your account is set or a payment is made, it will take up to 1 hour for the account to show updates. If there are any problems with MySchoolBucks.com parents can call 1-800-479-3531 and select option 5 to speak with a representative.
Use MySchoolBucks.com to make EASY lunch payments for your child! Call 1-855-832-5226 or visit www.MySchoolBucks.com to enroll in this convenient, free service!
In an effort to curb the cost and time our district expends each year in returned checks, Food and Nutrition Services has contracted with Envision Payment Solutions. A $50 fee is charged for each returned check, plus the value of the check. If you have any questions, please call at 1-855-832-5226.
Office of Food and Nutrition Services 7610 Whitepine Road N Chesterfield, VA 23237 (804) 743-3717
We are excited to offer MealViewer, a convenient online menu service that allows you to view your student’s daily menus online or on the MealViewer app. Parents can:
View allergen information
View nutritional information
Set up profiles for you and your students
Go to https://www.schools.mealviewer.comor download the mobile app on your smartphone and register your free account. Set up your student profile by first selecting their school. Continue profile setup by selecting the appropriate allergens and let them ‘favorite’ their most loved meals. You will receive notification every time any of these are served!
If you have any questions, contact MealViewer directly: [email protected] or call (866) 351-2248.
Check out YOUR school menus today!
School menus for elementary, middle and high schools
MySchoolBucks is the premier online payment service trusted by more than 3.7 million parents at over 23,000 schools. You’ll enjoy faster checkout, a better mobile experience, easier account management, and more automatic payment options.
Access your account today at www.myschoolbucks.comand log in using your existing email address and password. If you are a new user, please create your FREE account at www.myschoolbucks.com.
MySchoolBucks Questions? Click Here formore information.
Here are just a few menu items that make school breakfasts and lunches healthy and nutritious:
whole-grain rolls, biscuits, buns and pizza crust
cupped fruit in natural or extra-light syrup
reduced-fat dressings
baked fries (no frying at all in elementary or middle schools)
whole-grain breading on chicken and nuggets
100% beef and reduced-fat burgers
low-fat and fat-free milk
vegetarian choice every day
Important information
Chesterfield County Public Schools provides nutritious breakfasts and lunches, offering milk, fruits, vegetables, proteins and grains and meeting strict limits on saturated fat and portion size. The nutritional integrity of school meals has always been a priority, and the school system is meeting the challenges set forth in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. School lunches must meet tough federal standards that require
age-appropriate calorie limits (Some portions will be reduced.)
larger servings of vegetables and fruits (Students are required to take at least one fruit or vegetable.)
wider variety of vegetables, including dark green vegetables, red/orange vegetables and legumes (Cooked and fresh versions will be offered daily.)
fat-free or 1 percent milk (Flavored milk must be fat free. Whole milk and 2 percent milk will not be available.)
more whole grains (At least half of all the grains in school meals must be whole grains.)
minimum and maximum levels for all grain products and protein products
What is Farm to School? This program was established to help provide healthy and nutritious food to school children while also providing local farmers with consistent and dependable outlets for their products. Farm to School began in 1996 as a grass roots movement and now is active in over 40 states and is still growing. This program plays on the trend of buying and growing locally. We have instructed our local produce company to only, if affordable and of good quality, supply fruits and vegetables that are grown in the State when at all possible. They then distribute it to our 64 schools based on when it is on the menu.
RECYCLING – The Three R’s
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
Chesterfield County Public Schools in conjunction with Chesterfield County has begun a comprehensive recycling program. All staff and students will be trained on which items can be recycled or reused or how they can reduce the usage of some products. The goal is to decrease as much as possible the amount of waste that is going to the landfill.
To be successful, a recycling program takes active participation by everyone at the school. This new effort does not replace any recycling program currently in place. This new program uses “Single Stream Recycling”. It is much simpler to implement, in that all recyclable materials are collected in the same container and after pick-up, they are separated at the recycling center. School staff and students will have lists posted and be trained on the types of materials that can be recycled.
Middle schools and high schools have transitioned to paper, biodegradable trays that are made from recycled materials. Unfortunately, not all materials can be recycled, such as the foam trays used in elementary schools. Once polystyrene (foam) trays are contaminated with food, they cannot be recycled without the trays being washed. Currently there is not a facility that recycles polystyrene trays. The goal is to train all staff and students on stacking the trays after all items have been removed. Doing this reduces the volume 20 percent or more. Schools have special containers for tray stacking.
Chesterfield County Public Schools is committed to conserving resources and being a better steward of the environment. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle is the start of a long lasting program that will teach our students to understand the many benefits of going green.
Please click on the links below to download PDF versions of the form.
Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Application Process
To apply for free or reduced-price meals, please fill out an application, sign it and return it to your child’s school immediately or mail it to:
Chesterfield County Public School Food and Nutrition Services ATTN: FR 7610 Whitepine Road N. Chesterfield, VA 23237
Applications packets will be given to all students in elementary, middle and high schools on the first day of school.
If you were approved for free or reduced meals in Chesterfield during the 2018-2019 school year, your current application will expire on October 15, 2019. You must reapply for meal benefits each school year.
Nondiscrimination: This explains what to do if you believe you have been treated unfairly: In accordance with federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll-free (866) 632-9992 (voice). Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
