School Nutrition Services
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
1. What constitutes a school lunch and what is my child required to take to make a complete meal?
North Penn School District, School Nutrition Services follows Federal and State National School Lunch and Breakfast meal pattern regulations.
School Breakfast Meal Pattern
School Lunch Meal Pattern
Sodium Targets in Schools
The school lunch pattern requires School Nutrition Services to offer the following menu options. Offer vs. Serves requires the student to take at least three (3) of the five (5) menu options. In addition every student must take at least (1) fruit or vegetable to make their meal complete.
- 1 Serving of meat or meat alternate
- 2 servings of fruit and/or vegetables
- 1 serving of bread or bread alternate
- 1 serving of milk
2. How will I know when my child needs more money in their account?
It is the parent's responsibility to keep their student's school meal account up to date. School Nutrition Services sends home periodic messages indicating when the school meal account is low and/or negative.
3. How can I find out my child's account balance?
Visit www.schoolcafe.com to view and make payments on your student's account. You can also apply for free and reduced priced meals.
4. How many snacks are the elementary children allowed to purchase at lunch?
The children are allowed to purchase two snacks only. If a parent requests, we are able to put a notation next to a child's name stating No Snacks, One Snack, Snack only on Fridays, etc.
5. How does a parent apply for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program?
Parents/Guardians can apply online at www.schoolcafe.com.
6. Will any other student know if my child is on the Free and Reduced Lunch Program?
No, each child uses their individual student ID number at the point of sale. Federal law prohibits overtly identifying a student by his/her meal eligibility.
7. What are the prices for lunch and individual food items?
Please see the current price list posted on the North Penn website at www.npenn.org. Go to theCentral Office, School Nutrition Services; Price Lists.
8. Where can we find the nutritional information for the lunches?
Nutritional information on specific items can be found on SchoolCafe.com or contact our School Nutrition Services Main Office for specific details at 215-853-1080.
9. What payment methods are accepted for school meals?
Cash, check, or through SchoolCafe. **Please note if you are using SchoolCafe there is a 5% transaction fee when payments are applied online.
10. What should I do if my child has a food allergy or requires a special diet?
To ensure the safety of all our students, we have detailed procedures for managing student allergies. For complete information, please visit the "Student Allergies" tab.
If you need further assistance or have specific questions, please contact:
Hailey Smith Welliver Assistant School Nutrition Services Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 215-853-1125
11. Are there opportunities for students to provide feedback on the menu?
Absolutely! Go to the “Student Menus” tab and fill out our student or parent survey. We would love to hear from you.
If you would like to email the School Nutrition Services office, please send your comments to School Nutrition Services.