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NEW LUNCH PROGRAM INFORMATION
We are excited to announce the opening of Meridian School’s very own kitchen for the 2016-2017 school year. We would also like to introduce Chef Leslie Sterzinger, who has been a passionate advocate behind this new and exciting lunch program. Our food will be made onsite, from scratch, using original menus written by Chef Leslie. At Meridian, our goal is to create and offer healthy, tasty lunch menu items that will give your student the fuel to learn and be productive while on campus.
Our Primary students, K through 5th grade, will follow a Served lunch platform. With this serve style, every student will receive the entrée of their choice and all the side options for that day’s menu. It is our hope that by serving all options we can help our students experience a wide variety of foods. Secondary students, 6th through 12th, will be on the Offer lunch platform. They will also have the entrée of their choice but have the ability to choose their side options. Our menu is bold, exciting, and creative, with the belief that healthy does not have to be boring or bland.
For the first 8 weeks it will be necessary to continue preordering lunches as we have before. We need this time to get a realistic count on how many students we will be feeding per day on average. This will allow us to reduce food waste and ensure we have enough food prepared so every student is given the same options. This year the order deadline will be three days prior to the serve day. We will have a few extra meals each day, but to ensure that your student receives the meal they want you must preorder. To set up your child’s lunch account please go to www.orderlunches.com and follow the instructions provided. The Meridian access code is MWS292. If your child already has an account please update their teacher information once you know it [this does not have to be done prior to your first order] so we can have everyone in the correct class and make sure they get the meal they ordered. The site does require a minimum order of $10 to avoid the service charge, so keep that in mind as you place your order.
We will continue to provide meals for anyone forgetting lunch during this time, though choices will be limited and might be a cold sandwich type meal (with sides and milk) that still meets the nutritional guidelines for students. We do have a new “Forgotten Lunch” policy that will prohibit students from receiving a lunch if their balance is over $20. Emails will be sent to parents to let them know when a balance is due. IT IS CRITICAL THAT PARENTS ORDER TIMELY SO THAT THE SCHOOL DOES NOT INCUR EXTRA COST FOR WASTED MEALS OR THE STAFF HAVE TO SCRAMBLE AT THE LAST MINUTE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL MEALS. Any family with a balance from the prior year will not be able to order lunches without paying the entire amount.
After Fall Break, we will no longer require preorders, and each day any student can go through the line and choose from the day’s options. We will at that time require parents to preload funds into an account on our new software system to cover the meals each day. Students will be learning a personal pin code for use in the lunch line.
The cost of meals will be $4.25 for all students, $5.25 for staff. Portion sizes will increase by grade according to National School Lunch Program guidelines. During the first 8 weeks of preorder, we will have an additional option on orderlunches.com that will allow you to have money on your child’s lunch account for those “Forgotten Lunches.” This will help streamline billing for the cafeteria office and avoid multiple small charge notifications to you.
Parents will be able to change or cancel an order through the website only three days prior to service during the preorder weeks. We will allow cancellation the day of the meal for absentees only by emailing the school at [email protected] by 9 a.m. A credit will be posted to the account. Excessive “Forgotten Lunch” meals will result in Meridian requiring a family to add money on their student’s account to cover future lunches.
If you have any further questions please contact us at (512) 660-5230 or email [email protected]. To contact our Chef and Food Services Director email [email protected].
The regular entrée menu for August is attached (for K-5 and 6-12), and ordering will be available on Thursday afternoon, July 28.
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