Food Pricing and Payment Options

Snacks/ Extras	POS Price	Snacks/ Extras	POS Price
Graham Crackers	$0.50	Kind Bar Squares	$1.50
Craisins	$0.75	Rice Krispies	$1.50
Cheese Sticks	$0.75	Applesauce Squeeze Pouch	$1.50
Salted Almonds	$1.00	Extra Fries/ Rice/ Potatoes	$1.50
Smart Food Popcorn	$1.00	SECONDS	$2.00
Chips	$1.00	Hard Boiled Eggs Package	$2.00
Cereal Bars	$1.00	That’s IT Bar	$2.50
Justins Peanut Butter	$1.00	Beef Jerky Packs	$3.00
Motts Fruit Snacks	$1.00	Kind Bars Full Size	$3.00
Hard Boiled Egg	$1.00	Uncrustables Large	$3.00
Pistachios	$1.50	Yogurt Bowl	$3.00
To Go Salad	$3.00

 

Beverages	POS Price	Beverages	POS Price
Extra Milk	$0.75	Vitamin Water	$3.00
Izze Sparkling Beverages	$2.00	Gatorade	$3.00
Dasani Water	$2.00	Powerade	$3.00
Poppi	$2.50	Smart Water	$3.00
Hints	$2.50	Karma Probiotic Water	$3.00
Topo Chicos	$2.50	Noka Smoothies	$4.00
Minute Maid	$2.50

What is a Free/Reduced Meal?

My Student Qualifies Free/Reduced Meals. What is considered a “qualifying” meal vs a la carte? What is not considered Free/Reduced?

* A reimbursable meal is mandated by USDA and every school participating in the National School Lunch and/or Breakfast Program must offer certain components to students every day. TCSD1 operates a food service program as Offer vs Serve (OVS). This allows students choice, but also means that they may not be selecting a compliant or qualifying meal. Taking a compliant or qualifying meal is important, especially when you have qualified for Free and Reduced meals to ensure you are not incurring additional meal costs.

Goals of OVS

• Reduce food waste
• Allow students to choose the foods that they want to eat

Rules of OVS

• OVS is required for 9-12 students at lunch

• Optional (but encouraged) for K-8 at lunch and K-12 at breakfast.

• OVS signage must clearly indicate what constitutes a qualifying free or reduced reimbursable meal. It must also state that 1⁄2 cup of fruit or vegetable is required as part of a reimbursable meal. Signage is not required for field trips, breakfast in the classroom, or other venues where signage may be problematic.

• At the point of service, cashiers are trained and informed on what qualifies as a free or reduced meal.  This includes understanding foods and/or beverages that are a la carte and/or extras, which do not qualify under OVS. Because cashiers do not know which students are on full pay or free/reduced they are unable to advise students if they have not selected a free/reduced meal which can lead to students incurring charges if they have not selected a qualifying meal or if they selected items considered, a la cart options.

Below are the component requirements set by USDA based on what qualifies as a Free/Reduced Meal for Offer vs Serve

What students must select to qualify for a free/reduced meal

At least 3 different food components, one of which must be 1⁄2 cup of fruit or vegetable

If a student does not select the minimum requirements of what qualifies as a qualified meal from the chart above, the items have to be charged at a la carte pricing. Below is our a la carte pricing (will be charged to the account if selected in place of a reimbursable meal).

Reduced Pricing:

Breakfast is .30 cents and Lunch is .40 cents

A LA CARTE Pricing:

Definition of Seconds -When a student comes through the line a second time and selects a second full plate of food (multiple components). 

Other A La Carte AKA-Snacks

All other items sold A la Carte are considered Snacks by TCSD1 and can only be selected and purchased on student accounts with a positive meal balance. We will not deny students any food deemed nutritional regardless of their meal balance but do not consider snacks Aka chips, crackers, granola bars, or coca cola bevs a  source of nutrition and do require a positive meal balance to select such items. These types of snacks are offered only at our secondary grade schools (JHMS and JHHS). 

Offer vs Serve Breakfast and Lunch Component Poster

 

 

 

 

We leave the choice to parents/guardians and their students on what is selected but do our best to promote qualified meals through signage and fruit offerings at the registers.. We cannot delete or shutdown student accounts as sometimes requested but we can add notes to a students lunch account if parents/guardians prefer to do so. Example, “no seconds or no snacks”.

Any questions on the information provided, please contact Danny Reed, Food Service Director at dreed@tcsd.org.

 

Please take advantage of the options to prepay your student's meal accounts. Prepaid meal accounts help the lunch lines go faster and gives students more time to eat, relax, and play. It also gives you the peace of mind of not having to worry about looking for lunch money every day or worry that it might get lost, stolen or used for other things other than lunch.

Pre-paid Online Payments-My School Bucks

Online payments are a simple, safe and secure way to make payments to your students account 24 hours a day at your convenience. TCSD utilizes online payments through Myschoolbucks. Signing up is free and easy. Create an account and add your child enrolled at TCSD. You can set limits and also see from your own phone app or computer where your child's meal balance is and set notifications. To signup/use and or log into Myschoolbucks, click on the logo/link below:

• Parents/Faculty will need:

  • School District initially

  • Students first and last name

  • Correct school enrolled at from drop down menu

  • the student’s birth date to set up access 

  • Any questions regarding your myschoolbucks account, please contact Nutrition Services at (307) 732-3757 or dreed@tcsd.org

• Payments as well as email reminders and notifications, may be set up online for all students. 

• Remember that payment posting to accounts may take 24 hours, depending on the time of payment. If Internet access is available at the site, payments will be delivered real time.

Pay by Check or Cash

You can always bring money personally or send it with your student. Please place it in an envelope marked clearly with your student's name, their ID #. Turn in prepaid deposits to the cafeteria cashier(s) or school office.

Refunds

Refunds are issued through a voucher process. If you would like a refund issued, please contact Danny Reed- Food Service Director at dreed@tcsd.org or (307) 732-3757. A voucher will be created for the refund amount and sent to the district office for processing. Once the processing is completed, a check will be issued and mailed to the corresponding address on the student(s) profile or as indicated in the communications we receive from you.

 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.