District 15 participates in the National School Lunch program, administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. The Nutrition Services Department is responsible for operating one of the largest independent school meals programs in Illinois.

• We provide over 213,500 breakfasts and 1,050,000 lunches annually.
• District-wide, there are 72 food and nutrition professionals dedicated to serving our students and staff appealing and healthy meals.
• All of our menus are processed through nutritional analysis software to ensure that we meet or exceed all federal program requirements.
• Our four junior highs have individual kitchens offering five to six entrees daily.
• Our elementary buildings receive meals prepared at our central kitchen facility.
• Elementary buildings offer from two to four choices daily including freshly made salads, and protein power packs – a district favorite with yogurt, cheese stick, peanut-free granola and peanut-free goldfish crackers.
• We also offer multiple selections of fruits and vegetables daily. Students may take as much fresh fruit and/or vegetables as they like with their lunch at no additional charge. We offer seasonal fruits such as melons, blueberries, grapes, strawberries, plums, pears, and locally grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

As we plan our menus, food safety and quality are always our top priorities, which is why we choose to partner with companies that you know, such as Land O Lakes, Tyson, GoldKist, Dole, Delmonte, Simplot and McCain to name a few.

Our schools are inspected several times yearly by the Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Hoffman Estates Health Departments to insure that preparation is done in a safe and sanitary manner. We monitor food temperatures from the receiving dock to the serving line daily. Over 60% of our staff have obtained the Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification from the State of Illinois and all staff have annual training on food safety issues. 

School Nutrition Services is always working to offer students healthier choices. In addition to surpassing the tough nutrition standards set by the federal government, we are working on new salad options, more locally grown produce, gluten-free, peanut-free and additional vegetarian selections. We are also working on replacing products that contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colorants and flavorings.

All of our menus are available online. Menu items that are poultry, pork, vegetarian, beef, gluten free, peanut free, tree nut free are indicated.

Prepayments for meals are made several different ways. Parents can give their student a check made out to the order of Nutrition Services, in an envelope marked "School Fees" and their student’s name. Parents may also make payments online, via SchoolCafé. 

SchoolCafé can be used to check your student’s balance. You can also elect to have a low balance notification emailed directly to you.

Free and Reduced-Price Meal Benefits are available to children whose families qualify under federal guidelines. Application forms are available at school and online. 

LUNCH

Lunches are available for purchase daily at a cost of $2.60 per meal for elementary students and $2.70 per meal for junior high students. Reduced-price meals cost 40 cents. Students who bring lunch from home may purchase milk for 45 cents. Students eligible for free meal benefits are entitled to one lunch at no cost.

All meals include low-fat white and non-fat flavored milks, as well as a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

Lunch choices include hamburgers, beef taco meat and beef spaghetti sauce. Several of our chicken products are all white meat, with no fillers, and other favorites include orange chicken with steamed brown rice, a gluten free nachos supreme lunch, an all-beef nitrite and gluten free hot dog. Twice weekly are house-made salads, with vegetarian options available.

All school lunch entrees are served with the choice of a ½-cup portion of vegetables and ½-cup portion of fruit, fat free or low fat milk, and whole grains. Students must select a fruit or vegetable with each meal. We design our menus to ensure that students are receiving the recommended daily allowances of key nutrients and nutrients of concern such as calcium, vitamins A and C and fiber, while not exceeding maximum limits of calories, sodium and fats.

BREAKFAST

In schools where breakfast is available, the daily cost is $1.30 per meal, including milk. Students eligible for free meal benefits are also entitled to a free breakfast, and those on the reduced program may purchase breakfast at 30 cents.

CEP SCHOOL BUILDINGS

Central Road, Gray M. Sanborn, Jane Addams, Kimball Hill, Lake Louise, Stuart R. Paddock, Virginia Lake, Winston Campus Elementary, Carl Sandburg Junior High, Winston Campus Junior High, and Conyers Learning Academy are in a program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), funded by the federal government. Students in these schools are entitled to receive a free breakfast and a free lunch each day. No application or action is required by parents for this voluntary program.

This program does not extend as a fee waiver for students. In order to apply for a fee waiver, parents/guardians must complete the purple “Application for Educational Benefits” form, available online and at each school building.

A LA CARTE

All á la carte items meet the “Smart Snacks in Schools” regulations. They are: under 200 calories, less than 35% of weight from total sugars, 0 grams trans fats, less than 230 mg sodium, less an 35% total calories from fat, and less than 10% saturated fat. In the elementary schools, low-fat/reduced-fat ice cream novelties and other healthy snack items may be available for purchase at an additional cost. Not all items are available every day. (See website for a list of items available.) In the junior high schools, baked chip/pretzel products and other low-fat items are available daily. Parents may elect to limit á la carte purchases by calling their child’s school and speaking to the nutrition coordinator.