- Reed Union School District
- Breakfast & Lunch FAQs
Breakfast and Lunch Information
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BREAKFAST & LUNCH FAQs
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Why did we have a change in breakfast and lunch this school year?
California's Universal School Meals Program (USMP) provides free, nutritious meals to all public school students, regardless of income, to support student and family well-being. The program went into effect in the 2022–2023 school year and has had several positive impacts on students and families
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What is the cost?
Breakfast and lunch are now available at no cost to all students. Families are no longer required to meet income qualifications.
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Should I still fill out the “Free & Reduced” Lunch form?
Yes, it is still important to complete the "Free & Reduced" Lunch Application if you feel you may qualify. This allows the school district to accurately calculate the students that qualify and provides some individual benefits for those students and families.
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Who is our new food vendor for RUSD?
The new vendor is The LunchMaster.
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Does my family need to place an order?
No, you do not have to place an order. The LunchMaster gives school districts the option of placing orders or not. At this time, RUSD is not asking families to place an order in an effort to simplify the process for families. We will monitor usage and adjust accordingly.The school district is monitoring the pattern of consumption and adjusting orders based on the number of students that request the food. Keep in mind that this is different from the way the system operated in the past because the school must be prepared to serve a meal to any student that asks for a meal. This means that the school will likely need to over-order. For example, even if RUSD was using an ordering system and asking families to order each day, we still need to be prepared to serve anyone that asks for a meal. Therefore, we would not be able to order exactly the number of meals ordered by families.
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Is unused food donated?
At this time, we are not donating unused food; however, we are actively exploring ways to further reduce waste.
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Can I see the menu?
Yes, the monthly menu will usually be published the week before the month begins so that families can look at the options and decide if they would like to pack a lunch or ask for the LunchMaster meal. RUSD is at the mercy of The LunchMaster for timing when the menu is ready to be posted. Here is the link.
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Does the food follow federal guidelines? Can we adjust what is served?
Yes, the food will follow federal nutrition guidelines. This also means that all of the elements of the meal must be served to a student in order to follow the guidelines. For example, if a federally approved meal has a grain, protein, fruit, vegetable, and milk, then all of those elements must be served.
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What time is breakfast served?
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Reed Elementary at 8:05 AM
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Bel Aire at 7:30 AM
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DelMar at 8:00 AM
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It seems like there are some foods that the students really like and some that are not popular. How is this being addressed?
Ordering adjustments will continue to be made as the school year goes on and as the site notices which items the students are loving. For example, egg salad sandwiches were a big hit at Reed but not popular at Bel Aire. The burritos were loved at Bel Aire and Del Mar, and the sushi bowl was popular at Del Mar. Now that we know, orders can be adjusted.
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I sent a lunch with my child, but they came home with a full lunch box and stated that they asked for a LunchMaster lunch instead. What do I do about that?
Your best solution is to have a discussion with your kiddo about how your family expects them to handle it. For example, “Kim, we made lunch for you to eat today at school. It looks like you saw the burrito and really wanted it. In our family, we expect you to … “ The federal guidelines for a school district say that if a student asks for a meal, we are to serve it to them.
