|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Starting this fall, students in the Palo Alto Unified School District will benefit from a statewide program that guarantees two daily free meals regardless of financial status.
CA Meals for All will commence in the 2022-23 school year, making California the first state to implement a universal meals program. The district began offering free meals without requiring registration in March 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new program permanently replaces the previously temporary structure.
In line with the federal eligibility scale, households with four family members making a total of less than $51,338 a year are eligible for reduced meal benefits and those that make less than $36,075 are eligible for free meal benefits.
While registration will not be required to receive meals, a press release from the district states that students with this designated status become eligible for a variety of other “learning and enrichment opportunities,” such as discounts or waivers for college application and Advancement Placement test fees.
Furthermore, free and reduced lunch applications help inform the funding that the district receives annually from the state.
Students and their families do not need to be United States citizens to qualify.
Applications are available online at paloalto.familyportal.cloud or can be completed and returned to Food Services at the district office, 25 Churchill Ave. Questions can be directed to Theresa Poon in Student Nutrition Services, at 650-329-3806.
Do you know of news happening in your neighborhood or community that hasn’t been reported on yet? Send Palo Alto Online your news tips!
The so called free meal comes with the high price of low quality. I haven’t found one single kid actually likes the free meal, while they were quite happy with the paid meal before pandemic.
Those that sign the paperwork for the Federal program are last in line at lunch. Other kids race to get their meals first (you know, the winners) , those that actually secure money for schools beware of the lunch rush. Nothing is guaranteed .
Really? Are Palo Alto residents with their $3 million McMansions so impoverished that taxpayers must feed their children?
“The so called free meal comes with the high price of low quality.”
“Are Palo Alto residents with their $3 million McMansions so impoverished that taxpayers must feed their children?”
Simple solution…contract the free lunch program to outside vendors who could provide interesting meals with added variety.
The PAUSD (with menu input from Palo Alto parents) can easily afford to do so.
Some examples: Round Table Pizza, Village Cheese Shop, and Celia’s, along with other options like sushi and artisan hamburgers.
Dan- I am curious how many youths you have surveyed about this. As a parent in the district, my two children (one elementary, one high school) have been getting free hot lunch all year and they love it. As an educator, I’ve seen kids eating the exact same food as they were previously served. The kids who don’t like it are likely the kids who never liked it. Good news- they can always bring a lunch! Are you proposing that we bring back paid meals??
Overly ‘healthy’ themed lunches will not cut it with the kids.
Carrot and celery sticks, tofu-based alternatives, and granola bars leave something to be desired.
You gotta have hot dogs, pizza, potato chips, hamburgers and tacos to generate any real interest in the program.
Assorted deli sandwiches are also a step in the right direction.
Why go to school and endure a boring free lunch menu that borders on the unimaginative?
Food should be enjoyable even if it’s unhealthy to a certain extent.
Save the ‘healthy’ stuff for the grownups who probably need to enlist it at their particular stage in life.
Salt, sugar, and non-trans fat (in moderation) are OK for most people AND bring back peanuts as the so-called allergy was never problematic growing up during the 1950s and 1960s.
A regular Friday barbeque luncheon prepared by PTA members would be a nice treat for the kids.
PTA or school district should organize a survey for students on lunch quality. They’re the ones know and care about the lunch quality in the first place.
> Food should be enjoyable even if it’s unhealthy to a certain extent.
> Save the ‘healthy’ stuff for the grownups who probably need to enlist it at their particular stage in life.
^ Should overweight/obese students be designated a mandatory lunch menu that is focused on healthy weight loss?
Mandatory ‘healthy’ lunches for overweight/obese students would be unconstitutional and met with resistance.
People have the right to consume whatever they want, regardless of whether the foodstuffs are considered non-nutritional, unhealthy, and/or dangerous to longevity of life.
Perhaps this partially explains why fast food is a multi-billion dollar industry.
Tofu and/or kale infused lunch items are not going to fly unless one is acclimated towards a vegan diet.
A vegan-style pizza is OK.
A good idea providing the lunches are enjoyable and not tossed into the trash bin.