Help Us to Serve You

Help Us to Serve You!

Dear Students, Parents and Teachers:

Hardy County Schools Food Service program is dedicated to providing a variety of nutritious and appetizing meals through our participation in USDA’s National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. We need your help to be sure that we do this to the best of our ability.

- Who’s eating school lunch today? That daily, routine question asked each morning by the teacher is essential in planning and preparing enough food for those students who each lunch that day. Your school cooks are in the kitchens by 6:00 a.m. preparing breakfast and getting out food for the days lunch. The lunch count is needed in the kitchen by 8:45 a.m. and needs to be as accurate as possible to avoid running out of a menu item. We routinely prepare a few extra servings, so please don’t inflate the count either. Just the straight count, please!

- Offer vs. Serve means what? USDA requires 5 different food groups be offered in the daily meal service Those 5 food groups are: meat, bread, 2 servings vegetables and/or fruit; and milk. Under Offer vs Serve your food service staff “offers” all 5 foods, but our customers, the students, only have to accept items from 3 of the 5 different food groups. We certainly encourage students to take all 5 foods, after all, they need the nutrients provided. However, if they’re not going to eat it, then they don’t have to take it. Offer vs. Serve is available to students in grades 3 through 12. Pre-K through 2^nd grade students are “served” all 5 foods.

- What’s the catch? USDA requires that students take foods from at least 3 different food groups from the 5 offered. Why is this important? The school lunch we offer actually costs an average of $3.37 to prepare and USDA reimburses part of that cost, but only if the above guidelines are met. So, students, if your school lunch lady looks at you and asks you to put something else on your tray – just smile and help yourself – where else will you be asked to pay less and take more!

- Have you paid your lunch bill? Hardy County Schools Food Service is in a financial balancing act in partnership with USDA, the local Board of Education and our parents and guardians to provide meals at the lowest possible cost for our children. Just think, for less than the cost of a bottle of soda, we provide your son or daughter a full meal – including entrée, bread, 2 servings vegetables/fruit and milk! Thanks to all of you who promptly pay your lunch bill.

- Are you eligible for free or reduced price meals? Households can apply for free or reduced price meals any time during the school year. If your household income has gone down since the school year began, please fill out an application. Often families wait until they can no longer pay their bill before completing an application, but free or reduced eligibility does not erase past due bills. Benefits begin only after the application is approved, so if you think you may qualify, complete an application today and return to: Child Nutrition Office, Hardy County Schools, 510 Ashby Street, Moorefield WV 26836.

If you have questions about Hardy County Schools Foodservice, please call the Child Nutrition Office at 530-2348, extension 231, Nancy Sisk, or extension 223, Sherry Barb.

Hardy County Schools is an equal opportunity provider.