Huntington School Board members voted unanimously to set breakfast and lunch prices for the 2018/19 school year. Trustees set the price of breakfast at $1.90, elementary lunch at $2.65 and secondary lunch at $3.00. The price for milk will be 50 cents.
Trustees also passed a resolution authorizing the district’s continued participation in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program. Trustees pledged that “all state and federal regulations pertaining to the School Meal Program will be adhered to by the Huntington Union Free School District.”
Trustees have also extended the district’s food service management contract with Whitsons School Nutrition Corp. for the 2018/19 school year.
Huntington’s food service program is self-sustaining in nature. The district aims to serve healthy, nutritious and good tasting food items. Prepaid discount lunch and breakfast tickets are available, reducing or even eliminating the need for students to carry cash.
The district plans to continue striving to serve healthy, tasty, fresh and overall nutritious breakfast and lunch meals throughout the new school year.
Huntington UFSD and Whitsons have been working closely together to improve the cafeteria experience for students on every grade level in all buildings.
Providing students with the best food service program possible is a priority of the Huntington School Board and district officials. Developments during the most recent school year included:
- New food items were introduced into the menu such as salads, low-fat organic vanilla yogurt and granola parfaits.
- New efforts were made to educate students and parents about healthy food choices and staying active. An online Whitsons newsletter will be posted.
- Special announcements will be made concerning monthly food tastings and themed lunch events.
- The current Nutrikids online system for parents has the ability to track food allergies. If the parent provides the information, a student’s swipe card can be used to notify cashiers of food allergies. A doctor’s note would be needed and the information would be added to Nutrikids. Additionally, cards are placed near the food items themselves indicating what allergies or medical conditions could be adversely effected by consuming the item. Additional food allergy information will be outlined on the monthly breakfast and lunch menus.
The district has been working to serve the highest quality food possible. There is limited used of processed foods. All items are antibiotic/hormone free, low-fat and low calorie where possible. Canned fruit is packed in water not syrup. There has been an increase in the portions of the food items in sandwiches.
An interactive PDF cafeteria menu is available on the district website. All food items on the menu are linked to a nutrition calculator.
Some of the basic tenets of Huntington UFSD’s food service program include:
- Serving milk that is rBGH free, fat-free or one-percent and does not contain high fructose corn syrup.
- Zero trans-fats used, unless they are naturally occurring.
- Sourcing chickens that are raised without the use of non-therapeutic antibiotics.
- Serving chicken and pork products that are hormone free.
- Serving fresh fruits and vegetables daily.
- Sourcing dolphin safe tuna.
- Sourcing cage-free shelled eggs or pasture-raised when possible.
- Offering meals that are free from MSG, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors and flavors and/or preservatives and high fructose corn syrup.
- Serving yogurt that is 100 percent all natural or organic.
- Serving hummus that is organic and tahini free.
- Purchasing local products to support family farms and local economies and offering the freshest foods possible.
Contact Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Acker at kacker@hufsd.edu or call 631-673-2107 for more information about the district’s food service program.