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Child Nutrition

Child Nutrition

Program Overview

The Child Nutrition Program of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System provides affordable and nutritious meals to students and staff, believing that good nutrition is crucial for learning. It is our duty to provide healthy meals in a safe and clean environment.

CNP employees serve 50,000 daily meals in 81 sites across the district within a 2-hour window. Public school and charter students receive one free breakfast and lunch. The Supper Program is available to students in after-school programs.  Twenty-five schools participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, where students receive a fresh snack after recess around two to three times a day. Additional food and extra meals are available to purchase at a minimal cost.

Students who eat school meals are exposed to healthy eating habits through daily servings of milk, ample fruits and vegetables, whole-grain products, and portion control for maintaining a healthy body weight. Let’s establish a new tradition with good nutrition.

Food is essential for children as it aids in their cognitive function.

Meal Prices

Student Breakfast: one free meal each school day
Student Lunch: one free meal each school day
Extra Milk: $1.00
Adult Prices: $3.50 for breakfast and $5.60 for lunch

LaChip Lunch Flyer – English
LaChip Lunch Flyer – Spanish

Summer and Weekend Meal Programs

Unlock free meals for your Summer and Weekend Youth enrichment programs with EBRPSS – Child Nutrition Program!

Studies show that children who eat breakfast at the start of their school day have higher math and reading scores and are overall better students. Find out more about the national program at Breakfastintheclassroom.org.

Lunch menus are printed in the local newspaper, announced on the local television during the early morning shows, and posted in all school cafeterias.

School meals in this district follow the recommended Dietary Guidelines for Americans and offer healthy choices to students. EBR has made menus healthier by adding more fruits, vegetables and whole grain rich foods to the menus. A variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grain rich products are offered to students daily and students may choose skim, low-fat, or fat free flavored milk with each meal. EBR makes food that kids like to eat, healthier.

Student Meal Modifications:  For students needing meal modifications, submit a signed prescription or statement from a medical authority licensed to write prescriptions in the state of Louisiana to the cafeteria manager at your child’s school or contact the East Baton Rouge Parish School System Child Nutrition Office at 225-226-3612 for assistance.

USDA Milk Substitution Rule & Special Diet Information
Diet Prescription for Meals at School
Lactose-Free Milk Request
Procedures for Requesting a Special Diet for Religious Reasons
Religious Reasons Diet Request
Breakfast Cycle Menu Carbohydrate Counts for Elementary Schools 2023-2024 SY
Breakfast Cycle Menu Carbohydrate Counts for Middle and High Schools 2023-2024
Lunch Menu Carbohydrate Counts for Elementary Schools 2023-2024 SY
Lunch Menu Middle and High School Regular Menu and Choice Menu for 2023-2024 SY
Holiday Menu Carbohydrate Counts for 2023-2024 SY
Fruits, Vegetables, & Seasonal Items Carbohydrate Counts for 2023-2024 SY
How to Request Meal Modifications

Menu Descriptions

Breakfast In the Classroom/ Breakfast On the Go

In most EBR schools, breakfast is served to students where they get off the bus, where they get out of the car, or where they enter the school. Students then go to the classroom, the commons area, or outside to eat their breakfast. When students are allowed to eat breakfast in the classroom, in the commons area, or outside, more students choose to eat breakfast which allows students to have a nutritious meal before class begins helping students focus in class. Breakfast in EBR public schools is free to all students and meals meet all federal USDA nutrition standards. Breakfast menus include items students like such as biscuits with sausage, Breakfast Pizza, and mini-pancakes. When students eat breakfast at school their day is off to a positive start.

National School Lunch Program

The goal of the Child Nutrition Program is to serve nutritious, appetizing, wholesome, and affordable meals to students and staff. In East Baton Rouge Parish Public Schools, lunch meals are offered free to all enrolled students through the Community Eligibility Program. Meals are nutritionally balanced meeting federal nutrition requirements. Middle and High schools have two or more menu choices each day. Well-liked menu items such as hamburgers and baked chicken menus are served as well as regional menu items such as Gumbo. Plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are served daily and students have a choice of fat-free or low-fat milk with each meal. When students eat lunch at school, they are making a healthy choice.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Students in approx. twenty-five EBR elementary schools receive fresh fruits and vegetables in addition to breakfast, lunch, and supper. Schools selected for this program must meet certain criteria to be eligible for this program. The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program allows students to receive 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or vegetables at no cost and they are distributed to students at a time other than at breakfast and lunch during the school day. The goal of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable program is to introduce children to fresh fruits and vegetables, to include new and different varieties, and to increase overall acceptance and consumption of fresh produce. This program promotes nutrition education and healthier eating among students.

After-School Supper Program

Approximately 65 schools in East Baton Rouge Parish provide after-school supper meals to students who participate in after-school programs. Supper meals are healthy and meet USDA nutritional meal patterns and are served at no cost to students. To participate in the After-School Supper Program, schools must have after-school programs that are organized primarily to provide care for children after school, provide organized scheduled activities, and include educational or enrichment activities, such as computer lessons, or homework help. The After School Supper program provides a meal for students before they head home for the evening.

Purchasing & Commodity

Our goal in the purchasing department of the Child Nutrition Program is to purchase quality food and supply items at the best value possible, for the children as well as all customers of the East Baton Rouge Parish School System. We strive to plan nutritious, appetizing and affordable meals meeting all state and federal guidelines to enhance the nutritional demands of students.

The United States Department of Agriculture supports the Child Nutrition Program by distributing food items to our school district. These foods are of high quality and help to eliminate surplus foods from the farming industry. Some of the food items that we receive are applesauce, peaches, rice, vegetable oil, turkey roast, frozen cut chicken, pork roast and cheese. There are other items that are received throughout the school year. All of the items are of the highest quality and are stored and delivered under strict sanitation regulations.

We follow the Traditional Food Based Menu Planning Option in East Baton Rouge Parish. All schools use a three-week cycle menu for lunch and a two week cycle menu for breakfast. All cafeterias operate using an “offer vs. serve” program, meaning the student can choose three or more of the five meal components offered. The meal components are determined by the USDA guidelines.

Bid Awards 2023 – 2024

Bread, Class 1

All Milk, Class 2 Bid Number: 200-20

Cereal Products, Dried Beans, Crackers, Cookies & Chips List 0, Class 3 Bid Number: 300-22

Fruits & Vegetables, Class 5 Bid Number 500-22

Meat & Meat Products, Class 6 Bid Number 600-22

Poultry, Class 7 Bid Number 700-22

Frozen Fish, Class 8 Bid Number 800-22

Processed Foods List 03-551, Class 9 Bid Number 900-22

Specialty Foods, Class 10 Bid Number 1000-22

Concessions/Vending

Click Here for A Guide to Smart Snacks

To learn more about Concessions/Vending, please visit the Pennington BioMedical Smart Snacks in School Program.

Non-Discriminatory Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: How to File a Complaint, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

Fax

(202) 290-7442

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.