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Free School Meals FAQ
The MN Free School Meals Program allows ALL students to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. Each meal MUST contain a fruit or vegetable serving to qualify as FREE. Breakfast will be available in the cafeteria daily from 9:00-9:25 am
The Free School Meals Program is a state-funded program that provides reimbursement for meals served to students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals so all students receive the meals at no cost. Schools participating in the Free School Meals Program must participate in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program and adhere to the regulations of those programs.
Since the Free School Meals Program is a State of Minnesota program, do we still need to follow the Federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) meal patterns?
Yes. Schools participating in the Free School Meals Program must participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). Schools must follow the federal meal patterns and all other federal requirements for these programs.
Can students get second meals for free?
This legislation provides a maximum of one free breakfast and one free lunch per day to students at participating schools. A second breakfast and/or a second lunch is considered an a la carte item and must be priced at the adult meal rate.
Can schools sell a la carte items?
Yes, schools may sell a la carte items that meet the federal Smart Snacks requirements. In addition, the prices charged for a la carte items must continue to meet federal non-program food sales requirements. A second breakfast and/or a second lunch is considered an a la carte item and must be priced at the adult meal rate.
We sell second entrees as an a la carte item. Is there a minimum price that I must charge for a second entrée? Is there a minimum price that I must charge for a la carte items?
The prices charged for a la carte items must continue to meet federal non-program food sales requirements. USDA requires SFAs to determine if the percent of total revenue generated from their non-program food sales is equal to or greater than the percent of total food costs attributable to the SFA’s purchase of non-program food. For example, if the cost of non-program foods is 20 percent of the SFA’s total food costs, then the amount of revenue generated from the sale of the non-program foods must be at least 20 percent of the total revenue in the school food service account. Schools planning to sell second entrees or other a la carte items are advised to read through USDA Memo SP 20-2016 for further guidance.
Can a school deny a second meal, second entrée, or a la carte item if the student does not have money in their account to pay for it?
Yes. Schools are not required to provide second meals, second entrees, or other a la carte items if a student does not have the funds available to pay for the item(s). It is a best practice for the school to avoid situations that may result in a student being denied a la carte item(s) at the point of service due to a lack of funds. For example, the school could sell a la carte items separately from the reimbursable meal serving lines and ensure that the student’s account has the funds available before the item is provided to the student.
If a student brings their own lunch and only wants a milk, do we charge them for the milk or can we claim this milk for reimbursement?
A meal must meet the meal pattern requirements in order to be claimed for reimbursement. A milk by itself does not meet the minimum requirements to be claimed for reimbursement. If a school participates in offer versus serve, a student must take at least the minimum number of components or items under offer versus serve for the meal to be claimed for reimbursement. If a school does not participate in offer versus serve, a student must take all meal components or items for the meal to be claimed for reimbursement. If a student does not take a meal that meets the requirements above, the milk must be purchased at the a la carte milk price.
Do I still need to collect Applications for Educational Benefits?
Yes, federal regulations require applications to be distributed. Schools should continue to collect Applications for Educational Benefits to determine if a student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. Applications for Educational Benefits are not needed to determine eligibility for students on the direct certification list. Students who receive meals at no charge, but who are not approved for free meals through federal school nutrition programs, must be correctly listed on meal eligibility rosters and the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS) data according to their actual school meal eligibility status – either reduced-price or paid. Meals served to these students must be correctly claimed as reduced-price or paid meals to receive the correct federal and state reimbursements.
Why is important to continue to collect Applications for Educational Benefits?
A school’s eligibility for programs such as the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), and federal after school snack and supper programs is based on free and reduced-price eligibility. Additional federal meal reimbursement is available to schools/districts that meet severe need criteria based on free and reduced-price eligibility. Students and families may qualify for other program fee reductions based on their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals.
If a family refuses to complete an Application for Education Benefits, are we supposed to refuse to serve them a meal?
No. A family is not required to complete an Application for Educational Benefits. A student may not be refused a meal because a family has not completed an Application for Educational Benefits.
Can we offer incentives to families to fill out the Applications for Educational Benefits?
No. Incentives and gifts are not allowable costs to the Food Service Fund or the General Fund.
