School Nutrition

School Nutrition at Our School

Schools across the county are finding that more children start the day with school breakfast when they move it out of the cafeteria and after the first bell, making it an integral part of the school day.  These new services models make breakfast participation convenient by serving it in places where children can easily access the meal – in classrooms, hallways, or even later in the morning.

At PUC Schools we believe in supporting the nutritional health and wellness of our students and have implemented a Breakfast in the Classroom and Second Chance Breakfast Model at all PUC Schools.  We participate in the USDA National Lunch Program, providing students with Breakfast, Lunch, and Snacks daily.  In addition, PUC Schools offer “Universal Meals”, which provides FREE Breakfast and Lunch Meals to all students, regardless of eligibility.

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSAL MEALS

Beginning in School Year (SY) 2022–23, California will become the first state to implement a statewide Universal Meals Program for school children. California’s Universal Meals Program (Universal Meals) is designed to build on the foundations of the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP). There are three key pillars that have been established to ensure that the program is a success:

• Pillar One: California’s State Meal Mandate is expanded to include both a nutritiously adequate breakfast and lunch for, not just needy children, but all children each school day.
• Pillar Two: High poverty schools will be required to participate in a federal provision.
• Pillar Three: The California State Legislature allocates funds to provide additional state meal reimbursement to cover the cost of the Universal Meals Program.

For more information on Universal Meals, please visit: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/cauniversalmeals.asp

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a non-pricing meal service option for schools and school districts in low-income areas. CEP allows the nation’s highest poverty schools and districts to serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications. Instead, schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

All PUC schools are participating in CEP.

For more information on CEP, please visit https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/sn/cep.asp.

Programs

Downloads

Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations
Declaracion Medica Para Solicitar Comidas Especiales o Adaptaciones

Free Breakfast – Announcement Flyer (Fall 2022)

PUC Schools – CEP Notification Letter to Households for 2022-2023 School Year

Family Income Form & Letter to Household for 2022-2023

Formulario de ingresos familiares y carta al hogar para 2022-2023

Request for Proposal (RFP) – Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Los Angeles – Food Service Management Company [Revised 2/23/2022]
Request for Proposal (RFP) – Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Valley – Food Service Management Company [Revised 2/23/2022]
Request for Proposal (RFP) – Partnerships to Uplift Communities (PUC) Lakeview Terrace – Food Service Management Company [Revised 2/23/2022]
Procurement Plan
Invitation for Walk-Through Event (3/04/22)
Respondent Questions & Answers
Attachment A – Equipment Inventory

P-EBT Card Questions and Answers
Preguntas y Respuestas Sobre la Tarjeta P-EBT

Wellness Policy

Due to children’s need to access healthy foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive; PUC Schools and its SCHOOLS members is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Therefore, it is the policy of PUC SCHOOLS that:

• The schools will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing PUC Schools-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.

• All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.

• Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations of the S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

• Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.

• To the maximum extent practicable, all schools in PUC Schools will participate in available federal school meal programs (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program [including after-school snacks].

• Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community services.

• A comprehensive committee, consisting of all PUC stakeholders, will participate in development, monitoring and revision of PUC Schools Wellness Policy.

• A comprehensive committee, consisting of all PUC stakeholders will assist in menu planning and reporting survey results and data to FSMC or Food Vendor, three times a year.

To download a full copy of the PUC Schools Wellness Policy, please click here.