Seattle Public Schools

Departments

Culinary Services

Culinary Services Meal Services for SPS Students

Every day SPS offers a nutritionally balanced breakfast and lunch for our students!

Culinary Services offers a variety of convenient ways to pay for school meals and have many schools and students who qualify for free school meals.

Our Mission: To build a nutritional foundation with the diverse knowledge and practical skills necessary to thrive beyond graduation. We strive to enrich students’ lives by exposing them to culturally relevant cuisine through immersive culinary experiences.

Our Vision: To empower students to enhance their academic performance and overall health by fostering lifelong habits of making informed and healthy food choices.

Free Meals for Students

Breakfast and lunch will be served at no cost to those students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Additionally, Seattle Public Schools has several schools that will offer free meals for all students.

Families must complete the free meal application every school year and will be responsible for the cost of meals provided to a student prior to the establishment of free or reduced-price eligibility.

What does “free reimbursable meal” mean?

The first complete breakfast and lunch meeting USDA program guidelines are free.

For a meal to qualify as free, a student must select at least three of the five meal components (e.g., grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, milk).

Any extra items beyond the reimbursable meal (such as additional milk, snacks, or second entrees) will be charged at à la carte prices.

Why complete a meal application if meals are free?

Even though meals are now free for all students, submitting a free and reduced-price meal application helps our school maintain funding for critical programs. We encourage every family to complete one.

Paying for Student Meals

Culinary Services offers a variety of convenient ways to pay for school meals including online payment and paying with check or cash.

Elementary and K-8:

  • Breakfast: $2.25
  • Lunch: $3.80
  • Milk: $0.75

Middle/High Schools:

  • Breakfast: $2.50
  • Lunch: $4.05
  • Milk: $0.75

Adults/Visitors:

  • Breakfast: $5
  • Lunch: $6.50
  • Milk: $0.75

Student meals can be paid for with a credit card online at MySchoolBucks.

MySchoolBucks requires the Student’s ID number to create an account. The Student ID number can be found on report cards or by accessing The Source.

MySchoolBucks charges users a $2.75 fee for credit/debit card meal payments and $2.49 for electronic check meal payments for a maximum payment limit of $200.

The fee will not be applied multiple times within the same transaction when a parent is paying for multiple students. This will allow families of two or more students to make payments up to $400 in one transaction (or even $600 dollars if they have 3 students).

Culinary Services offers a variety of convenient ways to pay for school meals. Checks and cash are accepted by the school’s lunchroom manager either as a pre-paid deposit to a student’s account or for purchasing individual meals, milk, or other à la carte items. Checks should be made payable to Culinary Services.

Families are also encouraged to work with the lunchroom manager at their child’s school to discuss paying for meals, how to apply for school meal benefits, menus, etc.

If you would like to request a refund, transfer, or donation of your student’s account funds, please complete the Refund/Transfer/Donate Request Form and submit it through Let’s Talk for processing.

Student Meal Debt

Student Meal Debt Policy and Payment Expectations

Seattle Public Schools is committed to providing nutritious meals to all students. However, we expect all families and students to fulfill their obligation to pay for meals prior to purchase. Any outstanding debt on a student’s meal account will be pursued by the district.

Learn more about the SPS student meal debt policy and payment expectations

Food Allergies and Special Diet Requests

Forms may also be requested by contacting Culinary Services main office at 206-252-0675. The Diet Prescription Form must be submitted to your student’s school nurse to ensure that proper foods are provided.

Under federal regulations, a Diet Prescription must be completed by a Licensed Physician (when identifying a disability such as a life threatening food allergy or diabetes) or a Recognized Medical Authority (RMA) when identifying a non-disabling medical condition such as a food intolerance. For Diet Prescription purposes, a RMA includes a Licensed Physician, Doctor of Osteopathy, Licensed Physician’s Assistant, ARNP or Licensed Naturopathic Physician.

Personal or religious food preferences such as vegan, vegetarian or halal, do not meet the definition of a disabling or non-disabling medical condition for which a special school meal will be provided. Families and students are encouraged to become familiar with the school meal menu to identify days in which these menu options are readily available. See school menus.

If your child requires a special diet consideration:

  1. Please complete the diet prescription form
  2. Have form signed by your family’s doctor, a licensed physician, or a recognized medical authority
  3. Send the completed form to your student’s school nurse

Culinary Services Career Opportunities

Culinary Services Careers
Culinary Services Careers

Learn more about career opportunities for kitchen staff and lunchroom managers.

SPS Careers

Contact Culinary Services

We understand that concerns, questions, comments, and feedback may arise throughout the school year and know that your input helps our team get closer towards meeting our goals; so we have started using the Culinary Services Contact Form for a quick and easy way to communicate with you!

Non-Discrimination Statement for Child Nutrition Programs

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement for Child Nutrition Programs

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, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

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 State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination 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: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found at:

  • Download the form on the USDA website
  • Pick it up at any USDA office
  • 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: 202-690-7442; or
  • email: program.intake@usda.gov