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.

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: $3.25
  • Milk: $0.75

Middle/High Schools:

  • Breakfast: $2.50
  • Lunch: $3.50
  • 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.

Student Meal Debt Policy

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.

Payment Expectations

It is the responsibility of families and students to ensure that their student meal accounts are paid in full prior to the purchase of meals. Failure to pay for meals may result in the accrual of debt on the student’s account.

Collection of Outstanding Debt

Seattle Public Schools reserves the right to collect on outstanding debt incurred by students and families. This includes, notifying parents/guardians of delinquent accounts. If your family and/or student is experiencing a financial hardship, please contact your School Administrator to determine any options available to you and/or your family.

Policy Compliance

Our Student Meal Debt Policy is guided by the following supported documentation:

We encourage all families and students to carefully review these documents and understand their responsibilities regarding meal payments.

Reminders and Notifications

To avoid accumulation of debt, we recommend that families and students:

  • Regularly check their student meal account balance
  • Keep track of meal purchases and payments
  • Notify the school cafeteria staff or school administration if there are any issues with their account

By working together, we can ensure that every student has access to nutritious meals while maintaining a positive balance on their account.

If you have any questions or concerns about our Student Meal Debt Policy, please do not hesitate to contact culinaryservices@seattleschools.org.

Culinary Services Career Opportunities

Two cafeteria supervisors prepare meals for students in a school lunch room.
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, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activities 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.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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