Nutrition Services

Nutrition Services: End of Year Reminders and Looking Ahead

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Educational Benefits
Applications for Educational Benefits for the 2026-27 school year will be available after July 15, 2026.

Students are eligible for SUN Bucks (previously known as Summer-EBT) 2026 benefits based on several factors. Students may be eligible if they currently qualify for benefits. If you do not receive benefits, you may still apply until June 30, 2026.

The mission of ISD 748 Nutrition Services is to: “Proudly offer our Students a wide variety of nutritious, affordable and satisfying meals that enables them to succeed academically and physically, while teaching lifelong healthful eating habits.”

Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748 provides healthy meals each school day.

We participate in Minnesota's Free School Meals Program. This means that every enrolled student can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.

Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important!

Family Handbook - Nutrition Services

More Information

Meal Benefits - Free/Reduced Eligibility

Approved educational benefits applications provide our district with increased funding to ensure students receive the support they need.

With your approved application, your child(ren) could also receive discounts on the following:

Activities
Transportation
Technology deposits
Community Education
School Readiness
Field trips
Other School fees

Free/reduced information is confidential. A new Application for Educational Benefits form MUST be completed each school year. Please note: If you do not qualify now, you may apply at any time during the school year.

In order to receive these additional educational benefits, please complete the application, which is available in two formats:

Online via Skyward Family Access
- Login and select Food Service from the side menu
- Select a student
- Click Applications (top mid-right)
- Click Add Application tab
- Follow instructions to complete the application and submit
Paper application
- Applications can be printed from our website, picked up at the District Service Center, or from your school office.
- Fill out the application completely and accurately and return to the Nutrition Services Office for processing.

Meal Benefits Packet - info, application, consent, and insurance notification

Spanish Free/Reduced Application Packet

Online Consent Form

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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; or
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Special Dietary Needs

Special Diet Statement Form

We work with families to make sure every child receives a delicious meal. Students with a special dietary need must complete a Special Diet Statement and have appropriate medical documentation (ex: EpiPens) on file to receive school meals.

Please complete the following steps:

The Special Diet Statement Form (linked above) must be completed by a medical professional (medical doctor, physician assistant OR nurse practitioner) and only be completed once (unless a change in diet occurs)
Contact Tiffany Toren to set up an appointment to meet.

Please note:

A wallet-size photo is required only from incoming Kindergartners and new District students
Monthly special diet menus are:
1. Mailed home monthly
2. To be returned to the school nurse at elementary schools or head cook at secondary schools
3. Required before the beginning of the month in order to receive lunch selection
4. If no menu is received and a student wants hot lunch, a healthy chef salad free of the student’s allergen(s) will be served
Lactose-Reduced milk is available for students upon request without a physician’s note.

District Policy #540

Self-monitor application for Grades 6-12

Special Diet Accommodations Checklist

Special Diet Responsibility packet

Payments and Accounts

Pre-payment of meals for a minimum of two weeks is encouraged; however, monthly, quarterly, or bi-yearly pre-payments are accepted and have proven to be convenient for parents. A minimum payment of $25 per family covers all siblings, regardless of building attended

Breakfast and lunch are free for K-12 students.
Payments cover extra meal components (entree, bread, vegetable, fruit, milk, treat) and A la carte, as purchased.

Meal Pricing

Breakfast

FREE - K-12
$3.50 Adult

Lunch

FREE - K-12
$5.25 Adult
$0.50 Extra Milk/Milk with Cold Lunch

District’s official meal charging procedure

The following are the steps taken when family account balances reach:

-$50 or greater will receive a letter mailed home with the specific amount owed.
Any accounts $-100 or greater will be sent home a letter from the District with the balance owed at the end of the school year. If no response is received, the remaining balance will be turned over to a collections agency.

For more information:

Meal Charging Procedure

Meal balance notification

Families are encouraged to monitor meal account balances and make online payments in Skyward/RevTrak.

If a low/negative balance occurs:

Families are notified via Skylert (call/text/email)
Cashiers will also inform students of their lunch account balance if low
If an account has a negative balance, students are allowed to receive breakfast and lunch meals, but cannot charge A la carte or extra items

Methods of payment

Skyward Family Access

Online via Skyward Family Access:
- Enter Login & Password
- Select Food Service
- Select “Make Online Payment” and follow prompts
  - Payments are automatically updated to the family account.
  - Payments can be called in over the telephone to the Food Service Office in an emergency or if the internet is not available.
In-person via payment drop boxes available at each school's main office
- Payments should be placed in the drop boxes by 10:00 am (allowing cashiers time to post funds to accounts before lunch begins)
- Cash payments should be placed in a sealed envelope with the student(s) first and last name and PIN printed legibly on the envelope.
- Checks must also have the student(s) first and last name and PIN printed legibly in the memo section of the check.

Set up auto-replenish payments in RevTrak

Wellness

Healthy Snacks/Celebrations

Healthy Fundraising Options

Triennial Assessment Scoresheet: WellSAT 3.0

Triennial Assessment of Wellness Policy Summary

Questions and Answers

What should I know about Meal Benefits (Free/Reduced Eligibility)?

Is breakfast and lunch free for my K-12 student?
Yes, we are joining Minnesota's Free School Meals Program. All students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.
Who should complete the application for educational benefits? Families may be surprised to find out that they qualify for free or reduced educational benefits. Anyone who is willing to fill out an application for educational benefits can be considered.
I get WIC or Medical Assistance. Can my children qualify?
Children in households participating in WIC or Medical Assistance do not automatically qualify. Children may be eligible depending on other household financial information. Please fill out an application.
Who should I include as household members?
Include yourself and all other people living in the household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends).
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens for you to complete an application.
What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally get. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you overtime only sometimes. For seasonal work, write in the total annual income.
Will the income information or case number I give be checked?
It may be. We may also ask you to send written proof.
How will the information be kept?
Information you provide on the application, and your child(ren)s approval, will be protected as private data. For more information, see the back page of the Application for Educational Benefits.
If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes. Please complete an application at any time if your income goes down, your household size goes up, or you start getting SNAP, MFIP or FDPIR benefits.

What is the District's official meal charging procedure?

The following are the steps taken when family account balances reach:

-$50 or greater will receive a letter mailed home with the specific amount owed.
Any accounts $-100 or greater will be sent home a letter from the district with the balance owed at the end of the school year. If no response is received, the remaining balance will be turned over to a collections agency.

What is "Offer vs Serve"?

Offer vs. Serve allows students to build a meal and take what they are going to eat.

Garden veggie bars are available for students in grades K-12, so students may select as many raw vegetables as they would like the first time through the lunch line.

The trays above are the same price:

The students on the left opted for the minimum components.
The students on the right opted for an entree, one fruit selection, hot vegetable, fresh garden veggie bar, and milk.

To view detailed guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) regarding Offer vs. Serve for breakfast and lunch meals, please click the link below.

MDE Offer vs. Serve PDF

Students may choose their meal components. This helps students eat what they prefer and cut down on food waste.

BREAKFAST
A complete meal consists of at least 3 items. Note: some foods fulfill two nutritional requirements.