Food Services

Mike Rossi

Food Service Director

(860) 376-2403 x268 / mrossi@lisbonschool.org

Lisbon Central School serves hot lunch and breakfast daily and participates in Healthy School Meal Initiative, which follows new federal guidelines. Beginning in 2012 – 2013, we put in place some new USDA guidelines for even healthier meals for the students.

Here are the major differences:

  • Previously, students didn’t have to take a fruit or vegetable at all, as long as they took enough other items. Now, they must choose at least one fruit or veggie serving, and we encourage them to choose more if they like.
  • Students have a greater selection and variety of fruits and veggies to choose from. Instead of 1/2 – 3/4 cup combined fruits and veggies per day, now the students are offered 3/4 – 1 cup of veggies PLUS 1/2 – 1 cup of fruit per day.
  • We are emphasizing the healthiest veggies more often, with weekly offerings of healthy dark green and red/orange vegetables, as well as beans and other legumes.
  • Whole grains are up. Beginning in 2012 – 2013, at least 50% of all grain foods we serve are whole-grain rich, and within two years, all of the grains we serve will be whole-grain rich.
  • Bad fats are down. Meals average less than 10% calories from saturated fat, and every item contains zero grams per serving of trans fat.
  • We are serving only fat-free unflavored, 1% unflavored, and fat-free flavored milks.
  • We’ll be meeting new standards for limiting sodium until we reach a final maximum of 740mg sodium per meal on average.

These changes require more work and careful planning on our part, especially as we get used to the new guidelines. An the new menus will no doubt take some getting used to for our students, too. But the end result will be healthier meals for our kids — and well-nourished kids do better in school!

Lisbon Central School participates in the federally subsided free and reduced program. Applications with complete guidelines outlining the qualifications are sent to all parents / guardians with a reminder that if you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you also qualify for free or reduced breakfast. We encourage everyone to take advantage of our lunch and breakfast programs.

In addition, we have payschoolscentral.com which allows all parents/guardians to track their child’s account, get notice of charges and to make deposits online. To sign up, click on the link under cafeteria tab.

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