Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?

Who says there is no such thing as a ‘free’ lunch?

A challenge from the Board of Education to the District’s food service department to find ways to help students and their parents during difficult economic times has resulted in an additional 613 students receiving free lunches at school.

Beginning last Monday, March 1, the District’s Food Service Department extended free lunches to the 613 students who had been receiving reduced cost lunches. The free lunch program continues through the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

In addition to the 613 reduced lunch students, the District already provided 2,149 students with free lunches. The District has an enrollment of 6,387. Before Monday, lunches cost 40 cents a day for students in the reduced lunch program.

The District previously opened up a free breakfast program to all students, regardless of income, at all District elementary schools and the students at Zemmer Junior High School attending at Rolland-Warner Middle School.

“In addition to saving reduced cost lunch students up to $2 a week, the free lunch program is really aimed at encouraging children to eat a nutritious hot lunch every school day,” said Mr. Scott Smith, Director of Food Services in the District. “The Board of Education is committed to helping our families during this difficult economic time. A good breakfast and lunch contributes to better learning.”

Free summer breakfast, lunch program offered for second consecutive year at LCS

For the second consecutive year, the Food Service Department of Lapeer Community Schools will be offering free breakfast and free lunches to all children 18 years old or younger, weekdays through the summer, except for Friday, July 3rd.

The program, which is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture, comes during a particular rough economic period in the State.

The free meals are available at Turrill Elementary School, 785 S. Elm Street, or at the City of Lapeer Recreation Center, 880 S. Saginaw Street, to anyone meeting the age requirement. There are no geographic or economic requirements.

Breakfast will be served from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. and lunch 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The program began Monday, June 15, and will end Friday, August 28.

With so many people in need, please help us spread the word of this program in our community.

Lunch time is learning time too!

Lunch time is still learning time at Lapeer Community Schools.

During March, which is National Nutrition Month, students are being treated to “Eat. Learn. Live Mediterranean,” with a series of nutritious and tasty Mediterranean snack samples at the District’s elementary schools. Photos are here.

A Greek spread and a roasted pepper hummus spread were served with Pita slices. Students also tasted a special Mediterranean Chex mix.

The students were also given a tasting survey to see which of the snacks they like and which ones they would like to have served again.

The program was offered by Chartwells, the food service company that supplies meal services to the District.

“We have had a number of students, who after tasting the snacks, came back asking for more,” said Scott Smith, the District’s food service director.

Students received a set of Mediterranean snack menus (links above) to take home.

Students were also offered a guide about “What makes the Mediterranean diet and so healthy?” The guide includes information on food staples like olive oil, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables and yogurt.