Special Meal Accommodations

Here at the Office of School & Nutrition Services, our primary focus is the health and well-being of each student, which we support by providing nutritious meals every day. We are dedicated to promoting and encouraging healthy nutrition habits, including increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, incorporating whole grains, and ensuring balanced meals. We are Nut-Aware and do not exclude nuts from our menus. To assist students with food allergy accommodations please review literature below for guidance.

Our menus are thoughtfully crafted to meet all federal and state requirements and are based on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Dietary Guidelines for Americans. By prioritizing these guidelines, we aim to foster a healthier lifestyle for our students, enhancing their overall well-being and academic success as part of our commitment to nourishing young minds and bodies within the ACPS community!

Meal Modifications for Medical or Special Dietary Reasons

USDA Regulation 7 CFR Part 15b requires substitutions or modifications in school meals for children whose disabilities restrict their diets. A child with a disability must be provided substitutions in foods when that need is supported by a signed statement from a state-licensed healthcare professional. A recognized medical authority may be a doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician's assistant.

Food Allergies

Generally, children with food allergies or intolerances do not have a disability as defined under either Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or Part B of IDEA, and the school food service may, but is not required to, make food substitutions for them. However, when in the licensed healthcare professional’s assessment, food allergies may result in severe, life-threatening (anaphylactic) reactions or cause significant impact on major bodily functions, the child’s condition would meet the definition of “disability,” and the substitutions prescribed by the state-licensed healthcare professional must be made.

Glossary of Allergy Terms (PDF)
School food services may make food substitutions, at their discretion, for individual children who do not have a disability, but who are medically certified as having a special medical or dietary need. Such determinations are only made on a case-by-case basis. This provision covers those children who have food intolerances or allergies but do not have life-threatening reactions (anaphylactic reactions) when exposed to the food(s) to which they have problems.

Food AllerGy Action Plans

If your student has a life-threatening food allergy, please contact your school nurse before the first day of school to discuss implementing an allergy action plan. The school Registered Nurse (RN) will work with families, health care providers, and our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (as necessary) to ensure that a health care plan is created to meet the unique needs of each student with special health care issues. 

Contact information for the school RNs can be found on the School Nurses and Student Health Services page. In accordance with ACPS policy, families are responsible for providing meals for students with allergies. Meal modifications may be requested. 

• ACPS Food Allergy Guidelines (PDF)
• How to Read a Label for Common Food Allergens

Vegetarian & Vegan Offerings

For those with dietary preferences, cultural preferences, and religious restrictions, we continue to make efforts to provide a diverse and culturally inclusive program for our students. Our goal is to continue to increase the variety of vegetarian and plant-based options. We have found that the demand for vegetarian and plant-based menu offerings is increasing, so the Office of Student Nutrition Services is expanding our offerings! In addition to our daily cold vegetarian offerings, such as Sunbutter and Jelly boxes or hummus cheese wraps, we’re turning one of our hot entrees vegetarian! In addition, we’re offering easy, plant-based swaps to our hot entrees i.e., Nature's Cafe concept at ACHS.

Halal Meal Variety & Offerings

Halal inquiries occur during the year, and although the Office of School Nutrition Services does not adhere specifically to a Halal menu, we provide many menu offerings to support a Halal diet. No pork products are on our menus or are prepared in our kitchens, and our variety of vegetarian/vegan entrees and sides are acceptable for even strict Halal diets. In efforts to remain culturally inclusive school nutrition services provides programs such as Global Bites and Harvest of the month that showcase various vegan and vegetarian options along with our Greens and More salad bar. All of our school operations practice "offer versus serve," which means we offer all of the food components that are required of us to offer per federal regulations (fruits, vegetables, milk, meat/meat alternatives and grains) and students have the option to decline two of those components while still receiving a complete meal. As always, our School Nutrition Managers and other team members are happy to assist students in selecting their meals. We encourage students to ask questions if they are having difficulty navigating or looking for something specific. For questions surrounding menu, ingredient, or allergen information, we encourage students and families to visit our SchoolCafe website.

Diabetes Information

Interactive menus with carbohydrate counts are published monthly online and via the smartphone application SchoolCafe. Manufacturers may change formulations without informing us. We make every effort to provide current information, however, it is always best to ask questions if you have a concern. School cafe managers work closely with the school nurse to ensure that the correct amount and kind of food is served to meet the needs of our students with diabetes in elementary schools. We strongly encourage personal advocacy of our older students concerning their meal plan and food options by working with the school nurse. For immediate guidance, view the School Cafe App and contact your school nurse. For further helpful tools and resources, please contact the Nutrition Coordinator.

Medical Statement for Children with Special Dietary Needs

Each special diet request must be supported by a medical statement explaining the requested food substitution and it must be signed by a recognized medical authority. The Medical Statement must include:

• Impairment and how it restricts the child's diet,
• Explanation of what must be done to accommodate the disability,
• Foods to omit, and
• Recommended food alternatives.

If we do not receive a medical statement from a recognized medical authority, we will be unable to provide a substitution. Medical statements completed by parents or guardians are not accepted. It is necessary to have only one statement on file. A new statement is not required each year unless the student's needs change.

Students with milk allergies may receive soy milk for no additional cost.

Sample Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations

English (PDF) | Spanish (PDF) | Amharic (PDF) | Arabic (PDF)