To recognize the National School Lunch Program, serving 30 million children each day, Thomasville City Schools will celebrate National School Lunch Week this week, from October 15-18, 2019. The theme, “School Lunch: What’s on Your Playlist,” spotlights how today’s school cafeterias are serving up healthy menu items that kids want to eat, with increased choice and customization.
“School lunches offer students fruits and vegetables, whole grains and milk, and meet federal nutrition standards limiting fat, calories and sodium,” said Jeana Smith, School Nutrition Director for the Thomasville City Schools. “National School Lunch Week helps us educate parents and students about all the benefits of our lunch program and the appealing variety of choices in the cafeteria.”
National School Lunch Week will highlight the delicious and nutritious foods available daily at Thomasville City Schools. Students at all City Schools’ cafeterias can find fresh fruits and vegetables on the menu daily. The monthly menu for the district also features student favorites like chicken and waffles, T’ville chili and cinnamon rolls, and oven fried chicken. Students at MacIntyre Park Middle School, Thomasville High School, and Scholars Academy also have the choice of scrumptious whole grain pizzas that are made fresh daily.
School breakfast and lunch menus are accessible from each school website and the Thomasville City School app. Students and parents can also download the Meal Viewer app to view the school menus and accompanying nutritional information.
School Nutrition also seeks to teach students about healthy eating and nutrition. Thomasville City Schools are proud to partner with Live Better, the Archbold-led effort of key community leaders focused on improving the health of the citizens of Thomas County with a special emphasis on reducing obesity. Each month, the school lunch menu features the Live Better Superfood of the Month, which for October is zucchini. The October menu offers zucchini served three different ways: a squash and zucchini casserole, zucchini sticks with ranch dressing, and sautéed zucchini. In addition to featuring a Superfood each month, each of the city elementary schools host an annual Live Better Superfood Try-Day where they sample a recipe containing the Superfood of the Month. This Friday, during National School Lunch Week, Scott Elementary will have its annual Live Better Superfood Try-Day, where the students will get the chance to sample zucchini.
The federally-funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been fueling students for success for more than 70 years. Most of the students in the Thomasville City school district eat breakfast and lunch free of charge. Parents are welcome to eat lunch at school with their student. The cost for an adult meal is $4. Students at Jerger Elementary and Scholars Academy High School may qualify for free and reduced lunch. The cost for students without free or reduced price lunch is $1 for school breakfast and $2 for school lunch. Contact Jeana Smith, at the School Nutrition office 229-225-2666, ext. 1007, if your child attends either of these two schools and would like to apply for free or reduced price meals.