Frequently Asked Questions

Are school breakfasts and lunches nutritious?

Recent Government Accounting Office (GAO) reports state “school meals are healthy and children who eat school meals consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy items than children who do not eat schools meals.”

Research has shown lunches from home include a sandwich and three times more snack foods. This combination contains more carbohydrates, fat, and sugar. Milk was included in 87% of the school lunches and only 7% of lunches from home.

School lunches sometimes get falsely accused of contributing to the childhood obesity issue but the research is evidence that school lunch plays a major role in keeping our children healthy

Are school lunches high in fat, sodium and calories?

FCPS meals are planned by Registered Dietitians and according to federal regulations provide 1/3 of the students' Recommended Dietary Allowances and contain no more than 30 percent calories from fat and 10 percent calories from saturated fat averaged over the week. This information is printed on the parent monthly menu.

Food items such as chicken tenders and pizza served in our schools are specified to contain limited amounts of fat and sodium. The nutrient content is different than those sold in local fast food restaurants. To reflect the new MyPyramid for Kids – Eat Right, Exercise, Have Fun recommendation whole wheat grain breads, pizza crust, breakfast cereals, etc. and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables are offered on menus. In addition special attention is paid to limit sodium, sugar and trans fatty acids.

Are students involved in menu planning?

To ensure menus reflect student preferences, monthly student taste parties and customer report cards provide the menu planners with feedback on the customers' likes and dislikes.

The taste party process is formal and students' evaluation determines the placement of the item on future menus. Our goal is to plan menus that are affordable and more important provide students with several nutritious choices that they will select and eat.

Are soft drinks and candy available to students during the school day?

Fairfax County Public Schools. The school food service programs operate under federal and state regulations, which restrict the sale of foods of low nutritional value.

Unlike other school districts FCPS has a very strict competitive food regulation, which states "nothing can be sold in competition with the school food service program during the entire school day". Today, the media reports many school districts are making plans to discontinue the sale of soft drinks and candy during the school day. FCPS is not faced with this issue because its competitive food regulation has never allowed the sale of such items during the school day. However, soft drinks and candy are available in high school vending machines for after school activities.

How do I put money on my child's lunch account?

Parents have three options to pay for their child’s lunch account:

Online – Using www.myLunchMoney.com. The service is easy to use, convenient, private, and secure. Once the account is open, parents may check the fund at any time from computer or phone. A separate convenience fee of $1.95 is charged for each family member's transaction.

Mylunchmoney.com Support Contact Information:

Hours Monday - Friday 8 am - 7 pm EST
E-Mail: mylunchmoneyinfo@sl-tech.net
Phone # 1-800-479-3531
Fax # 1-800-479-3563

Check – Write a check to (child’s school name) Food and Nutrition Services and bring the check to the food service manager’s office. A local address and phone number are required to be printed or handwritten on the check. The student name and Personal Identification Number (PIN) are required on the check memo line. Parents who want their checks for meals only should write “MEALS ONLY” on their check.
Cash – Cash may be brought to the food service manager’s office for deposit on student’s account, or students may pay cash on a daily basis.

How are checks returned with insufficient funds handled?

Returned checks are forwarded and collected by CHECKredi, a Fairfax County Public Schools contracted check collection agency. A service charge will be assessed the check writer in addition to the face value of the unpaid check and payment options are provided by CHECKredi (866-433-7334).

Status of student's meal account balances and purchases:

Option #1:

How can I view my child(ren)'s meal account balance and meal purchases (meal history) on-line without using the credit card option?

If prepayments are made with a check or cash at the school parents can view their child(ren)'s balances and seven days of meal purchases (meal history) on mylunchmoney.com. Log onto mylunchmoney.com and set up an account to access the information. There is no fee for viewing balances and meals purchased with cash or a check.
Option #2:

How do parents know when their child's lunch account is running low?

>Food service managers have been instructed to notify students when their lunch account has a three-day balance. The individual school determines what friendly method of notification will be used …hand stamp, sticker or note. These will be given to the student each day and hopefully will be carried home. The parent can always contact the food service manager to request the current account balance. A detailed printout of student purchases is available upon request.
Keep-in-Touch messages using email and telephone will gradually be implemented in all elementary schools.

Transfer and Refund Requests -

Allow 6-8 weeks for transfers and refunds to be completed due to required audit documentation processing.

Prior to requesting a transfer or refund request:Mylunchmoney.com users must log into mylunchmoney.com and deactivate automatic "Smart Pay" settings as the payment method prior to requesting a transfer or refund.

How do I request a transfer of funds between my students' accounts?

Meal account transfers can be requested by e-mailing the following information to studentmeals@fcps.edu

Transfer FROM:		Transfer TO:

1. Student Name 2. FCPS Student ID # 3. School Name		1. Student Name 2. FCPS Student ID # 3. School Name

How do I request a refund for my student's meal account?

Meal account refunds can be requested by e-mailing the following information to studentmeals@fcps.edu

Student Name
Student ID # (listed on the student's schedule)
School Name
Parent Name
Street Address
City, State and Zip code
Phone #

Graduating Seniors Meal Account Balance Policy -
On June 30th of each year balances of all graduating seniors will no longer report in Mylunchmoney.com. Food and Nutrition Services will have access to balance files and if parents have not requested a transfer or refund by this date, they may still do so up to one-year (to June 30th of the following year) using the above methods.
Parents are required to log into Mylunchmoney.com and from the homepage dashboard click “Remove Student”. Click the box under “Remove?” for the graduating student’s name.
E-mail studentmeals@fcps.edu with any questions.

What happens if a student forgets his/her lunch money?

Meals are available to students who pay cash or are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Elementary schools have procedures in place to ensure students do not go without lunch. The procedures determined by the school principal may include PTA lunch accounts; peanut butter sandwich, cheese sandwich or cereal and milk. The school office not the food service manager is responsible for the collection of lunch charges. Check to see what procedure is available in your child's school.

Can parents limit their children a la carte purchases?

To assist parents who do not want their children to purchase a la carte items, food service managers are able to limit money in the students' account to breakfast and lunch only. A la carte items are offered as a supplement to lunches purchased at school or brought from home. In elementary schools students are limited to only one a la carte item provided they have a lunch from home or a school lunch.

A la carte items meet the federal standards for food of minimal nutritional value and must contain at least 5% of one specific nutrient per serving. The nutrients are protein, calcium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, calcium, and iron. In Fairfax County Public Schools the a la carte nutrient standards have been enhanced to reflect the Virginia Governor's Scorecard and the Institute of Medicine. These recommend snacks contain the following per serving:

fewer than 300 calories
30-35% calories or less from fat
10% of calories or less from saturated fat
no more then 35% by weight sugar.

Why do adults pay more for the meals than the students?

No federal or state subsidy is received for adult lunches, adult breakfasts, or a la carte items. The adult price charged must cover the full cost unless local tax money or income from other sources is used to subsidize it. USDA guidelines state that, "Adults are expected to pay at least the price paid by the children plus the value of USDA donated foods and federal and state reimbursement."

What beverage substitution is made for students who are lactose intolerant or have milk sensitivity?

If a student is lactose intolerant or has sensitivity to dairy products a product similar in nutritional makeup will be available provided parents have submitted a "statement from a recognized medical authority". The medical authority may be a doctor, a nurse, or a physician's assistant. It is not necessary to submit a new statement each year. "Soy milk or juice may be substituted for milk ONLY if the medical statement prescribes that substitution for milk."

What is Food and Nutrition Services doing to address the current childhood overweight issue?

Food and Nutrition Services has the philosophy that "we talk nutrition, serve nutrition, and teach nutrition." We believe the secret to resolving the current overweight issue is a partnership between students, parents, the school community, government, and manufacturers. Since students only eat one to two meals per day in their school cafeterias and school meals are nutritious, the program should not be labeled as a cause of childhood obesity. We strive to teach students about the importance of making good food choices both in the classroom and with the variety of daily meal options.

However, parents need to be role models, because children learn from those around them. They should provide their children with healthy snacks, less candy and soft drinks, less time in front of the television or computer and at least 60 minutes of exercise each day.

How can the school lunch program affect children's eating habits?

School Lunch can affect children's eating habits by:

Planning meals that reflect the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans – reduced fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, sodium, and increased grains (Whole Grain breads/cereals).
Exposing children to new foods and food preparations.
Offering a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Offering a variety of choices so children learn to make wise selections.
Limiting snacks and desserts to those with high nutrient content.
Teaching nutrition education in the classroom
Active partner in the implementation of the Wellness Policy in the school community.

Does FCPS have a Wellness Policy?

In compliance with federal law 108-265, Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, the Fairfax County School Board established a Wellness Policy for Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) that promotes student health and contributes to the reduction of childhood obesity. The components of the local wellness policy include nutrition education, physical education, nutrition guidelines for all foods available during the school day, and other activities that promote student wellness.

Wellness Scorecard for Elementary and Secondary Schools The FCPS Wellness Policy task force has designed a Wellness Scorecard as a mechanism to promote wellness activities at the school level.
The Wellness Scorecard will recognize elementary and secondary schools that focus on wellness in their schools and community. It addresses School Board Achievement
Goals 2.8, students will make healthy and safe life choices, and goal 3.2, students will be respectful and contributing participants in their school, community, country, and Wellness Award world. The online self-assessments will be reviewed annually by the task force and award winners selected in May.