Child Nutrition Program

At Huntsville City Schools we have a passion for supporting academic excellence through the nutritional quality of the food we serve. Well-fed students are more alert and can fully benefit from educational and enrichment activities.

Our Philosophy

The Huntsville City Child Nutrition Department is dedicated to offering three nutritious meals a day to our students. All meals and food products fall within very strict government health guidelines.

Menus, Meal Prices, & Nutritional Information

Meal Menus

• October 2023 Breakfast
• October 2023 Lunch
• October 2023 Snack
• October 2023 Supper
• September 2023 Breakfast
• September 2023 Lunch
• September 2023 Snack
• September 2023 Supper

Meal Prices

These prices are for the normal school year and do not apply to the Summer Feeding Program.

	Breakfast	Lunch
Student	$1.50	$2.65
Faculty & Staff	$2.85	$4.35
Visitors	$2.85 (Child); $3.00 (Adult)	$4.35 (Child); $4.50 (Adult)

 

Huntsville City Schools has partnered with EZSchoolPay to provide parents with an easy to use method to view and manage their student's food services account. 

Register for EZSchoolPay

HCS will also accept deposits in the form of cash and checks.

Free/Reduced Price Meals

The Child Nutrition Program is pleased to announce that applications may be made online for Free or reduced price school meals by using the EZMeal Application webpage.  

Please use this form to contact the Child Nutrition Department for general questions or comments. 

Account Management

General Information

Huntsville City Schools has partnered with EZSchoolPay to provide parents with an easy to use method to view and manage their student's food services account.

Parents are always welcome to check the account of their children at any time there is no cost whatsoever associated with balance inquiries, viewing transactions history for the past 30 days and getting email alerts on balances. EZSchoolPay service also allows parents to make deposits for a 4% per transaction fee when adding funds to your student's account. Parents with multiple students can apply funds to all accounts in one transaction. Deposits made online are typically credited to the student’s cafeteria account within 15 minutes, if made during normal school hours.

Begin Using EZSchoolPay

In order to begin using this service, a parent must register for access:

• Go to the EZSchoolPay website and sign up as a parent by clicking on “Register.”
• Fill out the requested information.
• Under Parent Registration, enter the parent's “Email Address” and then press “Continue.”
• Enter the information requested and select “Save.”
• EZSchoolPay will send an email to the parent's email account used during the sign up process. It contains important sign up information.

The parent will need to click on the link contained within the email to complete the registration process.

Link Student(s) to Parent Account

• Go to the EZSchoolPay website and sign in using the registration information.
• Link the student to the parent account. Note: The parent can use the child’s date of birth and name or get the student ID number from the school.
  • Go to “My Students” and click “+ Link Student”
  • Please note, when multiple students are linked to a parent account, the total amount of funds will appear available for each student. Funds are viewed as a pool available for all linked students.
• You also can link more than one student to the parent account.

Features

EZSchoolPay.com allows parents to access the following, FREE of charge:

• Balance Inquiry – Go to “My Students” and see “Balance”
• Viewing Transaction History - It's a great way to see how your money is being used in the cafeteria.
  • Go to “My Students” and click the “Clipboard Icon” beside the student name to see up to 30 days of account history.
• Email Alerts - This eliminates last-minute surprises and helps ensure there is no interruption of your student's school meal service.
  • Go to “My Students” and click the “Pencil icon” beside student name. 
  • Set the dollar amount for “Low Balance Email Reminder Level” and click “Save”.
• Connectivity to a new EZSchoolPay mobile app for the device of your choice.

As always, Huntsville City Schools will continue to accept deposits in the form of cash and checks – this service is simply offered as a convenience for those parents who find it helpful.

Additional Information

Application for Free and Reduced Meals

The Child Nutrition Program is pleased to announce that applications may be made online for Free or Reduced price school meals by using the EZMeal Application webpage. 

Please note, at the completion of the online application process, you will be given a confirmation code. Please print or record this number for your records. Once benefits begin for your student(s), you may discard this information.

Example:

---

• We encourage you to use the online process, however paper applications are still available at your student’s school, from either the Cafeteria staff or the school’s Front Office.
• IMPORTANT: at this time, online applications cannot be completed using a cell phone. Access by laptop or desktop computer is required.
• If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact either your student’s School Cafeteria manager or the Child Nutrition Office at (256) 428-6955.

Charged Meal Policy

Please refer to Item 6.04 Student Fees, Fines, and Charges of the Board Policy Manual.

Common Questions About Student Funds

• Account Funds
  • Any funds that have not been used on your child’s meal account will automatically carry to the new school year, even if they change schools within the district or if the software/on-line payment system changes. Any balance remaining on an account at the end of the year will be carrier forward to the next school year.
• Balance Transfers 
  • If all or a portion of the remaining funds on your child’s account needs to be transferred to another child (i.e. the older sibling graduated and you would like to move the remaining funds to another sibling’s account), please contact the CNP Office for processing.
• Enrollment Information
  • Once a school year ends, your child may continue to show in their prior school and/or grade level for a period of time during the summer months.  Once the school district has performed a rollover to the new school year, their information will update automatically on the EZSchoolPay website.

Child & Adult Food Care Programs (CACFP)

The At-Risk Afterschool Meals component of the Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers federal funding to afterschool programs that serve a meal or snack to children in low-income areas.  This school year all school sites and all children 18 years of age or younger are eligible to participate in this program.

Filling a Nutrition Gap

When children arrive home from school, they may be reach for high-calorie snacks before dinner. Our supper meals may prevent that, though they are not intended to substitute for family dinners. 

For more information please contact us at (256) 428-6955

Schools Offering CACFP Meals

• AAA ES
• AAA MS
• ASFL ES
• ASFL MS
• Blossomwood ES
• Chaffee ES
• Chapman ES
• Columbia HS
• Dawson ES
• Farley ES
• Highlands ES
• Jemison HS
• Lakewood ES
• Lee HS
• New Century Technology HS
• McNair Jr. HS
• MLK Jr. ES
• Montview ES
• Morris ES
• Morris MS
• Providence ES
• Ridgecrest ES
• Rolling Hills ES
• Sonnie Hereford ES
• Whitesburg ES
• Whitesburg MS
• McDonnell ES
• Williams ES
• Williams MS

Students With Special Dietary Needs

We understand that certain children have special dietary needs and we will do our best to accommodate those needs.

For a student with a chronic medical condition such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, or a non-life threatening food allergy, a diet prescription signed by a licensed physician, nurse, registered dietitian, or physician assistant is required. A student with a disability or life threatening food allergy must have a diet prescription signed by a licensed physician.

Physician’s Statement for Children with Disabilities

USDA regulations 7 CFR Part 15b require 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 statement signed by a licensed physician. The physician’s statement must identify:

• The child’s disability
• An explanation of why the disability restricts the child’s diet
• The major life activity affected by the disability
• The food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet, and the food or choice of foods that must be substituted

Medical Statement for Children with Special Dietary Needs

Each special dietary request must be supported by a statement that explains the food substitution that is requested. It must be signed by a recognized medical authority. The medical statement must include:

• An identification of the medical or other special dietary condition which restricts the child’s diet
• The food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet
• The food or choice of foods to be substituted

The Community Eligibility Program

The USDA has made available a new program called the Community Eligibility Program (CEP). By participating in this program, a school or school district may serve free breakfast and free lunch to all students.

The following Huntsville schools participate in the CEP Program: 

• AAA ES
• AAA MS
• ASFL ES
• ASFL MS
• Blossomwood ES
• Chaffee ES
• Challenger ES
• Challenger MS
• Chapman ES
• Chapman  MS
• Columbia HS
• Dawson ES
• Farley ES
• Grissom HS
• Highlands ES
• Huntsville Jr HS
• Jemison HS
• Jones Valley ES
• Lakewood ES
• Lee High/ New Century HS
• McDonnell ES
• McNair Jr HS
• MLK ES
• Montview ES
• Morris ES
• Morris MS
• Providence ES
• Ridgecrest ES
• Rolling Hills ES
• Sonnie Hereford ES
• Weatherly ES
• Whitesburg ES
• Whitesburg MS
• Williams ES
• Williams MS

If your child's school is on this list, you will not have to fill out a free and reduced application this year. Please call if you have any questions: 256-428-6955

Wellness Policy

School site school level progress reports are available upon request from the CNP department.

Local wellness policy committee meetings are scheduled by the school site wellness leaders.  Please inquire about any upcoming meetings at the school your child attends.

Related Documents

• Huntsville City Schools Wellness Policy 2023-2024
• WellSAT District Scorecard 2022-23.pdf
• ALSDE Trienniel Assessment Report 2022-23.pdf

Child Nutrition Program Newsletter

• CNP Newsletter August 2023
• CNP Newsletter July 2023

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal Civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity* and sexual orientation*), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. Mail:

   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 
   1400 Independence Avenue SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

2. Fax: 202-690-7442
3. Email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

*The enclosed “nondiscrimination” language herein was added pursuant to the May 5, 2022,USDA memorandum. However, although included as currently required for audit compliance by the USDA, the State of Alabama objects to its inclusion, applicability and the application of this language due to currently pending legal challenges in the matter of The State of Tennessee, et al. v. USDA, et al., Case No. 3:22-cv-00257, and may be subject to change or removal.

FAQs for The HCS Child Nutrition Program

How much does lunch and breakfast cost if my child does not qualify for free/reduced meals?

Breakfast cost for paying students is $1.50 per breakfast meal and $2.65 per lunch meal.

How much does reduced lunch and or breakfast cost?

Reduced breakfast is $ .30 per child and reduced lunch is $ .40 per qualifying child

How do I know if supper is being served at my child’s school?

A list of supper school sites are located under Additional Information and The Supper Program accordion

What action can I take if my child has a special dietary need or food allergy?

If your child has dietary issue, then a Dietary Prescription form (found on the HCS website) must be submitted supported by a statement that explains the food substitution that is requested. It must also be signed by a recognized medical authority and include an identification of the medical or other special dietary condition which restricts the child’s diet, the food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet, and or the food or choice of foods to be substituted.

Is there another way to apply for free/reduced meals without a paper application?

Parents and or guardians can apply for free/reduced meals for their child online at EZMeal Application.

What if my child attends school and does not have money for school meals?

Parents and or guardians can add money to their child’s meal account online at EZSchoolPay.

Do I have to complete a free/reduced application if my child attends a school that falls under the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)?

If your child is at a CEP school, then you are not required to complete a free/reduced application. However, we would like for you to complete one, so our records will be accurate. All children at CEP school sites eat for free.