Lunch Menus & Prices

2017-2018 Meal Prices

Hot breakfast and lunch is prepared and served on site daily. Fresh high quality foods and a wide variety of healthy choices are offered. All TCAPS’ schools offer breakfast and lunch options.

Qualifying for Free & Reduced Meal Reimbursement

Food Students Need to Include in their Meal to Get Credit for a Reimbursable Meal

Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) operates under the Offer vs. Serve Option for the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

To meet the requirements of the National School Breakfast Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following three food components:

• Fresh fruit, chilled fruit, vegetable or 100% fruit juice
• Low fat or skim milk
• Whole grain (2) (or optional credited meats/meat alternates)

A student must take at least three of the four offered food items for the breakfast to be counted under the National School Breakfast Program - one of which must be a fruit item. For grains (or meat/meat alternate offered for this component) and milk, the student must select the daily minimum required amount; and for the fruit component, the student must select at least 1/2 cup of fruit or vegetable.  Students taking fewer than three items must be charged a la carte prices, as those items would not meet the requirements under the program for a reimbursable meal.  Students have the right to decline the items of their choice.

To meet the requirements of the National School Lunch Program, a school must offer a specified serving size of each of the following five food components:

• Meat/Meat alternates
• Grains
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Fluid milk 1% or skim

A student must take at least three of the five required food components and one of them must be a fruit or a vegetable for the lunch to be counted under the National School Lunch Program.

One of the choices selected must be at least a 1/2 cup serving of the fruit or vegetable component or a 1/2 cup total serving of both fruit and vegetable. If 1/2 cup of fruit is selected, the student must select the full required daily serving of the vegetable component for it to be counted as meeting that component.

Within each component, different choices may be offered. Other than selecting the required minimum fruit or vegetable serving, it is the student's choice to select or decline a food component.

Students taking fewer than three components must be charged a la carte prices, as those components would not meet the requirements under the program.

If a student needs any help, please contact the Kitchen Leader in the school cafeteria or ask any of our cashiers for assistance.

Food Students Need to Include in their Meal to Get Credit for a Reimbursable Meal

Having access to healthy food items and meals outside of the normal cafeteria operating hours just got a little bit easier. TCAPS has installed two new vending machines in the cafeteria at Central High School as part of a pilot program. The vending machines contain healthy food items that meet the same federal nutrition regulations as all other food sold in the school cafeteria. Sample items include: salads, yogurt, sandwiches, fruit, granola bars, etc.

Students and staff can purchase snack items as well as meals qualifying under the Federal Free and Reduced Price School Meals Program using either cash or their meal accounts. For students who qualify for free/reduced meals, the purchase would count towards their daily meal allowance.  View a tutorial on how to use the machines: