Home / Food and Nutrition
Department Overview
New Milford Public Schools participates in both the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs!
Feeding Our Future Through Quality Nutrition
Please enjoy this short video of a behind the scenes view of kitchen food prep.
Useful Links
What is School Lunch About?
The goal of New Milford’s School Lunch Program is to provide healthy meals that are nutritious, well balanced, and appetizing.
The US Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program requires that meals meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and one-third of
the Recommended Dietary Allowances for school-aged children. We offer a variety of foods with many options. We offer locally grown and seasonal produce whenever possible.
Key nutrients included in lunch: less than 30% of calories from fat, less than 10% of calories from saturated fat, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
What items are included in a complete School Lunch?
- Lunch includes 5 items. A complete meal includes Milk (skim, 1% white, nonfat flavored), Fruit, Vegetable, Whole Grains, and Protein (including yogurt, string cheese, and hummus).
- Students have the option to take all 5 components but must take a minimum of 3 items on their tray. One of the items must be a fruit or vegetable in order to be charged the lunch price.
- If your child does not take a fruit or vegetable, their lunch will be charged at a la carte prices due to federal guidelines.
What items are included with Breakfast?
- Breakfast includes 5 items: A complete meal includes: Milk (skim, 1% white, nonfat flavored), one cup Fruit (½ cup of fruit and or 100% fruit juice), and an Entree (Whole Grains/Protein)
- Students are required to take a complete entree including a half cup of fruit or a 100% fruit juice.
Note: If a student does not take a “Complete Lunch” or “Complete Breakfast” they will be charged ala carte prices for eligible items.
Breakfast is available to all students at no cost. Lunch is available at the paid, reduced-price, or free rate, based on student eligibility. Students who choose to purchase a second breakfast or lunch must pay for the additional meal using funds available in their cafeteria account.
Can I buy ala carte items?
Yes. Milk, fruit and vegetables can be purchased ala carte at all schools. Please note milk is $0.60 if purchased separately. Additional à la carte items, such as bottled water and snacks, are available for students in grades 3–12. These items are sold separately and are not included as part of the school breakfast or lunch meal programs.
Are both breakfast and lunch served every day?
Yes, both breakfast and lunch are available every day!
What Choices do I have for lunch?
Students have daily choices that include: a hot or cold entree, sandwich, salad, selection of low fat/fat free milk, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. Locally grown and seasonal produce will be offered whenever possible.
PAYMENT INFORMATION:
What is the price of breakfast and lunch?
Please see meal pricing on the Meal Price tab.
What payment options are available? Who do I write checks out to?
Payments Options: Families may pay for meals purchased in the cafeteria through MySchoolBucks or through a check or cash deposited into your student’s account.
My School Bucks: For your convenience, an easy online payment system is offered to fund and view
your student’s meal account at MySchoolBucks. Each family can create an account. Login and account information is available on the MySchoolBucks website. Please note there is a service fee associated with this service.
Checks: Checks can be made payable to: School Lunch Activity Fund.
- Elementary School: Place all check(s) in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the student’s name and can be given directly to the cafeteria staff.
- Middle School and High School students can give check(s) directly to the cafeteria staff.
Cash: Cash can be given directly to the cashier in the cafeteria.
Lunch Menus
-
- Check back in August! Have a nice summer!
Grades K-5
Breakfast: $1.90
Lunch: $2.85
Grades 6-12
Breakfast: 2.25
Lunch: $3.10, $3.60
Dear Parents:
New Milford participates in the National School Breakfast Program. Nutritionally balanced breakfasts are available at all schools every day for students.
Did you know that eating breakfast can improve school performance?
Research studies show that increased participation in the School Breakfast Program is associated with better academic test scores, daily attendance and class participation. It also has been linked to reductions in student absences and tardiness.
New Milford Public Schools will begin receiving Free & Reduced Meal Applications in mid August, when the new school year information is released. The links will be posted below as soon as they are made available.
Have a nice summer!
Call the Food & Nutrition office for assistance or with any questions. 860-354-3712
New Milford’s Food and Nutrition Services Department provides parents with a convenient, easy and secure online prepayment service to deposit money into your child’s school meal account at any time. This service is called MySchoolBucks. It provides parents with the ability to view your child’s account balance, print a copy of their eating history report and set up a low balance email alert. You may access this system by clicking here: https://www.myschoolbucks.com.
Instructions are provided at this website to guide you through the easy account set up process. There is a parent hotline if needed 1-855-832-5226.
If you choose not to take advantage of the online prepayment service you may continue to make advance payments via cash or check, which should be made payable to the School Lunch Activity Fund. Please write your child’s full name and pin number on the check. You can view your student’s transactions and balance even if you don’t use the online prepayment system. All you need to do is set up an account. There is no fee involved.
If your child qualifies for free or reduced meal prices, this information is noted in the system and the meal will be processed just as it is for all other students without any special indication to the student.
All students will be required to enter their six-digit pin # when purchasing breakfast or lunch. Please contact our office if you need assistance with your student’s pin number. Note that parents must enter two zeros in front of their student’s pin number when setting up or using their account in the online prepayment system.
See the example below:
00123456 for PARENT use with myschoolbucks.com account
123456 for STUDENT use in cafeteria
Parents: we suggest that you help younger children learn their PIN number by having them punch it in on a calculator or the number pad of the computer. Both look similar to our keypad.
Also we suggest that you consider putting some money into your child’s account even if your child will be bringing lunch from home so that when a lunch is forgotten they can easily obtain one at school without worry.
Money left in an account at the end of the year will carry to the next grade level and school.
- Our dedicated 36 food service employees provide approximately 3600 meals per day throughout the district.
- Menus: All menus are State and USDA approved.
- Health Inspection Reports: The five school kitchens in the district consistently receive excellent inspection reports.
- Serve Safe Certified: All kitchen managers and many food service employees are ServSafe Certified.
- School Nutrition Association: All kitchen managers, assistant managers and many other employees are certified by the School Nutrition Association.
- Farm to School: We currently work with local farmers as well as the Department of Defense Fresh Produce Program to obtain local produce.
- CT Grown Week: We participate yearly in CT Grown Week featuring locally grown and manufactured products.
- Whole Grain Challenge: In 2012 Food and Nutrition Services won honorable mention in a nationwide Whole Grain Challenge for our initiatives in introducing students to whole grains.
- Breakfast Challenge: In 2013 Food and Nutrition Services won a Breakfast Challenge sponsored by the State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services for our breakfast initiatives in grades K – 6.
- Healthier US School Challenge (HUSSC): Bronze Award Winner. This award recognizes schools that have created healthier school environments through the quality of food while providing both nutrition and physical education to promote healthy lifestyles.
- Director of the Year: New Milford’s Food Service Director, Sandra Sullivan, was named School Nutrition Association of Connecticut’s Director of the Year for 2019-20..
- CT Fresh Ed Great Plates Winner: New Milford Food Service Department won the October 2025 CT Fresh Ed Great Plates contest for schools who have participated in Farm to School for more than 2 years.
If your child would like to celebrate an event in their classroom, here is a list of approved snacks you can purchase through the cafeteria. Please see attached flyer and provide your child’s school with 10 business days notice.
Childhood food insecurity remains at unacceptable levels across the country and children are most acutely at risk in the summer when they do not have access to school meals.
Children ages 18 and younger may visit Open Summer Meals sites anywhere in the state to receive a meal. The following link will help you locate the nearest participating free meal site.
http://www.ctsummermeals.org/location-finder
SUMMER EBT 2026 INFORMATION
The following nutrition websites will provide you with reliable and current nutrition information for all ages. Please click on the links below.
Any questions, please contact the Food & Nutrition Department
860-354-3712
Sandra Sullivan, RD, CD-N
Food and Nutrition Services Director
Ann Loranger, RD, CDCES
Nutrition Support Manager
Melissa Bernardi
Food and Nutrition Services Secretary
Equal Rights Policy
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement for Child Nutrition Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): English
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: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, 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: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
USDA: Spanish
De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las normas y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA), esta entidad está prohibida de discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo identidad de género y orientación sexual), discapacidad, edad, o represalia o retorsión por actividades previas de derechos civiles.
La información sobre el programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas que no sean el inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que requieren medios alternos de comunicación para obtener la información del programa (por ejemplo, Braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas americano (ASL), etc.) deben comunicarse con la agencia local o estatal responsable deadministrar el programa o con el Centro TARGET del USDA al (202) 720-2600 (voz y TTY) o comuníquese con el USDA a través del Servicio Federal de Retransmisión al (800) 877-8339.
Para presentar una queja por discriminación en el programa, el reclamante debe llenar un formulario AD-3027, formulario de queja por discriminación en el programa del USDA, el cual puede obtenerse en línea en: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDAProgramComplaintForm-Spanish-Section508Compliant.pdf, de cualquier oficina de USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992, o escribiendo una carta dirigida a USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre del demandante, la dirección, el número de teléfono y una descripción escrita de la acción discriminatoria alegada con suficiente detalle para informar al Subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR) sobre la naturaleza y fecha de una presunta violación de derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completado o la carta debe presentarse a USDA por:
1. correo: 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; or
3. correo electrónico: [email protected].
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE OFFICE OF
THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
FAX: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
EMAIL: [email protected]
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.