School Nutrition Services
School Lunch Menus
Lunch applications for 2024-2025 are available NOW!
Only one application needs to be completed for each household. Students who attend an approved CEP school (Central Elementary, Efland Cheeks Elementary, New Hope Elementary and Partnership Academy) do not need to fill out an application as they are approved for meals at no cost.
Or, you may print or download a 2024-2025 Meal Application packet here:
Meal Application Packet - English
Meal Application Packet - Spanish
Paper applications may also be obtained from the front office or cafeteria of your student’s school site.
If you are completing a paper application, please submit it to the school cafeteria or mail to:
Orange County Schools
ATTN: School Nutrition Services
200 E. King St.
Hillsborough, NC 27278
A letter regarding the status of your student’s meal application will be sent home and emailed within 10 working days after the application is submitted,
or call (919) 732-8126 to inquire about the status of your application.
Lunch Application FAQ's
- WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO APPLY FOR FREE OR REDUCED MEALS?
- WHO CAN RECEIVE FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?
- CAN HOMELESS, RUNAWAY AND MIGRANT CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
- DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?
- MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?
- CAN FOSTER CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
- CAN CHILDREN ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL’S FEDERALLY-FUNDED HEAD START PROGRAM RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
- WHO CAN RECEIVE REDUCED PRICE MEALS?
- I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?
- WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
- MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?
- WHO SHOULD YOU INCLUDE AS MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD?
- MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR?
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO APPLY FOR FREE OR REDUCED MEALS?
WHO CAN RECEIVE FREE OR REDUCED-PRICE MEALS?
CAN HOMELESS, RUNAWAY AND MIGRANT CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
DO I NEED TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION FOR EACH CHILD?
MY CHILD’S APPLICATION WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR. DO I NEED TO FILL OUT A NEW ONE?
CAN FOSTER CHILDREN RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
CAN CHILDREN ENROLLED IN A SCHOOL’S FEDERALLY-FUNDED HEAD START PROGRAM RECEIVE FREE MEALS?
WHO CAN RECEIVE REDUCED PRICE MEALS?
I GET WIC. CAN MY CHILDREN GET FREE MEALS?
WILL THE INFORMATION I GIVE BE CHECKED?
MAY I APPLY IF SOMEONE IN MY HOUSEHOLD IS NOT A U.S. CITIZEN?
WHO SHOULD YOU INCLUDE AS MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD?
MY FAMILY NEEDS MORE HELP. ARE THERE OTHER PROGRAMS WE MIGHT APPLY FOR?
FORMS
Child Nutrition Department
View our 2024-25 sanitation scores
Does My Child Qualify for Free and Reduced Price Meals?
Children in households getting Food Stamps or TANF and most foster children can get free meals regardless of your income. Also, your children can get free meals if your household income is within the free limits on the Federal Income Guidelines. Now you can apply on-line for your child(ren) to receive free or reduced price school meals. Your application will be sent from a secure web site directly to us, so you don’t need to worry about filling out a paper form that could be lost or misplaced. If you have questions about the Free/Reduced Meals program in Orange County Schools, contact the Child Nutrition office at (919) 245-4002.
Apply on-line for your child(ren) to receive free or reduced price school meals. www.LunchApplication.com
Meal Prices and Payment Options
2024 - 2025 Meal Prices:
Meal prices for the 2024-2025 school year are unchanged from 2023-2024. Prices are all the same as last year.
School Nutrition Services operates under the federal Guidelines of the NSLP, NSBP and after-school snack program. The responsibility of Child Nutrition is to ensure that adequate meals are available to all students at a minimum cost.
Students |
Daily |
Weekly |
Paid Breakfast – Grades 6- 12 |
$ 1.75 |
$ 8.75 |
Reduced Breakfast - Grades 6-12 |
Free |
Free |
Elementary students will continue to receive Universal Breakfast |
Free |
Free |
Paid Lunch Grades Pre K-5 |
$ 2.75 |
$13.75 |
Paid Lunch Grades 6-12 |
$ 3.25 |
$16.25 |
Reduced Price Lunch – all grades |
Free |
Free |
Adult Meals |
A la carte |
A la carte |
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the School Nutrition Office at 919-245-4002. Students who are required to pay for meals are expected to provide payment in a timely manner. Revised August 9, 2023 |
|
|
Charged Meals
Adults - Are not permitted to charge meals. Adults may pay for meals in advance.
Students - Refer to the Orange County Schools Policy 6220 - Operation of School Nutrition Services.
Meal Payment Options
Students who receive reduced-price lunch or who buy their breakfast/lunch can pay for meals using the online meal payment portal: k12paymentcenter.com. You will need to know your student's ID number to set up the account.
The online portal allows you to:
-
Prepay for your meals or pay as you go
-
View your child’s purchases (meal history)
-
View your balance
-
Set up automatic payments
-
Receive alerts when your pre-paid balance is low or you have past-due payments
-
Go to “Manage Profile”
-
Click “Send Low Balance Notification”
-
Orange County Schools Nutrition Services accepts account payments by these methods:
- check
- cashier's check
- money order
- online payments at K12PaymentCenter.com
Begin Managing Your Account Online Today!
Refund Information
Please contact the School Nutrition Office at 919-245-4002 for more information regarding refunds or transferring funds.
Non-Discrimination 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: 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:
- mail:
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:
Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal-opportunity provider.