The information below is provided by the PPTG’s School Wellness coordinator. It is believed be accurate as of early September 2009.

Free and reduced lunch

Salad bar

What is a healthy snack?

Menu

School lunches at Peralta Elementary:

Lunch is for sale in the cafeteria (multipurpose room). The full price of school
lunch is $2.25 and includes milk.

• Reduced price lunch (if you apply and receive notification that you qualify): $.40

• If you financially qualify for free lunch for your child: $0.00

If you are at the full or reduced price lunch category, you will receive documentation
from Jessie (Peralta mom and lunch lady) or from the school office asking for
your monthly school lunch money up front, due by a certain date. If you want your
child to eat the school lunch and have not filled out a free/reduced lunch application,
please send the child to school with lunch money so he/she can pay Jessie in the
lunch line. If your child needs to pay but doesn’t have money, Jessie will provide
that child a “grace period” of a few days to continue eating lunch while the request
goes home to you for payment. If you qualify for a free or reduced lunch, but
do not plan to eat that lunch, please fill out the forms regardless. Other aspects
of school funding are based on the number of students who qualified for subsidized
lunches. If the student has special dietary needs, complaints or compliments,
use the forms on the OUSD site (links below).

Peralta Salad Bar Facts

Food (produce) at the salad bar is provided through a special program and OUSD.
A requirement of the program is that it be properly staffed.  (At Peralta, this
means volunteers.)

• The Peralta salad bar launches about 2 weeks after school starts (Monday, September 14, 2009).
• The salad bar is included in whatever price the student pays for his/her meal.
• The salad bar is simply another fruit and vegetable option, one of the fruit/vegetable choices students have. One day there may be a hot vegetable like green beans, or a fruit like a whole apple or nectarine, as part of the regular school meal, and the student can choose instead to have that particular side dish be a bowl of salad from the salad bar instead.
• Students who bring their own lunch but want to buy just a bowl of salad from the salad bar can do so for $1.00.
• The salad serving size (the bowl size) is uniform — “one size fits all situations.”
• In general, second helpings are not allowed due to food safety issues.
• Is it organic? Not in general but some items may be. One goal of the OUSD wellness policy that was adopted in 2007 is to source organic food and drink items (in both salad bars and hot lunches) whenever financially feasible. Unfortunately the current federal reimbursable meal rate currently makes organics the exception rather than the rule.
• What kind of lettuce is used in the salad bar: Romaine and spinach.
• What other kind of stuff (ingredients and dressings) are offered at the salad bar? Lettuce, a variety of seasonal produce, e.g., broccoli, tomoatoes,  jicama with lime and chili powder, protein (cheese, grilled chicken, etc.), some fruit options and a variety of dressings.

Peralta kids LOVE the salad bar! Please encourage them to try it, and to practice
sorting their recycling, compost and garbage after eating. You’ll be surprised
how much they are learning about this at Peralta!

If you have more questions specific to the salad bar — or if you want to get worked into the salad bar volunteer schedule — please contact the Peralta parent Salad Bar Coordinator directly (go to volunteer roster). You will need to get a simple, free TB test so you can get started helping out. The salad bar simply can not be made available on days when there are not enough volunteers. It’s fun and you don’t need any qualifications- just enjoy being around kids who love their salad bar!

What is a healthy snack? What about parties and celebrations:

The district’s Wellness Policy calls for all food at school, including food served at classroom parties, fundraisers and after-school events to follow healthy guidelines. While there is currently no enforcement arm to this policy, it is important that parents and caregivers attempt to adhere to common-sense principles of healthy diet when providing food for school events or nutrition break snacks.

Here are some suggestions for healthier foods to bring:

• Beverages: water, juice spritzers, low-fat or nonfat milk (no soda allowed)
• Fresh fruit platters or dried fruit § Low-fat fruit muffins (e.g. apple-raisin; pumpkin)
• Vegetable trays with low-fat dip § Whole-grain crackers with cheese or peanut butter
• Pasta & veggie salad § Fruit & yogurt smoothies
• Quesadillas or bean burritos with salsa
• Trail/cereal mix (without candy)
• Grilled chicken or steak strips over brown rice
• Turkey jerky § Granola bars or Energy bars (low sugar)
• Wraps with turkey, spinach, low-fat cheese
• Pita with hummus dip or low-fat spreads or dressings

Please leave the Flamin’ Hot Chee-Tos and sodas on the store shelves!!!

Menu

OUSD posts a school lunch menu monthly. School Lunch menu (link to OUSD site)

Near the bottom of the OUSD web page, there is a link to a menu comment card you can fill out if you have suggestions or compliments. There is also a link to download a “request for special meals medical statement.” If your child has a health condition that requires a special dietary restriction, fill this out. School lunch comments (to OUSD site)