DEAR PARENTS,

The beginning of the school year is approaching and we would like to extend a warm welcome to let you know that Whitsons School Nutrition has exciting plans for the school meal program. Our goal is to serve nutritious, well-balanced meals that appeal to students and the school community. We are pleased to provide a comprehensive school dining program at Irvington School District that meets the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program requirements and engages students in developing a positive attitude on healthy eating.

At Whitsons we have gone back to a time when good food was simple. As part of our Simply Rooted® Food Philosophy we are focused on using ingredients that are locally sourced, all-natural, organic or non-GMO, and minimally processed, whenever possible. We’ve gone back to our roots and we would like the entire Irvington School District community to join us on this journey. Some new items that may appear on menus include: Meatless Buffalo Nuggets, Gruyere Cheese Egg Bites, Whole Grain Homestyle Biscuits, a New Meatless Burger, and many new surprises you will see through the school year.

Here is some information that will be helpful to begin the new school year:

SCHOOL MEALS

The National School Lunch & Breakfast Program (NSLBP) is a federally funded program providing nutritionally balanced meals to children each school day. The USDA administers the program at the federal level and has approved the continuation of serving free meals to all students in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program through the 2021-2022 school year. This means that all students enrolled in Irvington School District will have access to nutritious meals at no cost to parents.

Our interactive menus may be found online at www.fdmealplanner.com. Interactive menus provide you with nutritional and allergen information you need to plan your school meals.

SIMPLY SAFE DINING

Dine with us stress free! In accordance with the Center for Disease Control and Department of Health, Whitsons School Nutrition has very strict food safety practices and procedures in place for when handling food and sanitizing cafeterias, kitchens and serving areas. Students’ safety is our number one priority, so let us take the mealtime worry out of your back to school experience!

SIMPLY ROOTED® CAFES
Our interactive healthy eating program motivates and inspires students to consider the many benefits healthy eating and exercise have on their growing bodies and minds. With Simply Rooted®, we are embarking on a movement to help students develop positive self-esteem and healthy eating habits by making a connection between attitudes and living healthy. It’s all about making the connection between food and healthy eating habits. At elementary schools, our award-winning Nutrition Safari® program will introduce younger students to lovable animal characters to teach them about selecting healthy choices from each different food group for a well-balanced diet. The program’s mission is to encourage students to develop lifelong healthy eating practices. At secondary schools, monthly Flaves will feature trendy menus items and activities to engage older students. Whitsons has also invested in professional signage and merchandising that creates a food court-style environment. It’s like going out to lunch without ever leaving the building. Our goal is to entice students to make nutritious and delicious meal choices.

OTHER INFORMATION:

We‘re excited about our partnership with Irvington School District and hope to provide a great program while becoming part of the Irvington community.

Your opinion matters to us. If you have any suggestions for the school nutrition program, please contact Whitsons at
foodservice@irvington.k12.nj.us. We are here to serve you and your child(ren)’s needs and look forward to being a part of
your community for many years to come.