FoodService

Student food offerings

IPS FoodService provide students with nutritious meals they will enjoy at the lowest possible cost to families & taxpayers.

IPS participates in several USDA Child Nutrition Programs, including: National School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, Child & Adult Care Food Program, Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, and the After School Snack Program. In addition, IPS serves meals during school breaks.

Breakfast and lunch are served at no charge to all IPS students under the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP pertains to meals and not other educational benefits.

Nutritional & Allergen Information

All Menu Schedules

Meal Service Offerings

Meal service for students are as follows:

For In-Person Learning Students

Students in Grades K–8 will eat meals inside classrooms. Students in Grades 9–12 will eat meals inside school cafeterias, with increased social distancing/cohorting, and cleaning.

Staff will continue to follow rigorous cleaning and sanitizing practices, including sanitizing serving line tray slides, milk boxes and cash stands in between classes or periods.

Menu choices will be reduced to expedite meal service time. Vegetable/salad bars will be discontinued/converted to packaged items. Students should not share food.

All meals and utensils will be individually wrapped/packaged and can easily be carried by students to another location, i.e., to a classroom for consumption.

For Remote Learning Students

The IPS Food Service Team will continue to provide pre-packaged breakfast and lunch to all IPS students who are doing remote learning. Meal pick-up will be held on Wednesday only from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the following schools:

  • Anna Brochhausen School 88
  • Arlington Middle School
  • Brookside School 54
  • Center for Inquiry School 70
  • Charles Warren Fairbanks School 105
  • George Washington Carver School 87
  • George Washington High School
  • Henry W. Longfellow Medical/STEM Middle School 28
  • Manual High School
  • Northwest Middle School

Meals will still be distributed drive-through style.

Additional FoodService Resources

USDA Programs

  • National School Breakfast Program
  • National School Lunch Program
  • Child & Adult Care Food Program
  • Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program
  • After School Snack Program

Department Initiatives

  • Food Recovery Program
  • The Vegetable Bar
  • The Bus Stop Cafe
  • Local Food Sourcing

Informational References

Modified meals may be requested for students with food allergies, intolerance, or other medically-necessary dietary needs such as texture modifications related to swallowing or chewing difficulties.

In order to best serve our students with specialized dietary needs, an Annual Modified Meal Request Form must be completed each school year. The completed Annual Modified Meal Request form will not be carried over from year to year. The parent or guardian is required to submit a new form signed by the student’s physician or medical authority. Recognized medical authorities include physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners. Completed forms should be faxed to 317.226.4677 and will be processed in the order in which they are received. Once processed, the IPS Foodservice Dietitian will contact the parent or guardian with the details of the student’s accommodations, as well as the date those accommodations will begin.

Modified meals cannot be provided to accommodate religious preferences, personal diet modifications or food dislikes; however, our menu variety allows students to select items that meet their dietary preferences. Parents or guardians are encouraged to plan ahead with their students using the IPS Foodservice menus. Additional questions can be directed to an IPS Foodservice Registered Dietitian by calling 317.226.4772.

Modified Meal Request Form and Instructions

The Board of School Commissioners of the Indianapolis Public Schools supports the health and well-being of the school corporation’s students by promoting nutrition and physical activity at all grade levels.

In accordance with federal law, it is the policy of the Board to provide students access to healthy foods and beverages; provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity; and require that all meals served by the school corporation meet or exceed the federal nutritional guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A Coordinated School Health Advisory Council will be formed and maintained to oversee these activities.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits.  Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.  Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter 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: (202) 690-7442; or
  3.  email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.