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Food Services

Food Services | Lindsay Aguilar, Director | 2150 E. 15th St., Tucson AZ, 85719 | (520) 225-4700 | foodservices@tusd1.org

Announcements

Photo of young student eating a taco for lunch

Free Meal Programs for 2021-2022!

School Year 21-22 Free school meals for all students.

Free meals for all students this coming school year

The United States Department of Agriculture has extended pandemic flexibilities providing free school meals to all students at all schools through the 2021-2022 school year.

  • No free/reduced meal application is necessary to receive free breakfast and lunch
  • All students at all TUSD schools are automatically eligible to receive free meals

Printable Fliers: Free Meals (PDF, en) | Los Alimentos son Gratis (PDF, es)

Summer 2021 P-EBT

Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer provides families of eligible children additional funds to purchase food during the summer while school is no longer in session.
Latest Info:

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 amends the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to extend the Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program through the summer of 2021. P-EBT is administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).

Apply for Free/Reduced Meal Benefits now!

Although an application is not required for students to receive free meals during school year 2021-2022, the application will be available to determine student eligibility for P-EBT benefits, district eligibility of federal grants, and student eligibility for various discounted services such as advanced placement testing, internet service provider discounts, etc.

Who Does Not Apply

Please read this list carefully, because a unnecessary application can delay or intefere with your benefits.

Students enrolled at CEP schools
do not complete a free/reduced meal application, and
automatically qualify for P-EBT benefits.
Check if your school is on the list of CEP Schools (PDF).
More about the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
Students of a household approved for SNAP
do not complete a free/reduced meal application.
Students are matched to approved households using the Department of Economic Security info, and
if students is receiving SNAP, TANF or is part of the foster-care system, they do not need to apply.
More about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Who Should Apply

Households will be notified directly once the updated application is available on July 15.

Our Services

Cafeterias at each of our schools provide hot and nutritious breakfasts and lunches to our students.

Some students enjoy our meals so much that they ask their parents or guardians to request the recipes so that they can serve these meals during vacation and school breaks.

One student writes, "The food is great! They let you have different choices in the cafeteria, but we call it our restaurant."

Students in elementary school can choose between two entrees at lunch. Middle and high school students select from a range of menu stations.

We know that children need a healthy breakfast and lunch in order to have energy for learning. Food services staff takes pride and joy in ensureing that all children receive a nutritious and tasty meal at school. In the 2020-2021 school year, 60 of our schools will be participating in the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) which provides free meals to all students at that school.

TUSD Meal Charge Policy

Meals continue to be free for all children 18 and under for the remainder of the school year.

How You Can Help

Tucson Unified has created a Together Every Kid Eats portal where members of the community can donate money to help feed children. These funds are used to provide students with seamless service and a reimbursable meal following USDA guidelines when students' meal accounts are empty. Food Services will work with families to bring the meal accounts to a positive balance without overt identification. For more information, see the Together Every Kid Eats webpage.

Our Catering and Artisan Bakery Services

Artisan Bakery

Bring the fun back to food with house-made baked goods developed by our very own chef, Shyla Larson! This line falls under our catering department and is compliant with the Smart Snacks in schools federal nutrition standards. Using creative ingredients, such as applesauce instead of oils, is what makes our fun snacks healthy. These items are great for fundraisers, celebrations in the classroom, and meetings. See the Artisan Bake Shop flier (in PDF) for our delicious offerings and pricing.

Catering Services

In addition to the Artisan Bakery, our catering services also include Snack Shop, Pizza Parlor, and Cook Outs. See the Catering Brochure (in PDF) for complete listings and pricings.

Who can purchase?

Teachers - do you want a fun & healthy way to offer an alternative treat for a classroom celebration? Parent-Teacher Associations/Organizations - need baked goods for fundraising afterschool? Principals - need a way to elevate staff meetings? Group Coordinators - want a fun and healthy snack to provide your band, chess or student council groups? Try one of our delicious Artisan Bake Shop creations for your next event. Anyone can purchase these delicious baked goods for district-coordinated events!

Farm-to-School Delivers Fresh Local Produce to TUSD Students

Photo of LettuceStudents in TUSD schools enjoy fresh produce direct from the farm. Local Romaine lettuce is one example of TUSD's farm to school efforts to bring local produce to our students. TUSD Food Services purchases local produce through the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona in partnership with southern Arizona farmers to deliver more local produce to the Tucson community. Food Services has been purchasing 600 lbs of local lettuce per week to distribute weekly to several schools. The delivery schedule rotates so that all schools have the opportunity to include local lettuce on their lunch menu.

Photo of Meal served with LettuceThe photo at left features Romaine lettuce served at Palo Verde High School. The salads served at lunch were made with local lettuce grown in the center of Tucson by Merchant's Garden (a local greenhouse located at TUSD's former Howenstine High School, off of Tucson Blvd between Broadway and 22nd Street).

Fresh, local produce is one of the most effective ways to deliver nutritious (and delicious) meals to our students. Romaine lettuce is one of the tallest and sturdiest of lettuce varieties. It is high in fiber, potassium, vitamins A, manganese, and folate. It's also high in antioxidants, known to be one of most nutritious of lettuce varieties. We're happy to know that our students can enjoy their salads!

Photo of Lettuce

Information

Our Kitchens are Ready-to-Serve

Pima County Health Department - Listo para Servir Pima County Health Department - Ready to Serve

The Pima County Health Department’s Consumer Health and Food Safety Division has verified that Tucson Unified Food Services is following the May 21 Board of Supervisor’s Proclamation requiring COVID-19 protective measures to help slow and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Our kitchens are ready to serve!

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