Commitment to Nutrition
School Meals
The Falmouth Public Schools will:
- Offer a school lunch program with menus that meet the meal patterns and nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Massachusetts Department of Education.
- Encourage students to make food choices based on recommended Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
- Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students. Such information could be made available on menus, a website, in local newspapers, cafeteria menu boards, placards, or other point-of purchase materials. This will allow students, parents, and staff to make informed dietary choices.
School Nutrition Environment
The Falmouth Public Schools will:
- Operate all Child Nutrition Programs with school foodservice staff who are properly qualified according to current professional standards.
- Provide adequate time for students to eat and enjoy meals at school.
- Not schedule tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities.
Food Safety and Security
The Falmouth Public Schools will:
- Establish food safety as a key component of all school food operations and ensure that the food service permit is current for the food service at each school site.
- Comply with all state and local food safety and sanitation regulations.
- Implement Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines to prevent food-borne illness in schools.
- Students, parents, teachers, and other school personnel will be informed about students who have a serious food-related allergy.
Other Foods and Beverages
The Falmouth Public Schools will:
- Establish guidelines for all foods available on the school campus during the school day with the objective of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.
- Publish and disseminate to teachers, students, and parents a set of “Healthy Snacks” and “Healthy Parties” guidelines, including a list of healthy and affordable food choices for snacks as well as nonfood items for celebrations.