Food Services

The South Country Central School District is pleased to be implementing the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2025-2026 school year. All students enrolled in the district, regardless of income level, are eligible to receive a healthy school breakfast and lunch at no charge each day. No further action is required of families. Students will be able to participate in these meal programs without having to pay a fee or submit a meal application!

The free and reduced meal applications no longer need to be filled out. While all students are eligible for a free breakfast and lunch, additional a la carte items may be purchased with cash.

The CEP is a new alternative to the traditional meal application process associated with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs. The CEP alleviates the burden on families by eliminating household applications, while helping schools reduce costs associated with collecting and processing those applications.

Click here for more information on CEP

Dear Families,
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 South Country Central 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  South Country Central School District school community to join us on this journey.

Here is some information that will be helpful to begin the new school year:
SCHOOL MEALSOur interactive menus may be found online at www.fdmealplanner.com  Interactive menus provide you with nutritional and allergen information you need to plan your child(ren)s’ 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 and special event Pop-up Shops 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 South Country Central School District hope to provide a great program while becoming part of the South Country community.

Your opinion matters to us.  If you have any suggestions for the school nutrition program, please contact Whitsons’ General Manager, Debbie Tomasello at Tomasellod@whitsons.com. 
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.
Sincerely,
Debbie Tomasello
Food Service Director