Gainesville ISD will continue to provide free meals for all students for the 2023-2024 school year.  GISD qualified for the Communication Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which will allow GISD to provide breakfast and lunch to all children at no charge.

The program will once again enable ALL students in GISD to receive free breakfast and lunch without the requirement for families to complete the National School Lunch Program free/reduced meal application.  However, districts in the CEP program are required to collect an income survey from all families.  The survey is now included during the registration process. This simple and concise form will provide valuable information that will assist GISD in qualifying for a multitude of grants from additional funding sources. The survey is collected via paper form when school begins.

Students Who Pack Lunch Get Additional Items from the Café for Free
Does your child pack a lunch, but you still want them to have a couple of additional healthier items? They can get them in the café for free! Many students who pack a lunch will still come in and get a fruit and vegetable to compliment the items they brought from home. This can also be a stress reliever for parents who want their kids to still have a well-balanced meal but may not have those items at home for kids to pack.

Minimum Requirement for Students to Receive for Free:
The student must take a minimum of 3 items of those 3 items, 1 of them must be a fruit or a vegetable.
Examples: 1 Carton of Milk, 1 Apple, 1 side of Celery or 1 Juice, 1 side of Celery, 1 Side of Broccoli

*A Child Nutrition Team Member will assist all students to make sure the correct items are taken.

Meal Menu App for Students and Parents
Download the Nutrislice App in any App Store for All Meal Information. Use the Nutrislice app to check out daily menus online, nutrition facts, promotions, etc.To get started, type Gainesville ISD in “Find Organization” and you are set! You can favorite your student(s) school(s) and stay informed on all information regarding meal service.  

The department follows Food Base Menu Planning. All meals must meet the Recommended Daily Allowance established by the USDA and the Texas Department of Agriculture. We research and evaluate every recipe in our menu to ensure they meet nutrition requirements measured by the following categories: Saturated Fat, Total Fat, Calories and Sodium. For further details on the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy please refer to the full policy at www.squaremeals.org. 

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted 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: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider