PHA Meals Program

During the 2025-2026 School Year:

  • Breakfast and Lunch continue to be FREE for all students.
  • Breakfast is available at ALL campuses. Students at the Early Childhood campus are invited to have breakfast from 7:00-7:40am. Upper Elementary enjoys breakfast in the classroom. At the Middle/High School, breakfast is available in the cafeteria from 7:30-8:30am.
  • This year, the Meals Team is preparing all meals in our own kitchens! Thank you for your patience as we make this enormous change. We are looking forward to serving your student(s) fresh and delicious meals!
  • We have hot and cold options available every day and we will do our best to have your student's first choice available. We will always have a freshly prepared meal available for them.
  • Families can help our lunch lines move quicker by reviewing daily breakfast and lunch choices with their student before arriving to school. 
  • We have a new online menu available that allows families to see all components offered at every meal. It can be accessed at family.schoolcafe.com. For instructions on how to access the menu, click this link.
  • Lastly, if your student has an allergy and will be eating with us at school, please reach out so that we can work together to make sure your student's needs are met. We continue to be a peanut and tree-nut free kitchen.

Meals Program Information

PHA participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). All of these programs are regulated at the highest level by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Massachusetts Office for Food and Nutrition Programs (FNP).
 
Meals under all of these programs have to meet strict standards which include portion size, calories, sodium, whole grains, trans-fats and nutrients.

4 Offered Items at Breakfast (students must choose 3 items, one of which is a fruit or juice)
  • Whole Grain item (cereal, muffin, bagel, etc.) or protein (yogurt)
  • Fresh or dried fruit
  • 4 ounce juice box
  • 8 ounce Fat-free Chocolate or 1% Plain Milk
Our PreK students do not receive Chocolate Milk nor Juice

5 Offered Items at Lunch (students must choose 3 items, one of which is a fruit or vegetable)
  • Lean protein (chicken, turkey, lower-fat beef, cheese, soy-based meats)
  • Whole Grain item (pasta, bread, rice, etc.)
  • Vegetable (dark green, red/orange, starchy, and legume required every week)
  • Fresh fruit (juice available for Essex students only)
  • Fat-free Chocolate or 1% Plain Milk

Nondiscrimination Statement

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), 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: How to File a Complaint, 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: [email protected].
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.