School & Community Nutrition Services

Contact Us

Terina Edington
Executive Administrator, Nutrition Services
(502) 485-3186
terina.edington@jefferson.kyschools.us

Address

C.B. Young Jr. Service Center
Building 1
3001 Crittenden Drive,
Louisville, KY, 40209

502 Food Works

Fueling Louisville's Future One Meal at a Time

The School and Community Nutrition Services Department, known as 502 Food Works, is responsible for ensuring that students have access to healthy and safe meals and snacks at all times. We follow the USDA's nutritional guidelines to provide well-balanced meals that include all five food groups. We provide breakfast, lunch, after-school programs, summertime meals, and emergency meals.

Student feedback is very important to SCNS and we encourage students to be involved by completing surveys, using the rating system for Nutrislice food items, and taking part in our Student Nutrition Advisory Councils (SNAC). Your feedback shapes the future of our menus and ensures we're serving meals our students love. 


What is Community Eligibility?

Did you know? JCPS serves 100,000 meals to students every day.

Community Eligibility (CE) allows school districts in high-poverty areas to provide meals at no cost to students in schools that qualify.

All of JCPS is CE! This means all students are eligible for free breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility (CE) program, regardless of their family's income.

All Families are encouraged to fill out the Educational Benefits Form for students to determine eligibility for various state and federal program benefits and funding for the school.

For Families with Early Childhood Students, see information below to qualify for the snack program.

Early Childhood Snacks

Households with Early Childhood students must complete a meal application each year for the CACFP snack program.  Applications are available at your school or you may request one from your teacher.

You may also request a copy by calling (502) 485-6237 or 485-3986.

Nutrition Services Application Center

In-person application assistance is available through the Nutrition Services Application Center or you may call us at 485-6237 or 485-3986.

Contact Us

Shawnalee Smith
Specialist, Nutrition Services
(502) 485-6237
shawnalee.smith@jefferson.kyschools.us

Special Dietary Needs

Students with food allergies, food intolerances, or medical conditions affecting their major life or bodily functions have the right to request meal modifications. To make this request, a licensed physician (M.D., ARNP, D.O., or P.A.) must complete and sign the Special Dietary Needs Form, as required by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This form documents special dietary needs that are necessary due to a medical disability. If there are any changes to the student’s special dietary needs in the future, an updated form signed by a licensed physician (M.D., ARNP, D.O., or P.A.) will be required.

Paper copies of the form are available from your child's school nutrition services coordinator. Parents are encouraged to inform their child's school office about all student allergies and communicate openly with the school nutrition staff.

Contact Us

Nutrition—Special Diets - Lilia Villegas lilia.villegas@jefferson.kyschools.us (502) 485-6480

To submit special dietary needs forms, email to:
nutritionspecialdiets@jefferson.kyschools.us

Caution: Common food allergen triggers—including dairy, eggs, fish, milk, nuts, soy, and wheat—may have come in contact with some or all JCPS foods due to cross-contamination in manufacturing or preparation.

Food Preferences

USDA Child Nutrition Programs are federal programs requiring accommodations if a child has a documented disability. Schools do not make modifications to meals based solely on food preferences. However, most food preferences may be able to be accommodated by making choices that are already available on the daily serving line.

If you want to inform the nutrition staff of your child’s personal or cultural food preferences, you may fill out the top half of the Special Dietary Needs Form. For personal and cultural preferences, a physician’s signature is not needed.

Menus and Locations

Our breakfast and lunch menus include the following information:

  • Elementary, middle, or high school menus

  • Summer Feeding locations

  • Allergen information 

  • Nutritional facts

  • Carb counts and more!

Other menus, such as summer meals, CACFP suppers, CEP snacks, and other special event menus, are available upon request. 

If you attend the Pathfinder School of Innovation and need information about meal service, contact (502) 485-3103.

Nutrislice App

JCPS school menus are available online and on your phone via the free Nutrislice app. Search School Lunch by Nutrislice in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Click here for menus

For General Questions Contact Us

JCPS School and Community Nutrition Services
(502) 485-3186

Nutrition Resources

Good nutrition and good education go hand in hand. Well-nourished students have higher test scores, better school attendance, and fewer classroom behavior problems. Research shows that the knowledge and skills children learn today help them choose healthier foods tomorrow and into adulthood.

Cafe Account Made Easy

While school meals are provided at no cost, parent may still want to set up on online account.

JCPS Nutrition Services partners with  MySchoolBucks so parents can pay for à la carte items or extra entrees by using a credit or debit card. Parents may also monitor transactions and set up convenient email reminders when funds are running low.

If you have questions related to meal service payments, see contact to the right.

If you have questions regarding My School Bucks for school supplies, contact your school directly.

Meal Prices

Contact Us

Nutrition Services—Records & Reports Division- John Sewsanker
(502) 485-3198

Summer Meal Service

Summer meals are good for students' bodies, and healthier students are great for everybody. Kids get nutritious meals at no charge at any JCPS Summer Meal site. Children must attend the sites in person, and meals must be eaten there. Children must be 18 years of age or younger to participate. (Adults are not served.) 

Nutrition services will continue to provide meals throughout the Summer at no cost via school locations, mobile routes, pools, parks, and enrichment sites. Visit Nutrislice to find places by site name or zip code and to see menus. School locations will offer hot meals, while community and mobile sites will offer ready-to-eat meals.

Depending on USDA rules each year, sometimes we are able to provide bulk meal pickup for families. This is determined on a yearly basis. More information will be posted on JCPS websites and social media when this option is available.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Contact Us

Special Programs- Coordinator Christina Ashley (502) 485-7153

Assistant Director- Jason Mills (502) 485-3186

Summer Meals Flyer—Translated

School Locations

Hot meals are served Monday to Friday. Occasionally, locations may serve ready-to-eat meals instead. Service times and breakfast service may vary by location, so please check our site list or Nutrislice for details.

Mobile Routes

Ready-to-eat lunches will be available daily at various pools and parks, Monday through Friday, between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Times will vary for each site.

Summer Enrichment Sites (schools and community sites)

Breakfast and lunch will be offered free to all registered students taking part in various summer enrichment opportunities. Menus for these programs can be found on Nutrislice.

link to nutri slice site locator

Scan here to find sites and search by your zip code

Farm to School Program

The Farm to School Program connect farms with school cafeterias and classrooms. Local farmers can sell fresh food to our district's Nutrition Service Center. Farm to School creates partnerships that help the community understand and connect with local food producers. A comprehensive Farm to School Program also includes education programs. 

Farmers and Producers: Grow Food for JCPS!

School Gardens

School gardens offer a unique opportunity to teach children about nutrition education and various subjects such as science, math, and reading. It is especially beneficial for students living in urban areas as it brings nature and agriculture to life. Gardening promotes physical fitness, proper nutrition, and learning enthusiasm while building a sense of responsibility and belonging.

JCPS has around 30 schools with gardens, and students have grown fresh produce, which has been utilized in classrooms for cooking, taste testing, science, art, and math, and even sold at farmer's markets.

Student-Friendly Meals with a Healthy Twist

JCPS serves healthier versions of student favorites, reducing sodium and added sugar and adding more local products. Our menus incorporate fresh vegetables like zucchini, butternut squash, and peppers into many of our recipes. On our serving lines you may see items like mini-sweet peppers, corn on the cob, apples, and watermelon when in season.

During Farm to School Week, SCNS highlights local products and invites local farmers to the schools. Fresh, local chicken has been served and well-received by students and staff. Local items on the menu include watermelon, peppers, apples, kale, strawberries, leafy greens, cabbage, broccoli, and cornmeal.

Student Nutrition Advisory Councils (SNAC groups) are present in schools to gather feedback and conduct surveys to determine students' preferred menu choices.

Lunch lady standing at cash register while two boys carry lunch trays in cafeteria line