Nutrition and physical activity are essential for students to achieve their academic and physical potential. Montgomery County Public Schools is committed to creating a school culture that promotes and protects children's health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.
In 2006, a wellness policy work group consisting of administrative staff, students, parents, community members, and health and wellness professionals met to draft a policy to address the creation of a healthy learning environment by providing nutrition education, physical education, physical activity, and a variety of healthy food and beverage options.
The Board of Education officially adopted a wellness policy to support a school environment that provides opportunities for students to engage in healthy eating habits and physical activity and provide instruction to support a healthy lifestyle. Click here to access MCPS Policy JPG-RA, Wellness: Physical and Nutritional Health.
Click here to access the results from our most recent assessment on implementation of the Local School Wellness Policy.
POLICY: Board of Education of Montgomery County: Wellness: Physical and Nutritional Health, adopted by resolution No. 203-06, April 20, 2006.
REGULATION: Montgomery County Public Schools: Wellness: Physical and Nutritional Health, adopted July 22, 2006; revised March 2, 2012.
LETTER OF COMMENDATION from the Maryland State Department of Education addressing the MCPS Wellness Policy.
The Division of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) supports healthy meal options for students and continually explores new ways to enhance the nutritional contribution and student acceptability of meals. All foods available during the school day, including vending machines and à la carte, not only meet current USDA guidelines and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, but also the specific nutritional requirements of the MCPS Wellness Policy.
DFNS recognizes that the cafeteria is each school’s largest classroom. Whether it is modeling healthy eating, providing nutrition education, or promoting plant-based and plant-forward entrées, DFNS is committed to providing students with the opportunity to make smart food choices to follow them through the rest of their lives.
Serving safe food is a high priority for Food and Nutrition Services staff. More than 800 employees work in elementary, middle, and high school cafeterias, the food services central production facility, food services warehouse, and central office to provide safe and nutritious meals to the students of Montgomery County. We are proud of our long record of serving safe and nutritious meals.
We follow proper food safety procedures in all aspects of handling food, from receiving and storing to preparing and serving, and we use Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures to monitor and record critical temperatures.
Products prepared in the temperature-controlled central production facility as well as products received from many vendors are delivered in refrigerated trucks. School food service staff follow standard operating procedures to prepare and serve safe foods to our customers.
Health inspections are conducted routinely by the Montgomery County Health Department, Office of Licensure and Regulatory Services. The inspection reports and licenses are posted in the kitchen/cafeteria area and can be viewed by the public. In addition, managers conduct Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point self-inspections in their school twice a year.
Cafeteria managers are certified in food safety and all employees receive food safety training, both on the job and at regular in-service meetings.
We welcome the opportunity to provide parents with information that will allow your child to participate in your school’s meal programs. The information provided is based on current information from manufacturers, recipes for MCPS-produced items, and nutritional analysis software.
Please be aware that there are factors that may affect a product’s actual nutritional value and/or ingredient composition at any given time:
This information is updated prior to the start of each school year, and is updated as changes occur. Please check periodically for changes and updates.
| Elementary Nutrition Data | 6/20/2023 |
| Middle Nutrition Data | 6/20/2023 |
| High Nutrition Data | 6/20/2023 |
| Elementary Allergen Database | 6/8/2023 |
| Secondary Allergen Database | 6/8/2023 |
| Nut Allergies | 6/29/2017 |
| Elementary Line Signage | 9/2/2022 |
| Middle Line Signage | 9/2/2022 |
| High Line Signage | 9/2/2022 |
Does your child require a special meal plan, related to a medical condition or food allergy? You must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
DFNS strongly recommends viewing our Allergen Databases for the most up-to-date information about our allergen contents:
Gluten Free: These foods contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. They are naturally gluten free (such as fresh fruits and vegetables) or tested and certified less than 20 ppm.
No Gluten Ingredients: The ingredients do not include gluten but the products are not tested for gluten and/or may be at risk for cross contamination.
GF=Gluten Free | NGI=No Gluten Ingredients
If your child require a special meal plan, related to a medical condition or food allergy, you must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
If your child require a special meal plan, related to a medical condition or food allergy, you must complete the Special Dietary Needs Form and email it to DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. You can access the form in English | español | français | 中文 | Portuguese | 한국어 | tiếng Việt | አማርኛ
Nutrient information, including carbohydrate content of menu items, is available on the Nutrient and Allergen Information list.
Meatless options are available during the week and indicted on menus with the [^] symbol. These include grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese pizzas, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. By talking with the cafeteria manager, an arrangement may be made to provide your child with a meatless meal if one is not part of the selections on a specific day. The manager will need to know at the beginning of the day if your child is present and wants a substitute meal. Families following strict vegan regimes may need to provide lunch from home.
Nutrient (calories, fat sodium, etc.) and allergen (wheat dairy, eggs, etc.) information for breakfast and lunch menu items for elementary, middle, and high school menus is found on the Nutrient and Allergen Information list. Generally, the information is current for the school year, but updates are made if new products are introduced, recipes are modified, or manufacturer's information changes—so it is a good idea to check for updates periodically.
MCPS strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, due to factors mentioned above, guarantees are not possible. Information is provided as a guide to help students and parents make the best selections possible for their individual situations.
School Meals are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Menus are planned to meet and exceed the established nutritional guidelines. The school menus are planned to have 30% or less calories from fat, 10% or less of calories from saturated fat, 0 grams trans-fat, and calorie ranges for each grade level. All menus meet the guidelines of the Healthy-Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA).
The Division of Food and Nutrition Services analyzes and evaluates menus regularly in order to ensure that the USDA guidelines are met. In addition, the Maryland State Department of Education, School and Community Nutrition Programs Branch conducts annual reviews of MCPS's operations and menus.
MCPS school meals already meet or exceed many of the new requirements, so students will notice only small changes on the menus.
We will continue to introduce new menu items throughout the school year.