Food Services
*Please note that the USDA Child Nutrition Waivers, which allowed our school district to offer breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to students, has expired. As a result, effective the first day of school, the cost for all meals will be based on your lunch status (Free, Reduced or Paid).
Reduced status meals this year are being provided at no cost. Paid status meals are $2.00 for breakfast and $3.10 for lunch. The School Nutrition Association has created an explanation video that you can view here: English or Spanish
MySchoolBucks - Log into MySchoolBucks to add money to your student's lunch account.
Breakfast and Lunch - Serving Information
Howell Township Public Schools is committed to the nutritional well-being of our students, which includes providing nutritious and appetizing breakfast and lunch options for all students in compliance with all federal and state regulations and policies. All allergy or dietary restrictions in a student’s file are addressed accordingly.
Before the first class of the day, students have the opportunity to grab a delicious and nutritious breakfast from convenient locations around the school. This can be in the form of grab-and-go options or served in the cafeteria, depending on the school's setup. By integrating breakfast into the school day, we remove barriers to access and ensure that all students have the fuel they need to focus and learn.
For questions, please email Aramark.
Aramark is now Hiring! Please see this flyer for more details.
For more nutritional information about our array or menu items and offerings, please click here.
Support
- Questions regarding the Free & Reduced program and P-EBT submissions: Michele Foley
- Questions regarding money owed for meals or meal services: Aramark
2024-2025 School Meals and Summer EBT Program
(previously know as: Free & Reduced Price School Meals Program and P-EBT)
Applications for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year will be made available sometime around the week of July 15, 2024. Please check back after that time to apply.
What is the Application Process?
Applications are accepted for the current school year only. After you submit your application, you will receive a ‘determination of benefits’ email with the results of your application within 10 business days. If you do not receive that email, or if all of the children you listed on your application are not listed in the email, please contact [email protected]. When completing your application, only children currently attending classes in our school district should be listed as students; all others should be listed as household members.
If you participated in the Free & Reduced Price School Meals program last school year and attended our school district, then that benefit carries over into the current school year, temporarily, allowing you time to complete a new application, as a new application must be completed every school year. *NOTE*: If you do not submit a new application and qualify prior to October 25, 2024, then your temporary status will expire and you will revert to full pay status on October 26, 2024.
What is the cost for school meals?
The full price for lunch is $3.10 and breakfast is $2.00.
If I qualify for the program, what food is free?
If you qualify for the School Meals and Summer EBT program, your student must take the entire meal; otherwise, it will be charged at a' la carte pricing. For example, if the meal on a particular day includes a sandwich, apple and milk and your child does not like apples and does not take the apple, then they will be charged full price because without the apple, it is no longer the meal provided by the state.
Additionally, items that are not eligible in the program, such as snacks like ice cream, will be charged to your lunch account. For questions about meal options, please contact your school's cafeteria or see the menus listed at the top of this webpage.
What are School Meals and Summer EBT Eligibility Criteria?
Children may qualify for the School Meals and Summer EBT program based on USDA federal guidelines for household income and size. If your household size/income exceeds the federal limit, there is also a New Jersey Expanded Income Eligibility (NJEIE) guidelines for the 2024-2025 School Year, which if you meet, will make you eligible for Free meals (there is no Reduced category). Please view this income eligibility chart for both the federal and state. Please note that NJEIE eligibility does NOT qualify you for EBT summer benefits – you must meet federal eligibility guidelines to qualify for Summer EBT.
Children may be determined "categorically eligible" for free meals through participation in certain Federal Assistance Programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or based on their status as a homeless, migrant, runaway or foster child. Children enrolled in a federally-funded Head Start program, or a comparable state-funded pre-kindergarten program, are also categorically eligible for free meals.
2024 Summer EBT Reimbursement for Free & Reduced Eligible Students
If your child is receiving Free & Reduced benefits for the 2023-2024 school year (not including NJEIE - Free), then there is nothing more you need to do; the school district will automatically submit your child's name to the state for Summer EBT reimbursement. If you are not currently receiving Free & Reduced benefits, apply online now to see if you are eligible, per the requirements listed below. (Free & Reduced Application: English and Spanish)
The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is a federal program to help you purchase food during the summer months for students meeting the following criteria:
- Students who were federally qualified to participate in the Free & Reduced Priced School Meals program during the 2023-2024 school year.
- Students whose eligibility is based upon a qualification of Categorically Free (such as SNAP, TNAF, Foster or Homeless) or their household size and income meet the federal eligibility guidelines.
- Students who submit and federally qualify for the Free & Reduced program before 2:00PM on August 31, 2024 for the 2024-2025 School Year - this does not include a qualification of NJEIE - Free. (We cannot accept applications for next school year in this school year. Parents will be notified when the 2024-2025 School Year application is available - sometime around July 15, 2024.)
NOTE: Students who qualified as NJEIE (NJ Expanded Income Eligibility) based on household size and income, do NOT qualify for the P-EBT program, as it is a federally funded program and NJEIE is a state-level funded program. Therefore, if your determination of benefits letter/email (when first you applied for the Free & Reduced program) stated you qualified as Free - NJEIE, you are not eligible for Summer EBT benefits.
Those students who are eligible for Summer EBT will receive a one-time monetary benefit of $120 via a Summer EBT debit card issued through the Department of Human Services, which they will mail directly to your home. If you have recently moved, please make sure your child's school has your correct address on file.
Additional information about the Summer EBT program and when/how you can expect to receive your Summer EBT debit card can be found here: https://www.nj.gov/summerebt/ or contact Summer EBT Hotline at 1-833-670-SEBT (7328).
You may also view the below flyer for additional information:
Support
- Questions regarding F&R and Summer EBT submissions: Michele Foley
- Questions regarding meals balances owed or meal service: Aramark
Food Services Links:
Digital Nutrition Resources for Kids: Learn in fun ways how to pick the right breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack foods to eat so you can grow up healthy and smart!
Howell Non-Discrimination Statement: In accordance with Federal 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, religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. You can access the complaint form here.