Understanding Offer versus Serve

Federal guidelines determine what constitutes a complete breakfast and lunch. Only a complete meal qualifies for reimbursement from the State and Federal government. Magnet Cove schools follows the Offer Versus Serve Provision for school meals at all grade levels.

What is Offer versus Serve?
Offer versus Serve gives students the opportunity to choose only those foods which they intend to eat in the School Breakfast/Lunch Program. This feature of the National School Breakfast/Lunch Program is designed to reduce food waste and give students the opportunity to select only the foods they enjoy.

Lunch consists of 5 food components: a meat or meat alternate, vegetable choices, fruit choices, bread or grain item, and milk. Many main entrée items count as the meat / meat alternate and grain item and are considered two food components, To be considered a reimbursable lunch, a student must take a minimum of three of the five food components. One of the three food items must be a half cup of a fruit or vegetable or combination of the two. If a student takes less than three components, including the half cup of fruit or vegetable, the meal will not be reimbursable and he/she will be charged the a la carte price for each item or asked to get the required items.A la carte items are not included in the free or reduced meal prices and will be charged to the student’s account.

Breakfast consists of three food components: a grain (a meat or meat alternate may be substituted for part of the grain), fruit/juice/vegetable and milk. Under offer vs serve, the meal must contain 4 food items from the three food components. To be considered a reimbursable breakfast a student must take three of the four food items. One of the three food items must be 1/2 cup of a fruit or vegetable. If a student takes less than three food items, including the one cup of fruit, juice or vegetable, the meal will not be reimbursable and he/she will be charged a la carte prices for each item or asked to get the required items. A la carte items are not included in the free or reduced meal prices and will be charged to the student’s account.