Nutrition Services 

PayPams  Wellness Program  On Line Free/Reduce Lunch Application   

Susan Richardson, Coordinator of Nutrition Services, RD, LD, MBA

Room 306, District Center
651-407-7524

What's New in Nutrition Services this year?

This year, Congress passed into law the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act which introduced new school meal standards meant to reduce calories and increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Last year, we began implementing new items on the menus to introduce students to the changes. If you would like more detailed information on the new regulations, visit: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/dietaryspecs.pdf.   Here is a snapshot of the new guidelines:

• Wider variety of fruits and vegetables on the menus and students are encouraged to try them.
• Students must take one serving of fruits and vegetables or they will be asked to return to the serving area.
• Breads and grains will be at least 51% whole grain.
• A gradual decrease in sodium and fat in menus over time.
  
  

What Is A "Typical Breakfast or Lunch Meal?

 

The regular breakfast or lunch meal must have five components to be counted as a meal. Students must take three of the five times served each day to elementary and secondary students.  The lunch meal provides 1/3 of the student's recommended dietary allowance.

Each daily student lunch meal includes:

•  1 oz. protein (elementary) 2 oz.protein (secondary)
• 3/4 cup fruit and 3/4 cup vegetable (elementary)
• 1 cup fruit and 1 cup vegetable (secondary), students must take at least 1/2 cup of both to equal 1 cup.
• 2 oz.servings of grain items
• 1/2 pint of skim white or chocolate fresh milk.

What's For Lunch?

Elementary - Every day we serve tasty, nutritious food choices. We strive to offer healthy food choices and limit fat content so that less than 30% of calories come from fat. Two hot entrees are offered and cold sandwich choice. Students will be able to select any quantity of fruits and vegetables plus skim chocolate or white milk. 

Secondary - Students enjoy a variety of choices at lunch. Every day they may choose regular hot lunch, salad bar, hamburger line or combo line. New salad bar offerings include taco salad, taco bar and baked potato bar.  Again, students are required to take at least 1/2 cup fruit and 1/2 cup vegetables.   There is no limit on fruits and vegetables for students.

We have tried to remove products that are contain dangerous nitrates from in pork sausage, pepperoni, and lunch meats.  They have been replaced with turkey and chicken products and we are hoping to add grass fed beef to our menus.   Many of our foods are more expensive but we feel our students and staff are worth the extra cost to ensure a healthy and nutritious meal program.

Watch for Farm2School Program Highlights coming soon!

Students whose families qualify may receive free or reduced-price meals by completing the application available at your school office. Applications must be submitted to the Nutrition Services Office at 4855 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN 55110. District 624 follows strict, non-discrimination rules to protect the student's anonymity.

Other Nutrition Program Features:

• recognizes special events with promotional themes to provide a fun-filled environment for the students.
• provides Student Lunch Committees in schools for menu input and taste testing by students.
• invites parents and grandparents to join their children for lunch.
• serves as a resource for nutrition education materials for the classroom. Its special event days often promote good nutritional habits.
• includes students in the menu-planning process. The goal is to serve tasty high-quality meals to the students. The department believes it can influence a child's food choice through meals that taste good, look inviting and that are served in a pleasant atmosphere with friendly service.
• and the Minnesota Department of Education sponsor the USDA Child Nutrition Program. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

If you have any questions about Nutrition Services, or to obtain current lunch prices, please call Nutrition Service, (651) 407-7523.

Allergy Program

White Bear Area Schools Nutrition Services adheres to the USDA regulations, 7CFR, Part 15b, which requires substitutions and modifications in school meals for children whose disabilities restrict their diets.

If your student is allergic to milk, you may request Lactose Free milk by completing this parent request form and submitting to your student's school nurse.  All other milk substitutions, ie. soy or rice milk require a Special Diet Statement that is completed by the family physician.  We offer gluten, wheat, dairy, and casein free foods daily.  Simply contact your school nurse to make arrangements for your student.     Once we have your Special Diet Statement on file, you need only complete it again if there is a diagnosis change over the years.

All elementary and middle schools are peanut free.  We do not purchase foods that have been exposed to nuts.  Secondary schools are not peanut free but all foods are produced in a "no cross contamination" production area.  All nutrition services staff have been trained to ensure safety.

Coming soon to the website:  Gluten free menu that is available in all schools.

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Parent Account Management System (PAMS)

The Nutrition Services Department of the White Bear Lake Area School District is pleased to announce that parents/guardians can now access their children's school Nutrition Services accounts online.

With PAMS (Parent Account Management System), parents/guardians are able to:

• prepay for school meals;
• view student account balance;
• view account payment history;
• schedule automatic payments;
• receive e-mail notification on account balance status;
• receive e-mail confirmation on scheduled payments;
• choose Visa, MasterCard, or Debit Cards
• view account history and see items purchased

If you should be experiencing financial difficulties and you don't qualify for the free/reduced program, please contact Susan Richardson, Coordinator of Nutrition Services at 651-407-7524.

Brochures explaining the registration process are available at your local school office or by contacting the Nutrition Service Department.

Setting up your PAMS Account

Visit the PAMS web site to set up your account today.
PAMS can also be set up for use via phone. Contact Debra Kelley651-407-7523.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my payment to be added to my student's meal account at his/her school?

• Your payment is verified immediately, while you are online or on the phone. The balance is added to your student's meal account within 24 hours.

Can I set up automatic payments when my child's meal account balance falls below a certain level?

• Yes. You can arrange for the system to charge you account automatically when your student's account reaches a pre-defined balance threshold. You will receive an e-mail notification each time the automatic charge is made.

Is my credit/debit car and bank information secure on the Internet?

• Yes. Ours is a secure site and provides full protection of your personal information. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with Federal regulations to guard your personal information.

Are there any costs for the service?

• There are no costs to check account balances or payment history. A small convenience fee, if any, will be displayed before you process the payment.

What features are available on the PAMS phone system?

• PAMS Phone System offers most of the services that are available online. Parents can register, add students to their account, hear balance information, make payments, set automatic payments based on low balance, and listen to their last three payments.

If I registered on the phone, can I access my account online?

• Yes. If you registered on the phone, you can login to access your account online (www. paypams.com) with the login and password you created on the phone. You will be prompted to complete your account profile (contact information, address and e-mail information).

If I am registered online, can I make payment by phone?

• Yes. Please call 1-888-994-5100. The system will ask you to enter you phone number and phone password. If you do not have a phone password, enter your zip code. To hear balance information or to make payments, you will be required to enter the student ID or meal account ID.

Call Debra Kelley at 651-407-7523 if you need assistance.