Food and Nutrition Services Department (586) 797-1180 Fax: (586) 797-8358 Email: [email protected]

Mandy Sosnowski, Director of Food and Nutrition Services
(586) 797-1180
[email protected]

Bridgette Baldwin, Food Service Coordinator (586) 797-1180
[email protected] 

Supply Chain Issues Please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEwOa9Mx7WQ to view this informative video regarding supply chain issues in the US. 

Free Meals Have Ended

• If you would still like to get free and reduced meals, you must fill out an application after July 1
• If you are not approved for free or reduced meals, you will be required to pay for all meals for the 2022-2023 school year
• Apply online at Utica Family Portal or https://utica.familyportal.cloud 
  Enter “Utica Community Schools” and follow the prompts.  
• Most applications are processed within two (2) working days compared to 10 using paper!
• Quicker than paper!

Apply using a paper application

• Paper applications & Household Income Forms for CEP sites are distributed to all student households or are available at your child’s school.  
• Complete the application and return it to your child’s school or mail to Utica Community Schools, Food & Nutrition Services, 11303 Greendale, Sterling Heights, MI 48312
• Processing may take 7-10 working days
• Free and reduced Application .pdf
• Aplicación gratuita y reducida en Español
• التطبيق مجاناً وتخفيض الناطقة بالعربية

There's A New Way  to Managing Your Student's Account

• Go to  https://utica.familyportal.cloud to set up  your account
• If you had an old Sendmoneytoschool.com account it will help you migrate over to the new site. 
• Please review this video for instructions how to set up your account. Https://utica.familyportal.cloud/tutorials 
• You will need your child’s 9-digit ID number to set it up (you can get this from the office)
• You can access student meal accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to view account balances, deposit histories, or your child’s meal or snack selections free of charge
• You can also make deposits to your child’s cafeteria account using Visa, MasterCard or Discover-a bank service fee of $1.50 will be charged to your credit card
• Breakfasts & Lunches may still be purchased with cash or check; however amounts of $20 or more are recommended
• Checks should be made to Utica Community Schools Food Service Department
• Checks returned for Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) will be assessed a $25 fee

Menu Prices
We are excited to announce that for those that were approved for reduced meals, UCS will cover the $0.30 breakfast and $0.40 cost this year! Paid meal prices are as follows for the 2022-2023 school year:
Breakfast: All Levels $1.75
Lunch:       Elementary  $2.75
Junior High  $2.90
High School $2.95

UCS Meals Are Nutritious And Delicious!

• UCS cafeterias offer a wide variety of different food choices to meet your student's needs
• We serve the same brand named products, like Tyson, Land-O-Lakes and Jennie-O, that you do you in your homes
• Meals follow federal guidelines for nutrition
• Meals include a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low fat meat and dairy as well as low fat and fat free milk
• To qualify for free and reduced meals students must take at least 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable with a meal. 
• Breakfast meals include up to 2 grains, up to 2 fruits and a milk. Must take at least 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable with 2 more items to qualify. 
• Lunch meals include a grain, meat/meat alternate, vegetable, fruit & milk. Must take 3 out of 5 with one being 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable to qualify. 
• We watch our saturated fat and sodium levels to help support our student's health needs
• Visit the Healthy Meals at School page to learn more about meal requirements 

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights 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 (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
3. email: [email protected]

 This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

"Hey Alexa, what's for lunch?"

UCS's School Menus are digitally accessible on all devices as well as Amazon's Alexa!

Customize, view and print all school menus by clicking here or visiting  https://uticak12.nutrislice.com

Click on this link for a video demo of UCS NutriSlice or watch below.

Allergens Form

We take food allergies and student safety very seriously. If your student has any food allergies please have your physician fill out the MDE Dietary Needs Form and return it to the food service office.  MDE dietary Needs form.pdf
 
1- You must fill out a physician signed MDE Special Needs Accommodation form and send it to the Food Service office. Without this we cannot make any accommodations. Please make sure to be specific with regards to the allergy (Example: all dairy or just fluid milk intolerance, etc.) 
2-Because allergies change you MUST fill out a new form EVERY YEAR.
3- You must indicate to your child's school which days and which menu item you would like at least 48 hours in advance. We will not automatically have these available if we do not hear from parents in advance. 
4-A vegetarian and nut free options are available every day so please see regular menu.
5-Juice or water are not acceptable substitutes per USDA guidelines. At this time we have Kikkoman Soy milk as a substitute. You're welcome to send in your own milk with your child if they don't like it.
6-We will do the best we can to accommodate other requests but there may be some limitations. For questions please call our food service off at 586-797-1180

Elementary menus are available online under the Allergy Menu tab. For Secondary Allergy menu items please submit the same form and then contact Food Service at 586-797-1180 to meals

Start the day right! Come join us for breakfast!

Nutritious breakfast is available as students arrive to school. A variety of delicious food choices are available. Breakfast is $1.75 unless you have been approved for free/reduced meals this year.  Milk is only $ .50. We look forward to serving you.

We Want You!

If you’re looking for extra cash but want to be home when your children are, consider employment opportunities within the Food and Nutrition Services Department. A comprehensive Manager Certified training program is provided to each and every employee, as well as continuing education courses.

Create your own hours on your terms by becoming a substitute on our team. Substitutes may work 2-3 hours a day, usually from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. You must be available to work three or more days a week. Permanent staff is hired directly from the substitute list. To apply, call Kathy Conrad (586) 797-1183. 

Meal Charge Policy 

When a student meal charge creates a negative balance, prompt repayment is expected. To bring the meal account up to date, families can make deposits online, send cash or check to school with the student’s full name on the memo line (checks made payable to Utica Community Schools). By establishing an account through the food service link on the district website, families/parents can monitor balances and receive low balance email alerts on their students’ account. Students who pay for meals may only charge (have a negative account balance) up to five (5) meals (breakfast and/or lunch). If a student has a zero or negative account balance, they will not be allowed to make any a la carte or beverage purchases. After the fifth charge occurrence, students will not be able to make purchases of any kind in the cafeteria using their meal accounts. Instead students will be offered a regular meal (alternate meal).

Alternate meals are provided at no charge and include all the components federally required to qualify for a reimbursable meal. Alternate meals will continue to be offered while the negative balance is being resolved.

For elementary school households, auto-messages from the school regarding negative/low balances are initiated weekly each Thursday (by email if provided or letter sent home).

When an account balance is low or negative, cashiers will share that information with the student, in a respectful age-appropriate manner.