Lunch Offer Versus Serve (OVS)

Policy 8508

 

The Board of Education, to be in compliance with the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, adopts this Offer Versus Serve (OVS) Policy. Offer Versus Serve is a Policy for Federally reimbursable meals that allows students to decline a certain number of food components in the meal to reduce plate waste and food cost. Board of Education approval to implement a Lunch OVS Policy is required at the high school level and is optional at all other grade levels. The provisions of the Lunch OVS Policy shall be in accordance with the requirements of the HHFKA of 2010.

 

A school lunch eligible for Federal reimbursement shall offer five food components in the appropriate amounts per grade grouping:

 

• Fruit;

 

• Vegetable;

 

• Milk;

 

• Grain; and

 

• Meat/Meat Alternate.

 

 

Students are allowed to decline two of the five required food components, but must select at least a half cup of either fruit (or fruit combination) or a half cup of vegetable (or vegetable combination) or half cup of a fruit/vegetable combination.

 

After selecting the half cup fruit or vegetable requirement, students must select at least two additional full components in the full amounts (per age/grade grouping required amounts) to count toward the reimbursable offer versus serve meal.

 

The student's decision to accept all five food components or to decline two food components shall not affect the price charged for the meal as the lunch is priced as a unit. If students do not choose enough food items to comprise a reimbursable meal, a la carte prices will be charged.

 

School staff members cannot make exceptions to the Policy, such as requiring every child to take a particular food component. It is the student's choice to select any three, four, or all five components of the reimbursable meal. At each school implementing this Lunch OVS Policy, food service staff members will be trained annually on the provisions of the district’s Lunch OVS Policy.

 

Lunch OVS will be implemented at the following schools:

 

Union City High School

 

Jose Marti Freshman Academy

 

Adopted: 26 June 2014