School meals in PAUSD

Since California made school meals universal in 2022, every public school student in the state can eat breakfast and lunch at school at no charge. Palo Alto Unified follows that rule district wide. Its Food Services page puts it simply: PAUSD will provide two free meals, breakfast and lunch, per day to all students, regardless of their eligibility.

That covers students at all 12 elementary schools, the three middle schools, Paly and Gunn. Palo Alto Middle College says PAUSD provides free daily lunch on the Foothill College campus for its students. This page explains how meal service works, where to find menus, what the district asks for special diets and why it still wants families to send in a meal application. For other services, see our public schools guide.

How meals work by grade

The rules are the same everywhere: one free breakfast and one free lunch per student per day, with no second meals. The service itself differs between elementary and secondary schools.

Elementary schools

Students who want school meals go to the multipurpose room. Breakfast is picked up at morning recess and lunch at lunchtime, according to the district. Younger children may need practice with the routine at the start of the year, so it helps to walk through it with them. Our elementary schools guide lists every campus.

Middle and high schools

At secondary schools students go to the cafeteria during brunch or lunch and choose their items. They enter their student ID number at the register. Families who do not know the number can get it from Food Services or the school office. Paly's posted bell schedule for one October 2026 day shows a 15-minute brunch and a 37-minute lunch. Many Paly students also walk across Embarcadero Road to Town & Country Village at lunch, so school meals are one choice among several.

Meal accounts and refunds

Because meals are free, most families never need to add money. Any balance left from earlier years can be refunded. Parents complete a Parent Refund form and email it to foodservices@pausd.org or mail it to the district office, attention Food Service. The district asks for four to five weeks because of audit requirements.

Menus

PAUSD posts its brunch and lunch menus on Nutrislice. The Lunch Menus link on the district home page goes there as well. Menus are organized by school and by day. Nutrislice also lets families look up item details, which is useful for children with food allergies or other dietary needs.

Meals follow federal school nutrition standards. The district's wellness policy, Board Policy 5030, commits it to a coordinated school health system with nutrition services as one of eight parts, along with health education, physical education and counseling.

Food allergies and special diets

PAUSD's special meal accommodation section explains that federal rules come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are administered in California by the state Department of Education. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a food allergy does not need to cause anaphylaxis to count as a disability. A non-life-threatening allergy may require a meal modification if it affects a major bodily function or major life activity.

How to request a modified meal

1. Download the Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations from the Food Services page.
2. Have it completed and signed by a recognized medical authority. It must identify the condition, the foods to leave out and the foods to substitute.
3. Return it to Food Services. Without a medical statement, the student receives a regular meal. The district says forms completed only by parents will not be accepted.

The district also says Nutrition Services has the option to accommodate needs that are not disabilities, including religious or moral convictions and personal preference.

Medication at school

Students with severe allergies who need epinephrine at school should also see the district's Health Services pages. Students may carry and self-administer prescribed auto-injectable epinephrine once the school has a medication authorization form signed by a California licensed health care provider and a parent plus school nurse approval. The district posts a separate anaphylaxis authorization form in English, Spanish and Mandarin. If emergency medication is given, staff call 911 and the parent.

Some students with serious allergies also have a Section 504 plan that sets out accommodations across the school day, not only at meals. Our special education guide explains how 504 plans work in PAUSD.

Why fill out a meal application

Even with free meals for everyone, PAUSD asks families to complete a free and reduced-price meal application. The district says approved applications can bring significant extra funding to schools. They can also qualify students for benefits such as discounts or waivers on college application fees and AP exam fees, internet service, summer programs, scholarships and after-school club costs. Families do not need to be U.S. citizens to apply.

Who qualifies

Children in households receiving CalFresh (SNAP), CalWORKs (TANF) or FDPIR benefits qualify automatically. So do foster children, Head Start participants and children who are homeless, runaway or migrant. Others qualify by income. On the 2026 to 2027 federal chart the district posts, a household of four can qualify for free or reduced-price meals with yearly income up to $61,050. For a household of two the limit is $40,034. Households in WIC may be eligible and should apply.

How to apply

• Online through the district's family portal, linked from the Free and Reduced Meals page.
• On paper, picked up at any school or the district office and mailed to 25 Churchill Avenue.
• One form per household covers every child.
• Apply any time. A family whose income drops mid-year can apply then.

Last year's approval carried over only through September 18, 2026, so families who qualified before need a new application for this year unless the school told them otherwise. Questions go to Food Services at (650) 329-3720.

Classroom celebrations and snacks

PAUSD encourages celebrations without food. Its guidance suggests activities, small items such as stickers or pencils and classroom privileges instead of treats. When food is part of a celebration, it should be served only after lunch and meet state and federal nutrition standards. The district's Smart Snacks guidance asks for store-bought items and asks families to avoid major allergens such as nuts and any allergen known to affect a child in the class. A snack must have 200 calories or less and 200 milligrams of sodium or less.

Summer and holidays

School meals stop when school is out. For summer, the district points families to the California Department of Education's list of summer meal sites, where children can get free meals. It also describes SUN Bucks, a summer EBT program that gives families $120 for each eligible child to spend on groceries. The funds must be used within 122 days and do not affect immigration status. Families needing help year-round can find food pantries and CalFresh assistance in our food assistance guide. The Palo Alto farmers markets run all year as well.

Frequently asked questions