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Dietary Accommodations and Nutrition Standards
Learn more about our Dietary Accommodations and Nutrition Standards
Dietary Accommodations
Starting School Year 2024-2025, the Office of Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) is implementing a standardized process for dietary accommodations to ensure the provision of safe and healthy food for our students. This form only needs to be filled out once while your student is enrolled at FCPS.
Please keep in mind the following information while reviewing the steps below:
- FCPS does not provide meals containing pork.
- We offer vegetarian and vegan options for lunch at every school, every day. If your student needs pork-free or vegetarian meals (which do not contain meat, poultry, or fish but may contain dairy and/or eggs), you do not need to fill out a Dietary Accommodation form, as we have those options available at all schools. Please note that while FCPS is not a peanut-free kitchen, our peanut butter products are individually wrapped to prevent cross-contamination.
Steps to Request Dietary Accommodations
Complete the appropriate Dietary Accommodation form for each child in your household who needs dietary accommodation(s).
- Medical Dietary Accommodation Form
- This form is for Medical Accommodations such as food allergies, texture modifications, or other dietary needs.
- This form requires a signature from a state-licensed healthcare provider.
- Medical Discontinuation Form
- This form is to be filled out only if your student currently receives accommodations and no longer needs specialized menus.
- Requires a parent and/or guardian signature.
- Milk Substitution Form
- This Form is for Students who cannot drink cow's milk and need a milk substitute. the mil substitutes offered at this time are oat milk and lactose-free milk.
- Requires a parent and/or guardian signature.
Submit the completed dietary form to [email protected]. This email will be monitored Monday-Friday, during business hours, excluding holidays.
Food and Nutrition Services will contact you via email to confirm receipt of the form.
Our Registered Dietitians will contact you by phone or email with any follow-up questions or to discuss the modified menu if necessary.
If your student has a severe or life-threatening food allergy or medical accommodation, we also encourage you to work with your school to develop a Section 504 plan. Please contact your school directly regarding 504 information.
Before completing a dietary accommodation request form, please note:
- Dietary accommodations are tracked centrally via student ID number. If your student transfers to another FCPS school during the school year or before the start of a new school year, the form does not need to be resubmitted to Food and Nutrition Services.
- Forms must be complete before accommodations can be met, including parent/legal guardian signatures and state-licensed health care provider signatures (when applicable).
- The information in the form may be shared with pertinent FCPS Public Schools and Food and Nutrition employees to properly accommodate your student unless you specify otherwise in writing.
Nutrition Standards
Our school system is committed to serving healthier meals. Our Registered Dietitian team has developed internal standards that will make our food even healthier.
We’ve made our meals better by:
- Removing unhealthy ingredients: No more high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, or artificial sweeteners.
- Using high-quality meat: Our meat is 100% beef, chicken, or fish, with no added fillers.
- Serving whole grains: We use whole grains to help students stay energized throughout the day.
- Offering plant-based options: We have delicious vegetarian and vegan meals every day.
Our goal is to provide students with nutritious, tasty meals that support their learning and growth.
We commit to:
- No HFCS
- No pork products served of any kind
- Our animal proteins are 100% beef, chicken, or fish with no soy fillers
- No trans fat in food or beverage items
- No artificial sweeteners
- No artificial colors are allowed on the serving line
- No MSG
- All grains are whole grain or whole grain-rich
- No flavored milk is offered at breakfast
- Plant-based or plant-forward meals are offered daily
- Halal and Kosher meals are offered daily and are identifiable on the serving line