Food Services
Division of Food Services

If your program is eligible, follow these steps to apply:

1. Complete the Application

• Deadline: June 13, 2025. Late applications may delay meal service.
• Upload your program roster with students’ first and last names.
• Confirm training completion on regulations and guidelines.
• One application per program per year.
• For roster updates only, click here.

2. Update Attendance Rosters

• Update rosters with new enrollments.
• Update Program information- New End date? New Coordinator? Let us know.
• Ensure your roster is current as meals are based on this list.
• Attendance Roster Template

3. Guideline Highlights

• The on-site coordinator or designee must report daily attendance using this template.
• Requests to change meal quantities require 72 hours.
• Deliveries are made daily for the next day’s service.
• Download Program Guidelines and Training Confirmation

Requirements:

• The program is approved to operate in the district site(s) in which they intend to register for meal service.
• The program runs from June to August
• If your program doesn’t meet minimum meal participation requirements, your summer programming staff will be responsible for distributing meals and must complete the required training.

Resources

• Summer 2025 Application for Meal Service for Summer Programs Based in District-Operated Schools
• Check application status
• On-Site Summer Training/Guidelines
• Administrative Guidelines
• Attendance Template

Hallway Grab-n-Go: Food Service workers will have a cart set up in the hallway. As the students are moving to their 1st-period class, they will be able to grab breakfast from the cart to eat in their 1st-period classroom. Food Service staff records the reimbursable meals taken by the students.

Breakfast Carts at Your Door: Food Service workers will travel through the hallways to groups of classrooms. Students will get their breakfast from the cart and return to their room to eat. Food Service staff records the reimbursable meals taken by the students.

Breakfast in the Classroom: Crates or delivery bags are assembled with meals by Food Service staff in the cafeteria. Students or teachers pick up the crates/bags and bring them to the classrooms. Teachers are responsible for recording meals taken by students using a classroom roster. Students eat breakfast in their classroom, and crates/bags and rosters are returned to the cafeteria. (Teachers must receive training for this method prior to service beginning. We will schedule a trainer for you.)

Second Chance Breakfast in Cafeteria: Teachers bring students through the cafeteria line as an entire class. Students can then eat in the cafeteria, or the class can bring the food up to their classroom to eat.

Click here to check if your school already has approved programming.

Requirements:

• The meal must be served after a regular school day (after school dismissal).
• The After School Meals program must include educational and/or enrichment activities.
• The program provider and cafeteria staff must complete the annual required training.
• The program must maintain separate daily student attendance and meal participation tally sheets. Attendance can not be used as a proxy for meal participation.

How to Apply

1. Complete Application
   • Complete ONE application per year, per program.
   • Admission is open to all regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.
     Application Now Open!
2. Submit Attendance Roster
   • An accurate listing of enrolled students must be submitted with your original application using the roster template provided
   • The student’s first and last name must be entered into the roster template.
     Attendance Roster Template

When to Apply

Applications can be submitted on a rolling basis starting in early August.

If your program starts:

• Anytime in September- Applications are due August 23rd
• Anytime in October-  Applications are due by September 16th
• Anytime in November- Applications are due by October 18th
• Anytime in December- Applications are due November 15th
• Anytime in January- Applications are due December 16th
• Anytime in February- Applications are due January 17th
• Anytime in March- Applications are due February 17th
• Anytime in April- Applications are due March 17th
• Anytime in May- Applications are due April 18th

If we don’t have the paperwork, your service will be delayed until the next month, when PDE authorizes the District to be reimbursed for meals served.

What Happens After an Application is Submitted?

• You will receive an auto-generated email with the information entered into the google form.
• After your program application has been reviewed by Food Service Central Office staff and the enrollment has been verified, An email will be sent to the coordinator listed in the application and copied to the on-site food service staff, letting everyone know the program’s approval date and when meals are authorized to start.
• The on-site food service staff will help to coordinate ordering the meals. Food Services may adjust meals according to meal participation throughout the school year.
• Once your program has been approved, it will take up to 4 school days for meals to arrive at your school. 

Why does it take so long for meals to start?

The PA Department of Education (PDE), and Division of Food and Nutrition must approve each school building’s participation in the afterschool meal program. We will do our best to service your students as soon as we are able.

If your program starts in October and your program application is submitted the first week of October, we will not receive reimbursement for meals from PDE until November.  Meal service would start the first school day of November.  The earlier you can get your application submitted the better.  We have advocated in many different ways, but the program administrators at PDE have made it clear that they will not make exceptions to their policies.

If there is already another approved after-school program operating in your building, we need one week prior to your program’s start date to increase the number of meals sent to your school.

Requirements

• Meals may be reimbursable if the Saturday activity is an integral part of the curriculum as determined by the state education agency.
• Care must be taken to ensure that accurate records are maintained.

Application

• Please allow two to three weeks prior to the start of the program to process paperwork with the state.
• Once your program is approved, your on-site food service staff will be in touch with you to discuss the details to ensure the meals are served in compliance with Federal guidelines.

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