Anchorage School District Meal Programs

The Anchorage School District participates in the following meal programs to provide nutritious meals that meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including whole grains, fresh fruits, and vegetables.  

National School Lunch Program (NSLP)

In 1946, Congress recognized the need for a permanent program to fund school lunches. This became the "National School Lunch Act," which encourages the consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food by assisting with grants and reimbursements. 

National School Breakfast 

The National School Breakfast program is a federally assisted meal program that started in 1966 and became permanent in 1975.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) 

It is a USDA annual grant program that introduces children to fresh fruits and vegetables. Anchorage School District implements this grant by providing free fresh fruits and/or vegetables to students in elementary schools where the grant has been awarded. Student Nutrition is excited to announce that FFVP grants have been awarded to 44 schools during the 2024-25 school year, the duration of this grant is one year. 

Schools Serving FFVP:

Airport Heights, Alaska Native Cultural Charter, Baxter, Bowman, Campbell, Chester Valley, Chinook, College Gate, Creekside Park, Denali Montessori, Eagle River, Dr. Etheldra Davis Fairview, Fire Lake, Gladys Wood, Government Hill, Inlet View, Kasuun, Kincaid, Klatt, Lake Hood, Lake Otis, Mountain View, Muldoon, North Star, Northwood, Nunaka Valley, Ocean View, Orion, Ptarmigan, Rogers Park, Russian Jack, Sand Lake, Scenic Park, Spring Hill, Susitna, Taku, Trailside, Tudor, Turnagain, Ursa Minor, William Tyson, Williwaw, Willow Crest, and Wonder Park.

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) 

The Child and Adult Care Food Program provides healthy meals to students who are participating in after-school programs.  CACFP began in 1968 as part of the National School Lunch Act, which expanded to include after-school programs. 

Schools Participating in CACFP:

Alaska Native Cultural Charter, Bartlett High, Bettye Davis East Anchorage High, Clark Middle, Creekside Park Elementary, Dr. Etheldra Davis - Fairview Elementary, Lake Otis Elementary, Mountain View Elementary, Muldoon Elementary, Ptarmigan Elementary, William Tyson Elementary, Willow Crest Elementary, and Wonder Park Elementary

Summer Food Service Program: 

Throughout the summer, breakfast and lunch are available at no charge to all people 18 years and younger. 

Please take advantage of the options to prepay your student's meal accounts. Prepaid meal accounts help lunch lines go faster, give students more time to eat, relax, and play. It also gives you the peace of mind of not having to worry about looking for lunch money every day or worry that it might get lost, stolen or used for other things other than lunch. 

Online Payments

We encourage parents to make payments online using a Credit or Debit card.  It is safe and secure and the funds are available on your child's account within one to two school days. 

Parents need to continue to use https://parentconnect.asdk12.org/   The Log In is the PIN provided by your school and is different from the student ID.  If you do not know your student PIN see the directions below to reset the PIN using your email.  If you know your PIN but forgot your password, you may use the forgot password button to reset your password.  If this does not work, please contact your school's registrar.

How To Guide for Payments

Cash or Check

• IN-PERSON AT SCHOOLS: You may make check or cash payments at your student's cafeteria. Please make checks payable to "Anchorage School District" and be sure to include your child's first and last name and student ID# on the memo line. Contact your school to check hours for payment.
• IN-PERSON AT MAIN EDUCATION CENTER FINANCE OFFICE: located at 5530 E Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, AK 99504
• BY MAIL: mail a check payable to "Anchorage School District" with your student's full name and student ID or Date of Birth in the Memo line to:

Student Food Allergies and Intolerances

General Food Allergy/Intolerance Information:

At ASD, we are dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive environment for all students. That starts with understanding the basics of food allergies and intolerances and how we work together to manage them.

What is a Food Allergy?

A food allergy occurs when your child’s immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food as harmful and overreacts, causing a variety of symptoms.

What is a Food Intolerance?

A food intolerance occurs when a person is unable to digest a particular food, causing unpleasant physical symptoms - often gastrointestinal distress.

The Big 9 Food Allergens:

The FDA recognizes nine major food allergens that are responsible for the most serious allergic reactions in children and adults. These are required to be clearly listed on food labels.

1. 🥜 Peanuts
2. 🌰 Tree Nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, cashews)
3. 🥛 Milk
4. 🍞 Wheat
5. 🍳 Eggs
6. 🐟 Fish (e.g., salmon, tuna)
7. 🦐 Shellfish (e.g., shrimp, crab, lobster)
8. 🌱 Soy
9. 🧬 Sesame

Many foods contain hidden forms of these allergens. Always check labels and clearly communicate early and often with staff regarding your child's food allergies.

💡 Teach Your Child About Their Allergy

Start early and be honest:

• Use age-appropriate language
• Teach them to say: “I’m allergic to _____”
• Practice how to say “No, thank you” to unsafe food
• Role-play emergency situations gently

📚 Helpful Resources

• FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education)
• Kids With Food Allergies
• Allergy & Asthma Network

How Does ASD Handle Food Allergies/Intolerances?

We highly encourage parents/guardians to communicate with school nurses, teachers, and café staff regarding any new food allergies/intolerances or changes to your child's food allergy/intolerance status.

ASD does not serve tree nuts, peanuts, or shellfish during breakfast or lunch.

At this time, ASD does not serve pork at any of our elementary schools.

Filter out allergens/intolerances from ASD's online breakfast and lunch menus:

View Breakfast and Lunch Menus here
-Be sure to click “View Menus (as a guest)” or “Create a new account”.
-Follow the prompts to find your school and desired menu
-Click the Allergens button on the right-hand side to choose and remove desired allergens from menu options

A-7 Meal Accommodation Form

Meal accommodations/milk alternatives may be provided for students with allergies/intolerances. An A-7 Meal Accommodation Form must be completed before meal/milk alternatives can be provided. The only exception to this is lactose-free milk (see below). Please note the A-7 Form will need to be signed by a medical authority (licensed physician, physician's assistant, nurse practitioner, or registered dietitian) and submitted to the school nurse before the school café can provide meal alternatives to students. For milk alternatives, the form may be signed by a parent/legal guardian - see below for more information.

Click here to access the A-7 Meal Accommodation Form.

Meal Alternatives:

ASD's Student Nutrition Department offers allergy meals to students with documented allergies via an A-7 Form.

Allergy meals are guaranteed to be free from the most common allergens (The Big 9):
Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Wheat, Eggs, Fish, Crustacean Shellfish, Soy, and Sesame

Student Nutrition will make every reasonable effort to provide meal accommodations to students with allergies outside the ones listed above.

Milk Alternatives:

Lactose-free milk and soy milk are available to students as milk alternatives.

Lactose-free milk is available to all students upon request. An A-7 form is not necessary for lactose-free milk.

For soy milk, an A-7 form will need to be on file with ASD’s Healthcare Services Department before this milk alternative can be provided. However, the A-7 form (requesting soy milk alternative only) may be signed by a parent or legal guardian.

❤️ Final Word to Parents

Every child deserves to eat safely at school. Our nutrition staff, teachers, and health team work together to create an allergy-aware environment. We appreciate your partnership in helping your child live safely, confidently, and joyfully with allergies.

Students approved for free and reduced-priced meals may be eligible to receive reduced fees for the following programs:

• Sports Fees
• Pre-College Exams (PSAT/SAT/ACT)
• College Application Fees

Who Should Apply for Free and Reduced-Priced Meals?

You should fill out an application if:

• There is a student in your household attending a Pricing School. Click Here to View Pricing Schools
• Your household income is the SAME or LESS than the amount in the Income Chart below.
• Your student(s) receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
• You receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
• You are applying for a Foster Child. 

Federal Income Eligibility Chart 2025-26 

All Household members listed on an application must report all income received. Click to View Types of Income Required

Note: Applications received before December 31, 2025 will include the 2024 PFD of in the amount of $1,404.00 per PFD claimed.

Schools with Free Student Meals

The Anchorage School District has many schools that offer free meals (breakfast and lunch) to all students who attend. No application is required from these schools. Check the list of schools offering free meals for all students. 

Click Here to View Schools Offering Free Meals

How to Apply

Families are encouraged to submit an application before the start of each new school year. Applications are accepted at any time during the school year. Applications can be submitted online or paper applications are also available below or at every school office.

Online Application

Apply online in a matter of minutes. Login or create an account in School Cafe' and once logged in, select apply for benefits. Click on the link below to apply. Watch the video tutorial for helpful hints.

Apply Online Here

Click below for Frequently Asked Questions

Check out our FAQs

Online Application Video Tutorial

How to Apply (video)

Online Application Cheat Sheet

Click Here for Online Application Cheat Sheet

Paper Application

Download the application packet below. Complete and accurate applications are required. Follow the instructions included with the application.

Free and Reduced Meal Application - English

Completed paper applications can be turned into your school's front office or mailed to Student Nutrition, 1307 Labar St., Anchorage AK 99515.

Translations

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Hmong

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Korean

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Russian

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Samoan

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Spanish

Free and Reduced Meal Application - Filipino

2025-26 Community Eligible Schools

The following schools are participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program for the 2025-26 School Year. The CEP program is part of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) which allows schools with a high percentage of low income families access to free healthy breakfasts and lunches at no charge and no meal application required. All enrolled students at the schools listed are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no cost every day of the 2025-26 school year.  This program includes one full breakfast and one full lunch and does not cover a la carte items such as milk purchased alone to be served with a packed lunch.