Nutrition Services

Free Breakfast for all students, every day!

Lunch Prices:

• Adult Breakfast: $3.05
• Adult Lunch: $5.25
• Milk: $0.75

This school year, every student at Wichita Public Schools can enjoy a breakfast for free!

School Breakfast can change lives as breakfast can have a potentially dramatic effect on students. On average students who eat school breakfast have been shown to:

• Achieve 17.5% higher math test scores
• Attend 1.5 more days of school per year
• Be less likely to have behavioral and psychological problems 
• Build healthy eating habits

School Breakfast Helps Families by:

• Fueling Learning
  • Kids and teens can concentrate on their schoolwork better when they are not hungry
• Provides better nutrition:
  • Studies show that people who eat breakfast have higher intake of dietary fiber, vitamin B, calcium, iron and other nutrients
• Saves Time:
  • School Breakfast can simplify mornings for families 

Sources:

No Kid Hungry [http://bestpractices.nokidhungry.org/]

My Plate [myplate.gov] 

Wichita Public Schools provides meals that support students with allergies, intolerances and disabilities. All dietary needs are managed by the Wichita Public Schools Nutrition Services Dietitian. 

Request a Special Diet

• Wichita Public Schools offers multiple options at breakfast and lunch for all students
• Most allergen/intolerance/disability diets require Form 19B to be completed by a health care professional
• Meatless meals are available every day at all schools. 
• Detailed menu information, including nutrition facts labels, allergens and carb counts are available online at schoolcafe.com 

From Cafeteria to Classroom

Nutrition education is vital for students because it empowers them to make informed choices about their diets, directly impacting their health, academic performance, and overall well-being. By understanding the importance of balanced nutrition, students can develop healthy eating habits early in life, reducing the risk of chronic diseases and promoting lifelong wellness. Additionally, nutrition education fosters an awareness of how food choices affect not only personal health but also the environment, encouraging more sustainable living.

View Nutrition Education Topics

• More than 51,000 meals are served each school day. That equates to 281 meals served per minute!
• Last school year, WPS Nutrition Services served 8,414,725 meals! 
• The Food Production Center was built in 1977 to provide for approximately 13,000 lunches. At the time, there were no other USDA programs.
• Today, Nutrition Services serves approximately 25,000 lunches and 20,000 breakfasts daily to District students.
• With 83 sites, Nutrition Services is the largest “restaurant chain" in Wichita and the 6^th largest in Kansas
• The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program is operated in 21 Elementary Schools.
• Nutrition Services provides meals to the District’s Child Development Centers (7), as well as snacks to 47 Pre-K sites.
• The At-Risk After School Supper Programs operate in 64 schools.
• Approximately 1,300 special diets are provided for children with food allergies and other special dietary needs, such as texture modifications.
• The Central Warehouse receives about 15 semi-trailer truck loads of food each week.
• The Central Warehouse delivers 20 routes to Satellite Schools (60) each day.
• 7,600 pounds of chicken nuggets are served on a single day's menu; that equates to 156,000 chicken nuggets!
• Approximately 221,000 string cheese sticks are served each month
• 1,479,300 cereal bowls are served each school year
• 86,000 bananas are served each month
• About 1 million baby carrots are consumed by students each school year

Wichita-Made Dairy Products

Did you know that Wichita Public Schools serves over 6.8 million milk cartons to our students each year? The milk served to our students is made right here in Wichita, Kansas, by Hiland Dairy and comes from local dairy farmers. We are also proud to serve fresh cottage cheese produced locally by Hiland Dairy. By partnering with local dairy producers, we support Kansas agriculture while providing students with nutritious foods rich in protein, calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. Milk is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D for children ages 2-18.

Locally Made Spaghetti Meat Sauce

Wichita Public Schools is proud to partner with Native American Enterprises, a Wichita-based company located on West Street, to provide spaghetti meat sauce for our school meals. Native American Enterprises is a Native American-owned business that has been serving customers for decades, making this partnership another way Wichita Public Schools supports local businesses and community partners.

Kansas-Grown Apples

Wichita Public Schools partners with Kansas farmers to receive whole, fresh apples in the fall. Serving local apples is a delicious way to celebrate the farmers who grow food in our state, introduce students to fresh produce, and connect school meals to our Kansas communities. Crisp, flavorful, and grown close to home, Kansas apples make a great addition to a healthy school lunch.

Locally Processed Fruits & Vegetables

Wichita Public Schools partners Liberty Fruits from Kansas City to supply and process our fresh fruits and vegetables served every day in our cafeterias! 

Locally Made Chips

Wichita Public Schools proudly partners with Frito Lay in Topeka, Kansas, to provide locally made, reduced-fat chips for our students. The Topeka plant produces favorites like Fritos, Doritos, Tostitos, Cheetos, Funyuns, and SunChips - made right here in Kansas! School chips differ from those sold in stores because they are formulated specifically for child nutrition programs, meaning they’re reduced fat, whole grain, and meet strict sodium and calorie standards. Beginning in October 2025, all our Frito Lay chips will also be made with no colors from artificial sources.

Pizza Hut in Schools

Wichita Public Schools is proud to partner with our local Pizza Hut stores to provide delivery pizza to all schools! Pizza Hut was founded right here in Wichita, Kansas, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney—making it a hometown favorite with deep local roots. Through the Pizza Hut A+ Program, students enjoy the same great taste with better nutrition. A+ Program pizzas are made with pepperoni that has 30% less fat and 55% less sodium than traditional pepperoni and cheese that has 45% less fat and 40% less sodium than regular cheese. It’s a delicious way to make lunchtime a little healthier—and a little more local.

Pizza Hut Delivery Pizza Schedule:

• High Schools receive delivery pizza every Tuesday
• Middle Schools receive delivery pizza every Thursday
• Alternative & Special Schools receive delivery pizza every Friday
• Elementary Schools receive delivery pizza on a Friday rotation (approximately every other Friday)

Pizza Hut Pizza is served as a part of a student meal. Extra slices can be purchase for an additional cost ($2.50)

If you are a vendor looking to partner with Wichita Public Schools Nutrition Services, please click the link below to learn more information.

Vendor Information

Catering Services

Nutrition Services offers a variety of catering services to support staff meetings, workshops, and school district events. We are here to help make your event a success. 

Please click on this link to be directed to our staff district Catering webpage: Catering Webpage

Field Trip Box Lunches

Schools may request box lunches or field trip meals for their upcoming events. 

Please click on this link to be directed to our staff district Box Lunch webpage: Box Lunch Webpage

More Nutrition, Less Cost: School Meals are a Sound Investment

Why choose school meals?

For less than $3 a day — and often free or reduced for qualifying families — your child gets a complete, balanced meal that costs far less than the $4.66 it takes to pack lunch from home or more than $6 it takes to get a small take-out meal from a fast food restaurant.

That adds up fast!

• Families save about $280 a year with full-pay meals, $700 a year with reduced-price meals, and roughly $800 a year with free meals.
• School meals are packed with more protein, calcium, vitamin A, fruits, and vegetables, while home-packed lunches tend to pile on extra calories, fat, and sugar.
• Plus, you save time, reduce food waste, and know your child is eating a meal that meets strict nutrition standards every single day.

Average Cost of a Sack Lunch: $4.66

Uncrustable + carrots + banana + cookie+ juice = $2.95
Lunchable + drink + banana + celery =  $2.72
Deli Sandwich + Pudding + Chips + apple + juice = $ 3.28
Large Lunchable = $4.32
Gas Station Pizza + Drink = $7.68
Gas Station Hot Dog + Chips + Drink = $5.98
Hummus + Pita + Orange + Carrots + Milk = $2.85
Fast Food Burger + Fries + Drink = $7.89
Grocery Store Snack Tray + Juice = $4.27

The above costs do not include napkins, utensils, condiments, containers, lunch boxes, thermoses, etc

Cost of a fast food Double Cheeseburger, Small Fry, Small Coke: $6.00, which is more than double a school lunch! Cost of fast food chicken sandwich meal is $9, which is triple the cost of school lunch! Studies found that on days kids ate fast food, their diets were higher in calories, fat, added sugar and sugary drinks and less in fiber, calcium and fruits/vegies. Another study revealed that kids who at fast food daily in the 5th grade performed up to 20% worse in reading, math, and science by 8th grade. 

Did you know?

Many foods made for schools look just like the versions you see in the grocery store, but they’re not the same. Foods served in schools must meet strict USDA nutrition standards that retail products don’t have to follow. That means school versions often have less sugar, sodium, and fat, along with more whole grains and other nutrients kids need. The ingredient lists are also cleaner, with fewer additives. When students pick up a familiar item at school, it’s been specially reformulated to support healthier eating while still tasting great.

All Wichita Public School sites have Offer Versus Serve (OVS) implemented , which allows students to decline some of the food offered at meals.  Learn more about Offer Versus Serve Program from USDA by clicking on this link: Offer Versus Serve (OVS)

At breakfast at least 4 items will be offered daily. Each item is marked with a colored dot on the menu poster. Students must choose at least three dots/items, one must be a fruit or a vegetable. An entree is not required. Milk is a choice and not required. Water is always available. 

Every breakfast is planned to include three food components:

1. Fruit/Vegetable
2. Grains (with optional protein)
3. Milk

At lunch students are offered five components:

1. Fruit
2. Vegetable
3. Protein
4. Grains
5. Milk

Students are encouraged to take all the foods offered, however, students must choose at least three food components and one must be a fruit or a vegetable. An entree is not required-just 3 food components. Milk is a choice and not required. Water is always available.

Updates to the School Nutrition Standards starting in 2025-2026 School Year

Below is a you-tube video explaining the changes made to the National School Breakfast and Lunch programs in 2025-2026 school year.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program is a Federal program that pays for healthy meals and snacks for children and adults in day care.  CACFP meals are served in pre-k classroom and many afterschool programs.  Serving afterschool meals and snacks attracts students to learning activities that are safe and fun.

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a grant program sponsored by USDA which provides all children in participating schools with a variety of free fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the school day.  It is an effective and creative way of introducing fresh fruits and vegetables as healthy snack options. 

The goal of the FFVP is to create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices 

• Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience
• Increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption
• Make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health

School districts must apply annually to participate in this program.  Within Wichita Public Schools, Nutrition Services and the Department of Curriculum - Physical Education section work together to administer this program.  For 2026-2027, the following schools were awarded the grant:

• Any student enrolled at the school and be present when the fresh fruits and vegetables are served.
• Teachers directly responsible for serving fruits/vegetables to their students can partake in the fruits/vegetables.
• Nutrition Services will make accommodations for students with disabilities within the FFVP program with the proper form on file.
• Teachers are encouraged to include a nutrition education component to enhance their positive role modeling.

When and How Often is FFVP?

• A fresh fruit or vegetable will be served twice a week.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables must be served during the school day but cannot be served during breakfast or lunch periods.

Examples of Fruits and Vegetables Served

• Orange Peppers
• Yellow Wax Beans
• Finger Limes
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Blood Oranges
• Apricots
• White Asparagus
• Gooseberries

Each school district is required to have a Student Wellness Policy, a written document that helps promote student healthy, well-being and learning ability.  Wichita Public Schools Student Health & Wellness Committee oversees the policy.  This committee is composed of staff from various departments across the district such as Nutrition Services, Health Services, Psychological Services, Supply Chain, Curriculum, Social Work Services, Operations, principals and students.

Click here to learn more about Student Wellness

WPS Nutrition Services Vision

To be Kansas’ premier child nutrition program and every student’s preferred destination for meals. 

WPS Nutrition Services Mission

To set the standard for excellence in school nutrition through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to student success.

WPS Nutrition Services Values

STUDENTS FIRST

We place students at the center of every decision and recognize that well-nourished students are better prepared to learn and succeed.

QUALITY FOOD SERVICE

We serve safe, nutritious, and appealing meals that promote healthy development and lifelong eating habits.
We create welcoming experiences by serving others with kindness, reliability, and care.

TEAMWORK

One Team, One Purpose: We value and respect every employee, communicate openly, support one another, and work collaboratively to achieve our mission and strengthen our schools and communities.

GROWTH & INNOVATION & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

We embrace new ideas, listen to student and community feedback, and continually improve our food, service, and operations

INTEGRITY

We act honestly and responsibly, uphold the highest standards, follow through on our commitments, and remain accountable to earn the trust of students, families, employees, schools, and the community.