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School Lunch Programs

The Chicago Public Schools participate in the National School Lunch and National School Breakfast programs, serving nutritious meals each school day. Some students are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches.

Students can buy breakfast for $1.50, an elementary school lunch for $1.85, and a high school lunch for $2.10. Children from families whose household income is at or below the levels shown in the chart below, are eligible for free or a reduced-price meals. Reduced-price meals cost 30¢ for breakfast and 40¢ for lunch.

If you are interested in applying for the School Lunch and Breakfast Program, you can obtain an application from your school.

Federal guidelines:

  • If you now receive food stamps or AFDC for your child(ren), your child(ren) can receive free meals.
  • If your total household income is the same or less than the amounts on the income chart below, your child(ren) can receive free meals or  reduced-price meals.
  • A foster child may receive free or reduced-price meals regardless of your income.

Income Guidelines for Evaluation of Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications

LEVEL FOR FREE MEALS

Household Size

Yearly

Monthly

Weekly

1

$13,273

$1,107

$256

2

17,797

1,484

343

3

22,321

1,861

430

4

26,845

2,238

517

5

31,369

2,615

604

6

35,893

2,992

691

7

40,417

3,369

778

8

44,941

3,746

865

Each additional family member add:

+4,524

+377

+87

LEVEL FOR REDUCED-PRICED MEALS

Household Size

Yearly

Monthly

Weekly

1

$18,889

1,575

$364

2

25,327

2,111

488

3

31,765

2,648

611

4

38,203

3,184

735

5

44,644

3,721

859

6

51,079

4,257

983

7

57,517

4,794

1,107

8

63,955

5,330

1,230

Each additional family member add:

+6,438

+537

+124

 

Each application for a free or reduced-price meal should be evaluated by the administrator against the above eligibility scale for free or reduced-price meals.  

Income is defined as any monies earned before any deductions such as income taxes, social security taxes, insurance premiums, charitable contributions, and bonds. It includes the following: (1) monetary compensation for services including wages, salary, commissions or fees; (2) net income from non-farm self-employment; (3) net income from farm self-employment; (4) social security; (5) dividends or interest on savings or bonds or income from estates or trusts; (6) net rental income; (7) public assistance or welfare payments; (8) unemployment compensation; (9) government civilian employee or military retirement or pensions or veteran payments; (10) private pensions and annuities; (11) alimony or child support payments; (12) regular contributions from persons not living in the household; (13) net royalties; and (14) other case income. Other cash income would include cash amounts received or withdrawn from any source including savings, investments, trust accounts, and other resources which would be available to pay the price of a child’s meal.  

Children from households whose income is at or below the levels shown are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

 

Department of Food Services
125 S. Clark St., 16th Floor
Chicago, IL 60603
773.553.2830

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