We serve more than 5.5 million high-quality meals per year
What’s on the menu?
All school menus, as well as nutrition and allergen information, can be accessed through the Nutrislice website or free mobile app.
Download the Nutrislice app for iOS or Android.
2023 Summer Meals Program
HCPSS once again will provide FREE meals this summer to all HCPSS students and any children ages 18 and under, June 21-Aug. 4 at locations throughout Howard County.
Complete details on the HCPSS 2023 Summer Meals Program are available online.
Meal Payment
On-site payments and prepayments may be made using cash or check. Families may prepay with a credit card by setting up an online account at myschoolbucks.com, which also allows parents to view account activity and receive balance alerts. There is a $2.75 processing fee for each credit/debit card payment. Each transaction can be up to $120.00 in total.
OR
Each student is assigned a unique, 6-digit cafeteria PIN, which remains the same every school year. If a student has forgotten their PIN, cashiers can look the PIN up by student name.
This PIN allows HCPSS to receive reimbursements from the National School Lunch Program. Any meals purchased without a PIN will have an additional charge of $0.30 for breakfast and $0.60 for lunch.
Unpaid Meal Charges
Parents/guardians are responsible for providing their student(s) with money for meals, or packing a meal from home. If a student forgets or does not have lunch, HCPSS practice is to ensure that no student goes hungry or is traumatized for lack of funds. A meal will be provided and a charge will be applied to the student’s meal account. Meals will never be taken away when there are no funds or a negative balance in a student’s meal account. Meal account balances may be viewed at any time by logging in to MySchoolBucks.
More information is provided in Board of Education Policy 4200 Meal Charges.
Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs)
The HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.
Parents/guardians must submit a new application every school year to maintain their student’s eligibility.
Daily Meal Prices –
For the 2022-2023 school year, students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price.
Student Breakfast
Breakfast – $2.00
Reduced Price Breakfast – $0.00 (Find out how to qualify for FARMS)
Free Breakfast – $0.00 (Find out how to qualify for FARMS)
Student Lunch
Elementary School Lunch – $2.80
Middle/High School Lunch – $3.30
Reduced Price Lunch – $0.00 (Find out how to qualify for FARMS)
Free Lunch – $0.00 (Find out how to qualify for FARMS)
Milk (1/2 pint) – $0.50
Faculty and Staff
Adult Breakfast
Breakfast – $2.75
Adult Lunch
Regular Lunch – $4.50
Nutritional and Allergen Concerns
We are sensitive to the various nutritional and dietary needs of students. All nutritional information for HCPSS meals is available via the Nutrislice website or free mobile app.
Students with known food allergies (shellfish, tree nuts, gluten, lactose, etc.) need to have a formal notice of their allergies written up by a family physician and submitted to the school nurse. Students who would still like to purchase food from the cafeteria can have accommodations made that are suited to their allergies.
View allergen information in Nutrislice or view our FAQs for additional details.
Contact Us
Answers to frequently-asked-questions about HCPSS meals and Food Services can be found on the HCPSS Help website.
For any other questions or concerns, feel free to contact our office at 410-313-7134.
Provide Feedback
We value feedback from parents and community members on meal choices, nutrition and wellness, and many other topics to improve our services.
Food and Nutrition Services Feedback Form
View the USDA and Maryland State Department of Education Nondiscrimination Statements →