Our Menu

Lunch Direct provides menus that meet or exceed all USDA guidelines for The Child and Adult Care Food Program. Lunch Direct will offer one or more menu alternatives for each day based on the local caterer, and the needs of the school. The food is delivered hot to the school every day. The prices range based on geography and distance to the school. They range from $4.00 to $7.00, The menus below provide examples of typical menus offered. They tend to have an entree, vegetable, bread, fruit, and sweet.

Once you have joined Lunch Direct, when you go to the order calendar, the specific menu option and price will be displayed for each day, for each menu type.

An intuitive order menu allows selecting menu items for each day of the month. The preschool (* toddler) student will receive 1 1/2 oz (* 1 1/4) of meat (or vegetarian option), 1/2 cup (* 1/4) of fruit, 1/2 cup (* 1/4) of vegetables, 1 slice (* 1/2) of bread [Note: in some markets either milk or juice may be provided, 3/4 cup (* 1/2)]. K-12 students will have appropriate portions per guidelines.

Sample Menu

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Chicken Parmesan w/ Fresh Mozzarella Tri-Colored Routine w/ Marinara Sauce Mixed Veggies Fresh Cut Cantaloupe	Lean Ground Beef Sloppy Joe Parsley Red Potatoes Sweet Peas Diced Watermelon	Grilled Chicken Fajita Soft Tacos w/ Monterey Jack Cheese Steamed Spanish Rice Black Bean Medley  Fresh Cut Orange Slices	BREAKFAST FOR LUNCH!   Buttermilk Waffles w/ Maple Syrup  Oven Baked Chicken Tenders  Potatoes O'Brien Sweet Fruit Salad	Oven Baked Whole Wheat Cheese Pizza Mixed Garden Salad w/ Carrot & Cucumber Lite Buttermilk Ranch Baked Cinnamon Apples

 

 

 

 

 

Sample Menu

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Savory Spaghetti and Meat Sauce Garlic Breadsticks Fresh Cut Green Bean Sweet Vanilla Pears	Chicken Nuggets with Honey Mustard Sauce Creamy Mashed Potatoes Veggie Jumble Pineapple and Melon Salad	Mini Turkey Meatballs on Soft Pup Roll Deli Cheese Slices Celery Sticks with Ranch Dip Blushing Peaches	South of the Border Chicken and Rice Tortilla Triangles Garden Green Peas Tropical Fruit	Buttermilk Pancakes and Syrup Turkey Sausage Patty Cinnamon Applesauce Citrus Smiles

 

 

 

 

Sample Vegetarian Menu

Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Savory Spaghetti and Garden Herb Sauce Garlic Breadsticks Fresh Cut Green Beans Sweet Vanilla Pears	Veggie Nuggets with Honey Mustard Sauce Creamy Mashed Potatoes Veggie Jumble Pineapple and Melon Salad	Vegetarian Meatballs on Soft Pup Roll Deli Cheese Slices Celery Sticks with Ranch Dip Blushing Peaches	South of the Border Soy Chicken and Rice Tortilla Triangles Garden Green Peas Tropical Fruit	Buttermilk Pancakes and Syrup Vegetarian Sausage Patty Cinnamon Applesauce Citrus Smiles

 

 

 

 

 

When adding a caterer to Lunch Direct we have the caterer develop their menu types and menu items based on their normal operations, school input, and child guidelines. We normally try to have a standard and a vegetarian menu type. If the caterer can provide specialty menu types, such as dairy free, we will add that. Ethnic food menus can be added if needed. The objective is to provide healthy, child friendly options that will deliver the needed volumes profitably. In addition, we encourage variety.

It is important to have the caterer be profitable to continue to support a school. We try not to have minimums, but realize there must be sufficient demand to continue to support a school. We often will start service as a "pilot" to set expectations and ensure the school has sufficient demand to a catered service. We encourage parent input in moving forward with a caterer to evolve the menus to have delighted kids... and parents.

Our objective is to deliver menus that are cost effective for the parents.