Kidssentials FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What makes Kidssentials food so great?
We offer a unique service; Food is assembled and served fresh on-site, which would otherwise be compromised by pre-packaging. Kidssentials never pre-mixes or pre-packages foods like pastas and sauce or any hot food item with a bun.
How do you keep the hot food hot until it gets to the school?
Kidssentials uses special pre-heated catering containers in which the food goes into, straight from oven or pot. These containers are necessary to ensure the safe, hot temperatures food should be served at.
I have pre-ordered Kidssentials for the rest of this term. Unexpectedly, my child will be away during a scheduled lunch. Is this a lost lunch or do you have a cancellation policy?
Our cancellation policy is very flexible and accommodating to life’s twists and turns! Whether it be a field trip or a last minute absence, Kidssentials allows cancellations to be made up to 8am on the day of the scheduled meal. Credit notes can be issued, the meal given to a sibling or a meal added to another Kidssentials lunch date. To make a cancellation please visit our Contact page.
The lunch fundraiser we currently offer earns us a lot of extra dollars. We are concerned that adding an additional program for parents to sign up for might cut into that profit. How has Kidssentials Lunch Programs affected this profit in other schools?
It is not uncommon to have this concern, after all fundraising is very important. Existing lunch programs in schools where Kidssentials has been added have not experienced losses in their other lunch fundraisers. What we have discovered, is parents and kids really enjoy the variety and the balance between nutrition and fun that both styles of lunches provide. Given the hectic schedules of today, parents are only too glad to have all these options available to them. Fundraising amounts will result in an increase.
Why don't you pre-package the hot entrée, wouldn't it be easier?
Easier isn’t always best! For example: When pasta and sauce is pre-mixed and pre-packaged, by the time the kids get to eat it, the pasta has absorbed the sauce and has started to break down, becoming mushy. When Kidssentials serves many pasta dishes, the sauce and pasta are brought to the school in their own separate, pre-heated warmers. Minutes before the bell rings for lunch, the two are mixed together and served fresh on-site. (See picture below) The result: a meal which is served at the correct, safe temperature with the quality, texture and flavour intact.
My child has a food allergy. Can he or she still participate in the lunch program?
While all Kidssentials menus are peanut/nut free, we encourage parents to contact us directly so a Kidssentials representative can go through ingredient lists and discuss options that are safe for their child. Parents with a child who has Diabetes can contact us for net carb. counts, so they can plan their child’s insulin schedule. We encourage/appreciate any and all inquiries!
Why should we take the time to do a Fun Day Lunch when we already have a lunch program?
A Fun Day Lunch is a simple yet effective way to evaluate a lunch program. Students and staff participating in the Fun Day Lunch, can try the food and compare it to the current lunch program.
When offering a lunch program in schools, the amount of student participation defines the success of the program. If the children are enjoying the lunches, they are more likely to sign up! Many schools, who offered a different outside catering company, found that their numbers increased substantially after switching to Kidssentials.
For more information, please visit our Contact page.
As schools are promoting litter-less lunches, how much garbage and recyclables are created with the hot lunch program?
First, let us say that all of the packaging used in a Kidssentials lunch is recyclable. Many schools have an efficient system of recycling, where a blue bin is already set-up in each classroom. Students have already been introduced to recycling and once they have finished their meal, they simply place their food packaging in the correct bin.
This is an example of one way to sort recyclables: In one Peel school, where we serve an average of 360 lunches on a Kidssentials day, student volunteers sort the garbage from the recyclables. In less than 10 minutes after the meal is finished, the job is done! The actual garbage that is left takes up less than 1/8 of a green garbage bag.
How does Kidssentials help the environment? Doesn't this take a lot of packaging?
Reducing our environmental footprint is a top priority. Forget plastic cutlery our forks & spoons are made of the same wood as tongue depressors! Whether they go in the green bin or are accidentally thrown in the garbage they will bio-degrade. We
don’t supply straws and all of our packaging is compostable or recyclable.
Sign-In to Order
The Kidssentials online ordering system is easy to use and secure. From our login screen to finalizing your order, we will provide you with easy-to-follow steps to guide you through the process.
If your child attends a Kidssentials School, you can view your school’s menu & current pricing by logging in or creating your family account.
