Lunch Programs
Kidssentials—The Catering Service for Kids®— has developed lunch programs that are simple to run, require little from the school administration and at the same time meet the needs of students, parents and staff. Whether offered as a full services or a fundraiser, everyone wins with the quality of a Kidssentials program.
There are a lot of reasons why parents order food through their school. The main reason is that “it’s easy”. Kids are tired of cold sandwiches and thermos-filled food doesn’t always go over well. Having the option of ordering hot, nutritious food ready for their child at the school, means no more negotiating with their child. Let’s face it, we’re all busy. This saves time so why not?
“Thank you so much. I now have two daughters taking advantage of your terrific program in two different schools. Well done on what you are doing. Nutritious and healthy choices are truly a gift to us ‘what do we pack this week’ parents!”
S. Drew, Mississauga Parent
Introducing Nutritious Delicious Day™
Our signature program, offers the foods children recognize and want to eat, ensuring excellent nutritional content and satisfying portion sizes. Recognizing the diversity within schools, cultures and lifestyles, we are able to customize each program to meet and exceed the wishes of the schools we service.
In most schools today, students have only 20 minutes to eat. So, it’s really important that the lunch program in your school be quick and efficient.
KEEPING IT SIMPLE!
From our providing the morning announcements, processing the incoming orders, fielding parent questions, and distribution of the food, we believe that simple is best!
Full Service Program—Who uses it and why
Each schools needs, wishes and goals are different. Some schools feel that having their pizza day is sufficient as their fundraiser but would still like to have more food options offered in their school. Other schools have us manage their lunch programs so that they can focus on different priorities. Increasingly, schools are finding themselves ‘tapped out’ where volunteers are concerned, and prefer to have us run the program as a full service with Kidssentials doing all of the work.
At Kidssentials, we are able to handle all aspects of each lunch program and have them run seamlessly and invisibly within the normal day-to-day school processes.
“I have worked with Kidssentials at two schools... Having Kidssentials take over the food provided and sold in the school eliminates the ongoing stress of struggling for healthy food options and the time and the organization needed to provide these programs...”
School Administrator, Toronto Public School
Fundraising
Schools using our lunch program as a fundraiser, have found that with each consecutive year the program has been in place, the number of orders increases and consequently each year, the financial return increases. What they have been able to contribute to the school out of the funds they have earned, has been amazing!
“The money this program has allowed us to raise has helped us purchase numeracy and literacy supplies, new computers, healthy living/active living supplies as well as unique arts experiences that are well outside of the normal school budget.”
Halton Public School
Kidssentials Menus
Spending money on food that is not eaten is a waste! To be sure children are eating their meals, it is really important that the food the children receive be food they recognize; that it be appealing in smell and texture so that they want to eat it and that it be delicious and nutritious.
Prepared in our peanut-free, health-certified commercial kitchens, Kidssentials’ menus have been designed to keep children healthy. We provide food kids love, while meeting and exceeding the requirements of the Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating, Bill 8 “ Healthy Foods for Healthy Schools Act and the ‘PPM 150 – School Food and Beverage Policy’.”.
Pricing
– If your child attends a Kidssentials School, you can view your school’s menu by logging in or creating your family account [‘Place Your Order’]. We cater to each school on different dates, so to avoid any confusion, the menu is available through your individual account only. Please contact Kidssentials should you require any assistance creating an account. For a school that would like to implement our lunch program, please contact us to discuss menu options.
First to offer entrée size salads and wraps in elementary schools, our menu includes over 30 different child and adult approved hot and cold, nutritious and delicious entrées.
Many parents and administrators scoffed at the idea that young children would order salads and wraps. Kidssentials offering the opportunity for children to make a choice surprised these skeptics when it was reported that up to 60% of the school population ordering meals were picking these healthy green options.
We customize each menu to meet each community’s needs. On each date a group of entrees selected from our menu are offered from which you and your child can choose. Tracking what is ordered each term, we are able to then schedule the meals offered in the next term according to popularity.
“Having hot nutritious lunches delivered weekly to our school has been an exciting event for both the kids and their parents. At one of our Parent Council meetings, several parents stepped forward to say how happy they were with the weekly Hot Lunches. As one parent mentioned, it is good to know her children are eating a well-balanced hot meal and it is a day off from them having to provide yet another brown bag lunch...”
Parent Council Chair, Peel Catholic School
Entrées, Healthy Snacks, and our Allergen-Free options
Menu items are individually priced, so that you can order the perfect meal combination that your child will enjoy.
Entrées – Each Kidssentials entrée is well portioned and reasonably priced. We offer a wide variety of meat and vegetarian options - including chicken nuggets, burgers, pastas, rice based dishes, burritos, omelets, stews, chilis, wraps, and salads - to name but a few. Kidssentials also has a number of Halal options available.
Allergen Free options – Childhood food allergies are on the rise; to meet the needs of this special group, we offer an allergen free item on each lunch date (gluten, egg, soy, dairy, seafood and sesame free). For those students with Diabetes, Kidssentials provides the net carb count beside each entrée description.
Healthy Snacks
Available as a side option, our ‘Healthy Snacks’ may include your choice of fresh cut veggies & dip, in season fresh cut fruit, yogurt, Welch’s fruit snacks, and Kidssentials’ fresh baked cookies.
Beverages offered may include chocolate milk, 100% pure juice, and spring water. Contact us to get a sample menu and complete list of our offerings.
Keeping it Simple!
Kidssentials Cancellation Policy
We understand that unexpected situations may arise, your child may be ill, a field trip may have been scheduled after you placed your order. Our flexible cancellation policy allows for these little surprises. Should you need to cancel your child’s meal please contact Kidssentials any day or time prior to 8 a.m. on the day of the meal and a CREDIT will be issued towards a future date.