Skip To Main Content

Popular Links

Useful Links

Special Dietary Needs

 

Food Allergies and Special Dietary Needs

  • Our goal is to accommodate children with special dietary needs and provide them with a safe and accepting environment n the school lunchroom as part of their school day.  This is accomplished by a multidisciplinary team approach working with school health paras, nurses, teachers and school administration.

    • 27J Nutrition Services offers a variety of menu choices which can help accommodate allergies.  The “offer vs serve” menu concept allows students to choose from a variety of foods in each food group as well as decline a certain number of food items which can help students accommodate their dietary needs. 

    • 27J Nutrition Services will accommodate students with a dietary disability if the required Medical Statement of a Dietary Disability form is accurately completed and signed by a licensed physician and parent.  This form will need to be submitted to the Nutrition Services Office for approval before modifications can be made. 

      Meal Modifications Form (English) Meal Modifications Form (Spanish)

      The form can also be obtained from a school’s Health Aide, the Nutrition Services Office.  The completed form will then be returned to the kitchen manager, school health aide, or Nutrition Services office. 

    • This form will also be used if a milk substitution is needed and the same process will be followed.  Milk is optional in our nutritional program and can be declined. 

    • When a signed medical statement is received, the Nutrition Services office staff will approve the form and implement the modifications by placing an allergy/dietary alert into the Nutrition Services computer system and will then modify the menu.  The kitchen manager and kitchen staff will then be trained on what menu items contain allergens and what substitutions will need to be made.  The Nutrition Services office will communicate with the student’s parents during this process to make them aware of what modifications can be made and what foods are safe to eat. 

    • To avoid cross contamination and cross contact, kitchen staff will be trained on how to keep modified meals separate from potential allergens.  The 27J Nutrition HACCP plan is followed daily which includes steps to follow for cleaning and sanitation. 

    The Nutrition Services Office will serve as a resource for parents who would like to obtain allergen information in advance so they can assist their student in making menu selections.  Food service staff are not responsible for notifying a student that an item contains a certain allergen at the point of service, students are responsible for knowing what items they can and  cannot take. 

    You may also access our menus through our Menus & Payment page or by using our “My School Menus” app.  Our interactive menus allow you to filter out food items that contain the top 9 allergens as well as check the nutritional information and carbohydrate counts of our menu options. This can be found by selecting “filter allergens” or “build a meal” for carbohydrate counting. 

    Please note:  While this allergen list is accurate to the best of our knowledge, this document is for informational purposes only and is based on information that manufacturers provide to the district.  All items and allergens are subject to change without notice. 

    The nutrient and allergen information you see presented in my school menus cannot be guaranteed as 100% current and accurate. Food manufacturers and other third parties provide the information displayed. Changes in formulations, data entry errors and menu substitutions are some of the many reasons that My School Menus and Mobile App, as well as the school district, cannot guarantee the accuracy of the data.

    This information is provided as a service and convenience to allow you, the user, to have an overall understanding of the foods and menus offered.

    Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that products used in our kitchens have been manufactured in facilities that are free from allergens.  Most of our manufacturers do not provide precautionary labeling and that type of labeling is voluntary.  However, all manufacturers in the US must follow Good Manufacturing Practices as designated by the FDA which help ensure food safety practices and reduce the potential of cross contamination for major allergens. 

    For questions regarding special dietary needs or to obtain medical statement forms, please contact Nichole Poppie, RD at 303-655-2988 or npoppie@sd27j.net.

     

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    • Non-discrimination Statement

      In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

      Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

      To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

      1. mail:
        U.S. Department of Agriculture
        Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
        1400 Independence Avenue, SW
        Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
      2. fax:
        (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
      3. Email USDA Program Intake

      This institution is an equal-opportunity provider.