Students at Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools receive a well-balanced, nutritious meal each day made by the district’s Food Service Staff based on USDA requirements. Plate lunches contain the basic food groups including protein, grains, fruits and/or vegetables, and a ½ pint of milk. 
Nutrition Bytes Newsletter
Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application
Common Food Allergens
Milk Allergy Form
Plate Lunch Pricing
Elementary school students (grades K-5) have a varied menu daily at a cost of $2.50 per plate lunch. Students may substitute a cheese, turkey breast sandwich, or yogurt, string cheese, and a dinner roll for the main entree. Green salad and fresh fruit are available daily. Students may purchase low-fat a la carte items such as ice cream, baked snacks, and juice. A ½ pint of milk is 45 cents.
Middle school students (grades 6-8) have a choice of three entrees daily at a cost of $2.75 per plate lunch. Baked potatoes are available on most days. Green salad and fresh fruit are available daily along with a variety of healthy a la carte items. A ½ pint of milk is 45 cents.
High school students (grades 9-12) are offered a choice of hot plate lunches daily for $2.75. Plate lunches are available at the Mane Dish, Paws Plate, and Salad Bar. A wide variety of a la carte items are offered daily such as pizza, grilled hamburgers and chicken breasts, fresh deli sandwiches, French fries, soups, baked potatoes, and salad bar. Specialty days include a Mexican Bar, Asian Bar, Pasta Bar, and Deli Bar. Offerings from local restaurants such as Donatos, Jet's, and Papa John’s pizza, and grinders from Bellacino’s are also available as options.
Cafeteria point of sale (POS)
Gahanna-Jefferson Public School’s cafeterias utilize a debit system. All students use a 6-digit identification number as their PIN. Parents may pay as far in advance for meals as they choose through MyPaymentsPlus online, by cash (not encouraged), or checks. Checks should be made payable to the school cafeteria. Change will not be given for checks; the entire amount will be deposited into your child's account. When writing a check for multiple children, please indicate the amount for each child and their PIN on the check’s memo line. Charges are allowed in case of emergency (for plate lunches only) and the computer will record that the student has a negative balance. Al a carte items may not be charged. To prevent a negative balance, we encourage parents to prepay money into their child's account.
Students may inquire about their balance with the cashier at anytime. We encourage parents to keep track of their child's account balance, which can be verified online at www.MyPaymentsPlus.com. Parents may call Linda Green/Food Service Department with questions at 478-5531.
MYpayMENTSplus - student meal account
Gahanna-Jefferson Public School parents may use MyPaymentsPlus, a state-of-the-art online service that provides the convenience and information to manage your child's meal account.
At no cost, MyPaymentsPlus allows any family to: create a secured account to manage your child's account, check your child's current account balance, create settings to receive email notifications when their account reaches a low balance, and monitor items your child is purchasing in the cafeteria.
For a small program fee of 4.75%, MyPaymentsPlus allows any family to: make a prepayment into your child's meal account using a check, credit card, or debit card at www.MyPaymentsPlus.com or by calling 866-245-4235, and create settings to automatically replenish the account when it reaches a low balance. Online deposits of $50 or more per child will earn a free bonus lunch (to offset the program fee of 4.75%). Funds deposited through MyPaymentsPlus are usually available for use within a matter of minutes.
Parents are encouraged (even if you do not pay online for your child's meal account) to create a meal account at no cost through www.MyPaymentsPlus.com. When registering for an account, use your child's PIN.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
Families must submit a new meal application at the beginning of each school year. If your student has been approved for free or reduced-price meals, they are entitled to a plate lunch. Students approved for reduced-price lunches may also prepay at 40 cents. The cafeteria POS provides complete confidentiality. Applications are available to print above or can be picked up at each school building.
Breakfast
Breakfast is currently available at Chapelfield, Goshen Lane, Jefferson, Lincoln, Royal Manor, Middle School South and West, and Lincoln High School. The plate breakfast varies daily and is based on USDA requirements. Plate breakfast pricing is $1.25; reduced breakfast pricing is 30 cents. Students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfast as well.
Menus & forms
Printed color menus (based on our 5-week cycle) are available at each elementary and middle school building, and are also available online by visiting our School Menus page. Milk allergy forms, free and reduced-price meal applications, and menu nutritional analyses can also be accessed online.
HEALTHY FOODS
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools strive to offer healthy choices to students daily. High nutrient-dense foods are served as often as possible. Whole grain versions of popular items such as pizza, snacks, pancakes, bread, and French toast are offered. Most items contain lower sodium and <30% total fat. Menus are approved by a registered dietitian.
Many of the changes implemented are listed below:
• Fresh green salad available daily
• Fresh fruit available daily
• Many whole grain items
• Many reduced fat ingredients
• 1% and fat free milk choices
• Baked snacks
• Very few fried foods
• Reduced fat snacks
• No soft drink sales in the cafeteria
• Healthy breakfast choices