Child Nutrition for K-12

Families must complete a new form each year. Please ensure you are filling out the current year's form for School District 197 or it will not be accepted. Applications for the 2025-26 school year opens on July 1 , 2025.

2025-26 MEAL INFORMATION
While all students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school, it's still important that Applications for Educational Benefits (also known as the “free and reduced-price meal application”) be completed. A school’s eligibility for other MN State food programs is based upon our free and reduced eligibility numbers. Educational benefit data also qualifies our school district for additional state funding that is critical to support the needs of students. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Who should complete this application?
Children in households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), and foster, homeless, migrant and runaway children can get free school meals without reporting household income. Alternatively, children can get free school meals if their household income is within the maximum income shown for their household size on the instructions.

I get WIC or Medical Assistance. Can my children qualify?
Children in households participating in WIC or Medical Assistance do not automatically qualify. Children may be eligible depending on other household financial information. Please fill out an application.

Who should I include as household members?
Include yourself and all other people living in the household, related or not (such as grandparents, other relatives, or friends).

May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You or your children do not have to be U.S. citizens for your children to complete an application.

What if my income is not always the same? List the amount that you normally get. If you normally get overtime, include it, but not if you get overtime only sometimes. For seasonal work, write in the total annual income.

Will the income information or case number I give be checked? It may be. We may also ask you to send written proof.

How will the information be kept? Information you provide on the form, and your child’s approval for meal benefits, will be protected as private data. For more information see the back page of the Application for Educational Benefits.

If I don’t qualify now, may I apply later? Yes. Please complete an application at any time if your income goes down, your household size goes up, or you start getting SNAP, MFIP or FDPIR benefits.

Other things to note about the application:

• Please provide the information requested about children's racial identity and ethnicity, which helps to make sure we are fully serving our community.
• The form asks for the last four digits of the Social Security Number of the person who is signing the application, but it is not required. If the signer does not have a Social Security Number, simply check the box on the form that says they do not have one.
• Forms must be for the current school year and for the school district in which the child is enrolled. Old forms and forms from other districts will not be accepted in School District 197.

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If you have other questions or need help, please call the Child Nutrition Department at 651-403-7320.