School Cafe

How can I make a payment to my child’s account?  Payments can be made at your child’s school cafeteria or you can login to School Cafe for on-line payments.  

Who can I contact for help for School Cafe questions?  You can contact the Cybersoft Support line at (855)729-2328 or email at customercare@schoolcafe.com 

Can I put restrictions on my child’s account?  Yes!  You can add your own restrictions through your student’s account in School Cafe.

Menu Planning 

Who plans the menu? Menus are planned by a registered dietitian following the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) school nutrition program guidelines. These guidelines are set forth by the US Dietary Guidelines and the Institute of Medicine.  

What is my child required to choose at breakfast? The School Breakfast Program (SBP) guidelines require that we offer three different food components daily (grains, fruit and milk).  In order for a breakfast to qualify as a full meal, students must choose at least three items and one of these must be a fruit.  We participate in “offer versus serve” which means Brenham ISD offers students a variety of choices daily as well as daily cereal options.   

What is my child required to choose at lunch? The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) guidelines require that we offer five different food components daily (meat or meat alternate, grain, fruit, vegetable and milk). In order for a lunch to qualify as a full meal, students must choose at least three of these food components and one of these three must be a fruit or a vegetable.  For example:  A hamburger (grain and meat) and ½ cup of fruit would be considered a complete meal.  Of course, students may select all food components if they choose – hamburger, vegetable, fruit and milk. Brenham ISD offers two different vegetables daily, students are allowed to take both servings.  

Are the serving sizes of foods appropriate for all students? Serving sizes are planned to be appropriate for the ages of our students. Older students will receive more servings of food items and therefore receive more calories than younger students.

What does whole grain rich mean?  Whole grains are grains that contain the entire grain kernel which is packed with fiber, b-vitamins, iron, protein and healthy fats. Whole grain simply means consuming grains in their “whole” form without being processed or removing any of the kernel. As of July 1, 2014, all grains offered in the SBP and NSLP must be whole grain rich.  Whole grain “rich” means that at least half of the grain in a grain product is whole grain.  

What kind of milk is offered? We offer non-fat unflavored milk and non-fat flavored chocolate milk at breakfast and lunch.

What type of vegetables do you serve? We offer a variety of vegetables from the five subgroup categories: dark green, red/orange, legumes, starchy and other. Brenham ISD adds fresh options to our menu as permitted through the seasons and availability.  

Dietary Accommodations

My child has food allergies, who should I contact about this? Students in need of special dietary accommodations must provide a Physician's Request for Dietary Accommodations Form signed by a licensed physician identifying the student’s disability, explanation of why the disability restricts the child’s diet, the major life activity affected by the disability and the food or foods to be omitted from the child’s diet.  The form can be located on our website or for more information, please contact your school nurse or our district dietitian.

My child is a vegetarian, what options are available for my child?  We plan our menus to be “offer versus serve” which means students may pass on the meat offered as long as they have three food components. For example, a complete meal could be a wheat roll, broccoli, mandarin oranges and milk. While vegetarian options may not be offered daily, students can still customize their meals to meet their specific needs. 

Can the district provide dietary accommodations for religious requests?  Brenham ISD can only provide dietary accommodations to students with a valid medical condition and not religious/ preference requests.  

Can Child Nutrition add an alert to my student’s account? The Child Nutrition Department can only add an alert to a student’s account pertaining to dietary accommodations after we have received a valid medical condition request per the Physician’s Request Form for Dietary Accommodations.  All other alerts will need to be made by the parent(s)/ guardian(s) through School Cafe.

Free/Reduced Meals

Who can get free or reduced-price meals?  There are various ways students can qualify for free and reduced price meals. All children in households receiving benefits from SNAP, FDPIR, or TANF, are eligible for free meals.  Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.  Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals. Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits on the Federal income Eligibility Guidelines.

Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are already approved for free meals?  No, but please read the letter you go carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household are missing from your eligibility notification, contact Brenham ISD Child Nutrition Department immediately at 979-277-3758.

Can I apply online?  Yes!  You are encouraged to complete an online application instead of a paper application if you are able.  The online application has the same requirements and will ask you for the same information as the paper application.  Visit School Cafe to begin or to learn more about the online application process.  

My child’s application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new one?  Yes! Your child’s application is only good for one school year and for the first few days of the new school year.  

Will the information I provide be verified?  Yes! We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.

Civil Rights Complaint

How can I submit a civil rights complaint? Those wishing to file a complaint can do so in person, writting, verbally or by visiting the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form.