School Meal Prices & Menus
*Please note: All menus are subject to change based on supply and demand trends.
[Click here to view SCHOOL MENUS on the LINQ Connect site*]
- Elementary Schools Pricing: Breakfast: $2.25 | Lunch (with milk): $3.25 | Milk: $0.75 | Staff Lunch: $5+ tax
- O’Rourke Middle School Pricing: Breakfast: $2.25 | Lunch (with milk): $3.50 | Milk: $0.75 | Staff Lunch: $5+ tax
- BH-BL High School Pricing: Breakfast**: $2.75 | Lunch (with milk): $3.75 | Milk: $0.75 | Staff Lunch: $5+ tax
*Please use the drop down menu on the LINQ Connect site to select your child’s school. (The first menu that appears is the breakfast menu for the HS but the drop down lets you choose the school.)
**There is a coffee shop at the high school where a variety of a la carte items are also for sale beginning at 7 a.m.
What’s included in a school lunch? A serving of a fruit, vegetable, grains (pasta, rice, bread, etc.), meat/meat alternative, and milk.
What’s included in a school breakfast? A serving of fruit, grains (cereal, muffin, bread product, etc.), and milk.
About Our Food Program
Providing children with the nutrition necessary for the healthy growth of their minds and bodies is one of the best ways to help them perform well in the classroom. That is the philosophy behind the BH-BL meal program. You’ll notice that our meals includes foods that are low in fat and have a balanced amount of grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Students may purchase: a complete lunch including milk, just milk, or a la carte and snack items. A limited variety of snack items is available at the elementary schools. The secondary schools offer a wider variety of a la carte and snack items, and the high school also offers a la carte breakfast items.
Our goal is to work in partnership with parents and other school staff to provide nutritious food and snacks that will support learning and good health. Providing children with the nutrition necessary for the healthy growth of their minds and bodies is one of the best ways to help them perform better in the classroom. In keeping with this goal, we strongly recommend that children NOT bring soda or carbonated beverages to school for snacks or lunch.
Access your child’s meal payment plan
This program allows parents to add money to their child’s account, set spending limits, receive low balance notification, view school menus and more.
Adding money to an account online is quick and easy. Sign up/log in by going the LINQ Connect site. Your child (and staff) will use the same ID number that was previously assigned to them.
The LINQ Connect program is a rebranding of the Titan Portal. Student and staff balances from Titan have automatically been transferred to LINQ Connect.
If paying by check, please make check payable to “BH-BL School Lunch Program.” Students at the elementary level should give the check to their teacher who will deliver it to the Food Service Department to deposit. Middle and high school students can give a check to a Food Service employee.
Students can always use cash to pay for daily school meals.
Free & Reduced-Price Lunches Available
Both free lunches and reduced-price lunches are available at each school for students who meet federal income limits. This is a confidential program. At the elementary schools, meal tickets for free and reduced-price lunches are identical to regular tickets. At the secondary schools, ALL pupils have individual account numbers they can use at the cash register to pay for their purchases, so only the computer knows that different amounts are recorded for lunches purchased by students on the free and reduced price programs.
Applications for free and reduced-price lunches are sent home the first day of school, can be picked up at each school’s main office, or can be downloaded. [Download Application] Questions about this and other food service areas can be addressed to Food Service Department at 518-399-9141, Ext. 85003. More information and the complete booklet is available on the NYS Education Department website.
Food Allergies and Nutritional Label Information
The food service department addresses the needs of our students with food allergies by offering specific meals on select days that are designated on the school lunch menu as dairy-free or gluten-free meals (GF). Unless the item on the menu is specifically listed as an allergy-free meal, parents should assume that the meal contains one or more allergens and as such, students with food allergies should NOT purchase school lunch on that day. We will continue to work on expanding our school lunch options to offer a greater selection of allergy-free choices in the future.
Peanut, tree nut, and gluten-free school meals & kitchen
The needs and safety of the children who attend our school is a top priority. That is why for the past several years the BH-BL Food Service Department maintains a completely nut-free kitchen. They do not serve any food or use any products containing peanuts or tree nuts, including peanut butter. They use soynut butter in place of peanut butter. Peanuts and tree nuts also are not included in any recipes and they do not use peanut or sesame oil for cooking or baking.
Furthermore, before buying food or ingredients the food service staff are committed to reading all food labels to ensure there are no peanuts or tree nuts included. The food service staff also have a dedicated set of cutting boards, utensils, and knives that are used for gluten-free cooking to ensure that is no cross contamination.
The food service staff are also in contact with the school nurses to keep student records updated. Specific food allergies for each child are entered into the registers, so as the student goes through the lunch line, a pop-up box appears on the register letting the cashier know to check that what the student is not allergic to any food items on his or her tray. This checks and balances system enable food service employees get to know the students and have their meals ready for pick up.
This includes offering gluten-free options. Students who follow a gluten-free diet and who buy lunch daily must let the school nurse know so the food service staff prepare a gluten-free meal. Additionally, students who follow a gluten-free diet but generally do not purchase school meals daily, must let the school know by 9 a.m. if their child will be purchasing a gluten-free meal for that day. The food service staff will not be making gluten-free meals unless requested. Typically, the main entree can and will be made gluten-free if requested. For example, if the meal is pasta and meatballs, chicken nuggets & smiley fries, pizza, etc., there will be a gluten-free version also made. The food service department is dedicated to finding additional gluten-free options, too.
Although the schools’ kitchens are peanut- and tree nut-free, children may still bring peanut products in their school lunch to eat in the school cafeteria. There are designated tables in the cafeteria where children who maintain a peanut and tree nut-free diet may sit. Also, all of our elementary schools’ classrooms are nut-controlled zones. Parents are kindly asked to refrain from sending their children to school with snacks that contain nuts. All obvious nuts and nut products may be consumed in the cafeteria during lunch.
All parents/guardians are welcome to visit the district’s kitchens and receive a tour. Please contact Director of Food Services Nicky Boehm to set up an appointment.