The UPSD Food Services Department is pleased to offer a Grab and Go Meals Program during the 2020-21 school year’s virtual and hybrid learning.

Beginning the week of 1/18/21, when we begin our hybrid schedule, the Grab & Go Meals Program will shift to a single pickup per week. This pickup will typically occur on Monday evenings from 5-7pm. 

You can find information about some of the changes in the Food Service section of our Hybrid Return 1-19-21 FAQ.

Please read on for more details about the 2020-21 Grab and Go Meals Program.

Logistics

• Due to some guidelines released by USDA, we will NOT need to charge families for any meals this school year, whether in-person or via Grab & Go. Any UPSD student (or any school-aged child residing in the district) may receive meals at NO COST.
• Families must sign up in advance of the distribution events (via the form below)
  • Families must sign up by 10 a.m. the day of pickup
  • Families may only sign up for one week at a time
    • Sign up form will be updated for the week ahead on the day of that week's pickup.
  • If you sign up for meals and then find that you are unable to make the pickup time, please contact Food Services Director Paula Germinario (pgerminario@upsd.org) as soon as possible.
• Distribution to take place at the back of the 4th & 5th Grade Center
• Distribution events take place on Mondays from 5-7 p.m. unless otherwise noted due to a holiday/school closure
• There are three options to choose on the form:
  • Hybrid students - those attending buildings two days per week will receive two of their lunchs in the building, so these bags include 3 lunches and 5 breakfasts.
  • Full Virtual students - those continuing in a virtual model will receive all five days of breakfasts and lunches in one bag
  • Non-UPSD students - this option is for students that live in the district, but do not attend UPSD either in-person or virtually. This program is open to all school-aged students who reside within district boundaries.
• All pickups include 5 days of breakfast items, as breakfast will NOT be offered in the buildings
• Basic/preliminary menus for in-person lunches can be found on the Food Service webpage.
• No a la carte items will be offered at in-person lunches, and meals are free, so students should not bring cash to school.
  • All students will be given a scannable card to track meals, and to facilitate more efficient service in the lunch lines.
• Families must get all of the meals offered at a distribution event, as bags are pre-made
• Anyone (a parent, grandparent, neighbor, etc) can come pick up the meals on the student’s behalf.
• All meals distributed through the Grab & Go Meals Program will meet or exceed the guidelines for the National School Breakfast/Lunch Program, and will contain all components (Ex: lunches contain a protein, a fruit, a vegetable, a grain and a milk).
  • Examples of meals include:
    • Breakfast: Cereals, bagels, breakfast bars
    • Lunch: Pizza, popcorn chicken, PB&J sandwich, meatloaf, baked chicken, Salisbury steak

Reheating Instructions

There is typically a mix of cold and warm entrees in our meal bags. All warm entrees can be easily reheated using a microwave, oven or stove. Reheating instructions for some of our regular warm items may be found here (updated 11/19/20).

Making the Most of School Meals

To find out more about how to make the most out of the food provided in the Grab & Go Meals bags, check out this article.

Miscellaneous

• Families with questions about the Grab and Go Meals Program, or those who wish to discuss dietary restrictions, may contact Food Services Director Ms. Paula Germinario at pgerminario@upsd.org. 
• As always, Upper Perk families in need of food assistance beyond the meals provided by the district may contact The Open Link.
  • 452 Penn Street Pennsburg, PA 18073
  • 215-679-4112, info@theopenlink.org