Lunch menus 

February menu -- high school

High school students can choose their daily fare from four food stations:

La Cucina offers cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza and a different specialty pizza each day.

Chef's Production provides a daily hot entrée served with a vegetable and choice of fruit.

Ruby's Grill gives students a daily choice of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers or a specialty hot sandwich.

Freight Express offers "grab and go" cold subs served on wraps and different types of bread. Students can also purchase assorted salads with a choice of fresh fruit.

Click here to see the lunch menu for Albany High School and Abrookin Vocational-Technical School.

February menu -- middle schools

Click here for the lunch menu for William S. Hackett Middle School and Stephen and Harriet Myers Middle School.

February menu -- elementary schools

All elementary school lunches include:

• 1% milk, skim milk, low-fat chocolate milk or juice

• Fresh vegetable or side salad

• Fresh fruit or fruit cup

• Whole grain dinner roll

Click here to see the elementary school lunch menu.

Cafeterias post 'right to know' food allergy alerts

Food allergies can be life-threatening. To minimize the chance of accidental exposure to a food that may trigger an allergic reaction, the district's new food-service provider posts "right to know" information in every school cafeteria. The information -- kept in a binder -- lists ingredients in school food that are common causes of food allergies. They include:

• Milk and milk products

• Egg and egg products

• Peanut and peanut products

• Tree nut and tree nut products

• Soy and soy products

• Fish and fish products

• Shellfish and shellfish products

The binder does not list manufacturers who also may process allergens (like peanuts) in other products they produce. However, Whitson's requires its manufacturers to have practices in place that minimize the possibility accidental contamination from other products during the manufacturing process.

Any student with a severe food allergy should NOT assume that a food is safe to eat and should always ask before eating cafeteria food. That student's parent or guardian should contact the food-service manager to discuss dietary needs and restrictions. Product specifications are subject to change and manufacturers are not required by law to provide updated ingredient declarations to Whitson's.

For more information, contact Stephanie Lasher, Whitson's onsite food service director, at 475-6644 or lashers@whitsons.com.

Information about lunch options

Whitson's Culinary Group provides breakfast and lunch to all schools in the City School District of Albany.

Whitson's buys its produce locally whenever it is available. All milk and chicken products it offers are antibiotic- and hormone-free. Also, bread and bread products are 100 percent whole grain and contain no high-fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils.

In addition:

• Menus are subject to change

• Prepaid meals are encouraged

• Low-fat, chocolate and unflavored milk is available daily

• We will offer a turkey equivalent when pork products are served

Lunch prices are as follows:

• Elementary -- $2.25

• Middle and high schools -- $2.50

• Reduced price -- $0.25

For more information, contact Stephanie Lasher, Whitson's onsite food service director, at 475-6644 or lashers@whitsons.com.

Scroll down to see menus for the healthy fare.

Information regarding the use of pork and school meals
Food Services serves turkey-based cold cuts. The bologna, ham and salami are made from turkey; there are no pork products added. Hot dogs are 100 percent beef. When pork is served we will offer a turkey equivalent as an alternate. When we serve real ham with pork it will be reflected as such on the menu.

• Sandwiches are offered daily as an alternative to the lunch selection: Monday = turkey; Tuesday = turkey bologna; Wednesday = turkey and cheese; Thursday = ham; and Friday = egg or tuna salad. All sandwiches are served on whole-wheat bread.

• Rolls and breads are available daily, as are low-fat, chocolate or regular milk.

• Salads are available daily.

• Menus are subject to change.

• Prepaid meals are encouraged.