Paying For Lunch
"Create" Daily Hot Meal Prices:
Elementary School: $4.05
Includes one piece of hand fruit and a choice of low-fat milk, fat-free chocolate milk, or 8oz water. A second helping is $3.05 and does not include fruit & milk/water.
Middle School: $4.25
Includes one piece of hand fruit and choice of low-fat milk, fat-free chocolate milk, or 8oz water
High School: $5.25 - $6.75 and a la carte pricing
Includes one piece of hand fruit and a choice of low-fat milk or fat-free chocolate milk
All reduced-price lunches are $.40
You may fund lunch accounts by sending cash or a check to school with your child (made payable to the “Darien School Lunch program”). Students can hand funds to any lunch cashier. Please include your student's ID on checks and correspondence.
You can also add money online via our online payment system, MySchoolBucks. There is a $3.95 online processing fee for SY24-25 and a deposit limit of $120. Please see below for more information.
Negative Balances
The cafeteria will never deny your child a meal, even if the account is negative.
However, when a student’s account is negative, the student will not be allowed to charge any snacks, drinks or a la carte items on their account.
Free and Reduced Lunch Program Application information can be found here:
For questions about the status of your application, please contact Danielle Powers.
Email: dpowers@darienps.org
What is included in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program?
One of the following meals:
Regular-sized "Create" meal - this is the daily rotating hot lunch
Pizza - with or without topping
Garden Salad
American Classics Basket (chicken tenders & fries, burger & fries, etc.)
Regular-sized Deli sandwich with any sliced bread
All of these include a choice of low-fat milk or fat-free chocolate milk carton (not organic) and a piece of hand fruit.
What is NOT included:
Second helpings
All "Large" sized meals
Any available add-ons: specialty bread or bacon at the deli, added meat or hardboiled egg at the salad bar
All breakfast sandwiches/wraps
All a la carte items such as snacks, beverages, and items that are not considered a full meal (e.g. a side of fries, a side of chicken tenders, Bosco Sticks, etc.)
All ineligible items will be charged at the regular price