 Frequently Asked Questions: Q: If a family has a foreign exchange student living with them should they list that student as a household member on their application when applying for free and reduced meals? A: Yes. A foreign exchange student is considered to be a member of the household in which he/she resides, i.e., the household hosting the student. Q: If a student has a negative balance in the school food service account, can the school deny that child meals? A: The answer is not a simple “yes” or “no”. Refer to NSLP Memo #62, “Denying Meals to Children” and NSLP Memo #57, “Charging Meals for the National School Lunch Program” for guidance on various circumstances. Q: What is a reimbursable lunch under the offer versus serve (OVS) provision? A: The first requirement for a reimbursable lunch under OVS is that all five food items must be offered (made available) to all students. The second requirement is that the serving size of each of the five food items must equal the minimum quantities required by regulation. Two separate fruit/vegetable food items must be offered. The combined serving size of the two fruit/vegetable items must total the required minimum quantity by age/grade group for the fruit/vegetable component. The third requirement is that the lunch must be priced as a unit and students may take either 3, 4, or all 5 items for the same price. A reimbursable meal must be determined after the student has passed by all 5 of the required food items.
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