Special Diets

Indian Prairie School District #204 and OrganicLife SmartFoodservice takes food allergies very seriously and takes every precaution to keep our cafeterias and kitchens safe for your children.

As such, OrganicLife does not purchase any foods that contain any type of nuts or tree nuts. All of our school kitchens are free of any type of nuts to eliminate the possibility of cross contamination. Not all manufacturers we contract with will state they have nut-free facilities, but they are required to label foods with nutritional information and ingredients. None of the ingredients in the manufacturers' facility lists include any nuts nor say made or processed in a plant that contains nuts.

That being said, as participants in the NSLP, please note we cannot guarantee all products or commodities allocated to District 204 are processed in a peanut/tree nut-free facility. If your child has a severe allergy, please contact the school nurse and/or Foodservice Director for further assistance.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) nondiscrimination regulation (7 CFR 15b), as well as the regulations governing the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, make it clear that substitutions to the regular meal must be made for children who are unable to eat school meals because of their allergy and special dietary needs, when that need is certified by a licensed physician.

Students with allergies or special dietary needs are required to have a signed physician's form filed with the Food Service Director. Each special dietary request must be supported by a statement, which explains the food substitution that is requested. It must be signed by a recognized medical authority.

The medical statement must include:

• an identification of the medical or other special dietary condition which restricts the child's diet;
• the food or foods to be omitted from the child's diet; and
• the food or choice of foods to be substituted.

Click here to download the form. Forms can be submitted to your school office.

School food service staff will work closely with the support people who are familiar with the needs of the child. The child's parents or guardians, teachers, occupational and physical therapists, special education staff, and the school nurse are valuable resources.

Schools may not charge children with disabilities or with certified special dietary needs who require food substitutions or modifications more than they charge other children for program meals or snacks.

Students who follow the gluten-free diet can be provided with a gluten-free meal. In order to provide a gluten-free meal five (5) days advance notice is required so meal counts can be prepared. Gluten-free menus can be requested by contacting the Lunch Account Help Desk. 

Students with gluten allergies or special dietary needs are required to have a signed physician's form filed with the Food Service Director in order to pay the published Lunch/Breakfast Meal prices. Each special dietary request must be supported by a statement, stating that they must be served gluten-free food. It must be signed by a recognized medical authority.

If your family is gluten-free but you don't have an official diagnosis the school district can accommodate the request and provide students with a gluten-free meal. The cost for a gluten-free meal without an official diagnosis is $5.00.

Every attempt will be made to mirror the gluten-free menu to the non-gluten-free menus.