VANCE COUNTY, N.C. — As the United States’ longest ever government shutdown lingers, a North Carolina school system said they’re bringing school lunches down to a “minimum.”
“Due to the Federal Government Shutdown, lunch menus in Vance County Schools have been revised to a minimum level to conserve food and funding,” the district wrote in a Facebook post.
Beginning next week, Vance County students will notice changes on their trays with the “minimum level” lunches.
The district will no longer include fresh produce in lunches except at elementary schools in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
That program, however, will also be reduced down to two days a week.
Bottled drinks, like water and juice, will only be available until stocks run dry.
No ice cream will be available until further notice.
With these changes, students can still expect to get a main dish, bread, two vegetables, one fruit and milk.
“The Vance County Schools Nutrition Program for students is self-supporting with federal funds providing meals,” the district said. “We hope that normal lunch menus can be resumed as soon as possible once the shutdown has ended.”
