Nutrition Services

Pay for student meals online! Parents / guardians may set up accounts online to prepay for student meals, view cafeteria account balances, and check transactions and activity. See details below.

Topics on this page:

• School Meals
• School Meal Information Packet - mailed to households each August
• Payment Options
• Frequently Asked Questions

School Meals

Any student who attends a school in the Long Beach Unified School District may participate in the breakfast and lunch programs at his/her school. Students who do not qualify to receive free and reduced-price meals may purchase meals. If you are not eligible now but your income goes down, you lose your job, your family size becomes larger, or you become eligible for CalFresh (formerly Food Stamp), CalWORKS or FDPIR benefits, you may submit a Meal Application at that time. You may apply for benefits at any time during the school year.

Every student has an account with the cafeteria computerized point of sale (POS) system. Students in elementary/K-8 schools use bar coded meal cards and personal identification numbers (PINs) to access their accounts. Middle school and high school students use PINs. Your student’s PIN will be provided in your School Meal Information Packet. The account contains your child’s meal eligibility information, account balance, as well as any special dietary needs as requested on the “Medical Statement to Request Special Meals and/or Accommodations”

School Meal Information Packet

One School Meal Information Packet will be mailed to each household with an enrolled child in the District as of June 30. Packets will be mailed by the second week of August. Go to the Meal Application page for details.

Notify your child’s school office immediately if your address changes. If you are not applying for meal benefits at this time, we recommend that you keep the meal application in the event that you need to apply for benefits later in the year.

Payment Options

Parents and guardians may pay for school meals in advance online or in person. Meals may also be purchased individually on the day of service. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to prepay for their student's meals so that money for meals is always available. Regardless of how you choose to pay for your student's meals, you may check your student's cafeteria account activity by going to mySchoolBucks once you have set up an online account.

Pre-payment Options 

• Internet: Long Beach Unified School District offers parents the opportunity to make payments online via mySchoolBucks for their child's meals and a la carte purchases using Visa, Mastercard credit or debit card. This online service allows parents of students to prepay money directly into their child's account, monitor the account, view account activity, set up a low-balance e-mail reminder and schedule recurring payments. Please note that this service is being offered only for meal service. This service will not be available for students attending California Academy of Mathematics and Science (CAMS).
  • Online Payment Service Instructions
  • Visit mySchoolBucks online service
• Cash: If you send cash with your child, please place it in a sealed envelope and write your child’s name, grade and classroom number on the envelope. Cash is deposited into your child’s account on the day it is received.
• Personal Check: If you send a check with your child, please place it in a sealed envelope. Be sure to write the child’s name, grade and classroom number on the envelope. A check is deposited into your child’s account on the day it is received. Checks used to pay for school meals must meet the following criteria:
  • Only use a check that is pre-printed with your name and mailing address.
  • Make the check payable to your child’s school cafeteria. Example: MacArthur Cafeteria Fund.
  • Write your home and work phone numbers on the top left-hand corner of the check.
  • Write your student’s full name and classroom in the corner or memo area.
  • Write the check amount clearly.
  • One check per student. 
• Pay by-the-Meal using cash. If any change is due back, your child has the option of asking that it be added to his/her account as prepaid funds.

How Much Should I Deposit?

Meal Prices for 2020-2021 School Year:

Amount to cover approximately one week of meals (5 days):

Amount to cover approximately one month of meals (20 days):

Special Notes

• Remind children not to share their personal identification number (PIN) with friends or other students.
• A printed summary of your child’s account is available by contacting the nutrition services supervisor at your child’s school or by checking the account at mySchoolBucks. You do not need to make online payments to view your child’s account online.

Charge Policy

The Nutrition Services Branch extends credit to all District students in Pre-kindergarten to twelfth grades. Students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meals and do not have their meal payment will receive a full meal. The student's cafeteria account will be charged at the current paid meal rate. Parents/guardians will be notified with a request to repay the negative balance accrued in their child's cafeteria account. 

Negative Balance

Parents who receive notices of overdrawn cafeteria accounts are asked to supply the cafeteria with funds in the amount to cover the overdrawn balance. They are also encouraged to add prepayment funds.

Refund or Transfer of Meal Account Funds

Please note that a student’s meal account money is automatically carried over to the next school year EXCEPT after completion of the 12th grade. If your child will not be attending a school within the Long Beach Unified School District his/her money will be transferred to the youngest sibling in your family or refunded after completion of the Meal Account Refund/Transfer of Funds Request form. The completed form may be mailed to:

Nutrition Services Branch,
Long Beach Unified School District
3333 Airport Way
Long Beach, CA 90806

Attention: Operations & Training Specialists

Please allow 30 days for your request to be processed. Refunds will be made by check only. No credit cards will be credited with a refund. Convenience fees charged for making on-line payments are non-refundable. Please contact the Nutrition Services Branch office at (562) 427-7923 extension 248 if you have any questions or need clarification.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Q: Do I need to request a refund when my child transfers to another LBUSD school?
A: No. You do not need to request a refund. The funds will be transferred to your child’s account balance at the new LBUSD school location as long as the student ID number remains the same and is activated at the new school location. Your child’s PIN will also follow to the new location.

Q: May I request a refund from my child’s account?
A: Yes. See section above for “Refund or Transfer of Meal Account Funds” section. Please allow 30 days for the request to be processed.