Free and Reduced Meal Application
The District participates in the National School Meals Program allowing families the opportunity to apply for free and reduced-price meal benefits. A new application must be completed each school year. Applications may be submitted at any time during the school year. The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only to determine eligibility. The eligibility criteria for the 2025-2026 school year is listed below.
Online Free and Reduced Meal Application
The 2025-2026 meal application is available online. Please select the desired box below.
Please contact the School Food and Nutrition Office at 314-467-5250 with any questions.
Who is eligible?
Mehlville School District announced its revised free and reduced price policy for school children unable to pay the full price of meals served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.
Local education officials have adopted the following family-size income criteria for determining eligibility:
| Household Size | Maximum Household Income Eligible for Free Meals ($) | Maximum Household Income Eligible for Reduced Price Meals ($) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annually | Monthly | Weekly | Annually | Monthly | Weekly | |
| 1 | 20,345 | 1,696 | 392 | 28,953 | 2,413 | 557 |
| 2 | 27,495 | 2,292 | 529 | 39,128 | 3,261 | 753 |
| 3 | 34,645 | 2,888 | 667 | 49,303 | 4,109 | 949 |
| 4 | 41,795 | 3,483 | 804 | 59,478 | 4,957 | 1,144 |
| 5 | 48,945 | 4,079 | 942 | 69,653 | 5,805 | 1,340 |
| 6 | 56,095 | 4,675 | 1,079 | 79,828 | 6,653 | 1,536 |
| 7 | 63,245 | 5,271 | 1,217 | 90,003 | 7,501 | 1,731 |
| 8 | 70,395 | 5,867 | 1,354 | 100,178 | 8,349 | 1,927 |
| Each additional member | +7,150 | +596 | +138 | +10,175 | +848 | +196 |
Frequently asked questions about free and reduced price school meals
Children need healthy meals to learn. Mehlville School District offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $2.10 for all students; lunch costs $3.20 for elementary students and $3.30 for middle and high school students. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced price meals. Reduced price is $0.30 for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. This webpage includes links to an online application for free or reduced price meal benefits, and a set of detailed instructions. Below are some common questions and answers to help you with the application process.
Who can get free or reduced price meals?
- All children in households receiving benefits from the Food Stamp Program/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) or Temporary Assistance/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), are eligible for free meals.
- Foster children that are under the legal responsibility of a foster care agency or court are eligible for free meals.
- Children participating in their school's Head Start program are eligible for free meals.
- Children who meet the definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
- Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household's income is within the limits on the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. Your children may qualify for free or reduced price meals if your household income falls at or below the limits on the chart above.
How do I know if my children qualify as homeless, migrant or runaway?
Do the members of your household lack a permanent address? Are you staying together in a shelter, hotel or other temporary housing arrangement? Does your family relocate on a seasonal basis? Are any children living with you who have chosen to leave their prior family or household? If you believe children in your household meet these descriptions and haven't been told your children will get free meals, please call or e-mail Mr. Adam Smith, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at 314-467-5222 or asmith@msdr9.org.
Do I need to fill out an application for each child?
No. Use one Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application for all students in your household. We cannot approve an application that is not complete, so be sure to fill out all required information. Submit the online application or return the completed application to: Katie Gegg, School Food and Nutrition Services, 69 Randolph Pl. St. Louis, MO 63125.
Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are already approved for free meals?
No, but please read the letter you got carefully and follow the instructions. If any children in your household were missing from your eligibility notification, contact Katie Gegg, School Food and Nutrition Services, 314-467- 5250 or geggk@msdr9,org immediately.
My child's application was approved last year. Do I need to fill out a new one?
Yes. Your child's application is only good for that school year and for the first few days of this school year. You must send in a new application unless the school told you that your child is eligible for the new school year.
I get WIC. Can my children get free meals?
Children in households participating in WIC may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Please complete and submit an application.
Will the information I give be checked?
Yes. We may also ask you to send written proof of the household income you report.
If I don't qualify now, may I apply later?
Yes, you may apply at any time during the school year. For example, children with a parent or guardian who becomes unemployed may become eligible for free and reduced price meals if the household income drops below the income limit
What if I disagree with the school's decision about my application?
You should talk to school officials. You also may ask for a hearing by calling or writing to: Dr. Jeff Haug, Superintendent of Schools, Mehlville School District, 2900 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125.
May I apply if someone in my household is not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. You, your children, or other household members do not have to be U.S. citizens to apply for free or reduced price meals.
What if my income is not always the same?
List the amount that you normally receive. For example, if you normally make $1,000 each month, but you missed some work last month and only made $900, put down that you made $1,000 per month. If you normally get overtime, include it, but do not include it if you only work overtime sometimes. If you have lost a job or had your hours or wages reduced, use your current income.
What if some household members have no income to report?
Household members may not receive some types of income we ask you to report on the application, or may not receive income at all. Whenever this happens, please write a 0 in the field. However, if any income fields are left empty or blank, those will be counted as zeroes. Please be careful when leaving income fields blank, as we will assume you meant to do so.
We are in the military. Do we report our income differently?
Your basic pay and cash bonuses must be reported as income. If you get any cash value allowances for off-base housing, food, or clothing, or receive Family Subsistence Supplemental
Allowance payments, it must also be included as income. However, if your housing is part of the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, do not include your housing allowance as income. Any additional combat pay resulting from deployment is also excluded from income.
What if there isn't enough space on the application for my family?
List any additional household members on a separate piece of paper, and attach it to your application, Contact School Food and Nutrition Services at 314-467-5250 or geggk@msdr9.org to receive a second application.
My family needs more help. Are there other programs we might apply for?
To find out how to apply for the Food Stamp Program/SNAP or other assistance benefits, contact your local assistance office or call 1-855-373-4636.
Other Benefits
Completing the free and reduced meal application helps in many areas beyond just free and reduced price meals. Just one form ensures continued funding to support all students.
- Test Fees: Discount or waiver on fee for academic assessments, including ACT and SAT
- Computer Network: More funding for internet access, wireless and network services
- Scholarships: Local scholarships, tuition assistance for dual credit and AP courses, and discount fees on applying for college
- School Budgets: Increased federal funding for student academic support, including staff, training, equipment and supplies
Need some help?
If you need help completing a free and reduced price meal application, please call School Food and Nutrition Services at 314-467-5250.