Departments & Services Links
Universal Free Meals for Students
All Niskayuna students are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every day. Learn more about universal free meals for students.
Lunch Menus
Our digital meal menus can be found on LINQ Connect. These menus can be sorted by school, allergens and other information about products and ingredients.
Daily Breakfast Options
Breakfast is available at all schools.
- Learn more about Daily Breakfast Options.
Alternate Menu, Gluten-Free and Halal Options
Smart Snacks
All foods sold at school during the school day are required to meet nutrition standards.
- Learn more about available Smart Snacks.
Allergy Awareness
We are an allergy-aware school.
It’s important that we all take steps to protect people who have severe allergic reactions to some foods, like nuts.
Nut products are not served in school meals.
Our school recommends that students and families only bring nut-free food for school lunches and snacks.
Rather than calling our district nut-free, which we cannot guarantee, instead we’ve adopted the expression “Allergy Aware, Allergy Prepared.” The shift in name and practice accounts for the need to be aware and prepared for a variety of allergies, not just nut allergies.
Meal Pricing: Universal Free Meals
Beginning in September 2025, all Niskayuna students are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every day as part of a new state law. Additional meals, snacks and a la carte items will be available for purchase with cash or funds from LINQ Connect. Payment for additional meals and a la carte items is required at the time of purchase.
2026-27 Prices
First meals for students are free. Prices for the cost of a second full meal for the 2026-27 school year are below. Additional items can also be purchased a la carte.
Breakfast
- Elementary School – FREE ($2.25)
- Middle School – FREE ($2.50)
- High School – FREE ($2.50)
Lunch
- Elementary School – FREE ($3.50)
- Middle School – FREE ($3.75)
- High School – FREE ($3.75)
Complete a Household Income Form
Although meals are free for all students regardless of family income eligibility, we still encourage families to complete a Household Income Form. Completing this form helps our district secure state funding and may also result in new or additional benefits for families. Regardless of the results of the application review, your child will receive breakfast and lunch meals at no charge.
Families can complete the Household Income Form at any time. Please note: a form from Titan, not LINQ Connect will be emailed to you.
- Reduced Price Income Eligibility Guidelines
- Complete a Household Income Form online (via LINQ Connect)
- Downloadable Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals
LINQ Connect Prepaid Meal Accounts
Niskayuna uses LINQ Connect to enable families to pay for additional school meals and snacks and manage their child’s online account.
LINQ Connect allows families to:
- Set low-balance reminders.
- Set up automatic meal payments and transfer funds between students.
- Create spending limits for the account.
- Manage your account using the LINQ Connect app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play.
- View school lunch menus directly in the app.
To sign-up and access the online service, visit the LINQ Connect website.
From this site, you can create an account and add money to your child’s school meal account. When creating your account for the first time, you will need your child’s name and birth date or student ID number. You can find your student ID number in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
Additional Payment Options
Families can pay for school meals using credit cards, bank transfers, checks or cash. Digital payments made through LINQ Connect include a convenience fee per transaction, which helps cover the cost of operating the online system.
Online Payments in LINQ Connect
- Credit Card: Deposits of $72.15 or less will incur a fee of $2.85; amounts above $72.15 will be charged a 3.95% fee per credit card transaction.
- ACH (Bank Transfer): $0.99 fee per transaction.
No-Fee Options
Cash or Check: Send cash or checks to school in an envelope addressed to the school cafeteria. Make checks payable to “Niskayuna Central School District” and include your child’s name and “Meal Account” in the memo line.
Policies and Statements
Food Assistance Resources
Local Food Pantries
- Schenectady Community Ministries (SICM) Food Pantry
837 Albany Street, Schenectady, NY 12307 - St. Luke’s Pastoral Center & Daily Bread Food Pantry
1247 State Street REAR, Schenectady, NY 12304 - Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York
965 Albany-Shaker Road, Latham, NY 12110
SNAP
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides monthly benefits to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets and other locations. SNAP helps families stretch their food budget so kids can get the nutrition they need to learn and grow.
- See if you are eligible on the Hunger Solutions New York website.
- Apply for SNAP online.
The Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) offers one-on-one help applying for SNAP. NOEP can tell you if you may be eligible for SNAP, answer questions and help with your application. It’s free and confidential.
Summer Food
Nutritious free meals are available for children and teens 18 and younger at many locations throughout the nation throughout the summer while school is out of session. Text “Summer Meals” to 97779 or call 1 (866) 348-6479 to find a site near you.
Accessibility Note
If you are unable to access any document on this page, please contact the Communications Office at (518) 377-4666, ext. 50707 to request the information in another format.