Families in Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay can now see exactly what their kids will eat when school starts Thursday, Aug. 13: arroz con pollo, Asian glazed chicken, a Mediterranean hummus platter and cheeseburgers are among the lunch options Miami-Dade County Public Schools posted to its online menu portal.

The district published its full August breakfast and lunch menus at dadeschools.nutrislice.com, according to NBC Miami. The site lets parents browse daily options sorted by school level. All elementary schools share one menu, all middle schools share another and all high schools share a third.

Breakfast choices include French toast sticks with cinnamon glaze, toasted bagels with cream cheese, egg, cheese and sausage flatbread and guavalito queso. The March 6 M-DCPS Food Show, where nearly 600 students tasted and rated potential new items alongside 60 vendors, helped shape this year's offerings, according to district records.

Why it matters now

The menus arrive as most local families face cafeteria charges for the first time since the pandemic. As we reported Aug. 5, seven Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay campuses are not among the 121 district schools that still qualify for free meals under the federal Community Eligibility Provision.

At those non-CEP schools, lunch costs $4.20 at full price or 40 cents for students who qualify for reduced-price meals. Elementary and K-8 students still get free breakfast, but middle and high schoolers pay $2.50 for breakfast at full price or 30 cents reduced. A family with two students paying full price can expect roughly $185 more per month compared to recent years, according to NBC Miami.

How to check your school's menu

Visit dadeschools.nutrislice.com and select your child's school level. The district updates the portal with nutrition details as the year progresses.

Key dates for families

The free and reduced-price meal application opens Monday, Aug. 10, at mdcpsnutrition.net. Only one application is needed per household. Students certified through SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, foster care, Head Start, migrant services or homeless assistance qualify automatically without applying.

All students at non-CEP schools will still eat free for the first 30 days of the school year while applications are processed.

In an Aug. 2 interview with Local 10, incoming Superintendent Rafael Villalobos said the district contacted families at non-CEP schools directly: "The other families that are not part of the 121 schools, we did reach out to them directly, letting them know and encouraging them to apply."

Families with questions can call the Department of Food and Nutrition at 786-275-0400, extension 5000.