Niles Township High School District 219 has truly “put their money where their mouth is,” Keith Robinson, Assistant Principal of Operations, said. On August 12, both Niles North and Niles West initiated a new program in partnership with OrganicLife. The new food program offers students free breakfast, lunch additions for a small extra charge and purchasable after school snacks.

Available to students at no cost is the universal breakfast program. From 7:15 a.m. to 8 a.m. every day, students can be served a variety of delicious, filling breakfast foods for free. Options include pancakes, waffles and egg sandwiches, each served on a specific day of the week. For those approved for the free and reduced lunch program, there is a special green plate breakfast offered as well. Other additional breakfast foods are available for purchase along with the free meal.

“I love the free breakfast program because on mornings when I’m running late, I can come and eat a delicious breakfast,” senior Silvia Burian said. “Plus, I don’t have to do the dishes.”

In addition to this breakfast, the cafeteria will now be selling additional athletic lunch portions. For a small extra price, students can purchase a bigger portion to satisfy their appetites. For those participating in after school extracurriculars, a variety of snacks will be served after school until 5:30 p.m. Rather than using cash, students can use their IDs as a makeshift debit card.

“Breakfast is a very important meal and it’s amazing that the school is providing students with such a phenomenal program,” Dee Dee Slominski, Food Service District Manager of Organic Life at District 219, said.

This new improvement program ensures that students will be given the proper nutrition in order to allow them to fully engage in their academic and athletic studies.