Springfield City Schools has been approved to serve free lunch and breakfast to all students, but the district is encouraging parents who don’t need it not to take advantage of the program, said Superintendent David Estrop.

The district will offer a “full plate lunch” for students during the day, but parents can also pack their child’s lunch or encourage them to choose a la carte items. The plate lunch has no charge but families must pay for a la carte items.

“If they don’t need this assistance, please don’t take advantage of it,” Estrop said. “We’re trying to help those who need the help, not trying to give people a free ride.”

The a la carte items may cost more than the plate lunch cost in previous years, said Estrop.

Some parents have expressed to the district that they would prefer to pay for their child’s lunch. Springfield will continue to serve free breakfast for all students as it has in the past.

The program — called the Community Eligibility Option — is a federal subsidy for school districts with high numbers of low-income students. More than 76 percent of Springfield students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in 2010-11, the most recent data available, according to the Ohio Department of Education.

The four-year program aims to reach low-income students who may not have applied for the free lunch despite their eligibility, according to the USDA.

“We’re doing everything we can to remove barriers, to remove hurdles for our children and our families so they have access to good nutrition so they can build sound bodies so they can access their minds accordingly,” said Estrop.

Some families who were eligible and didn’t apply may benefit as the new program eliminates the application for the National School Lunch Program, said April Franklin, mother of two Springfield students.

“Everyone wouldn’t have to struggle and the kids can get what they need as far as nutrition,” she said. “A lot of people struggle in the house. Every child deserves to be able to eat.”

Food service in Springfield has turned a profit for the last five years, said Treasurer Chris Mohr.

“This program …will be at worst revenue neutral and could contribute an additional $377,000 in net profit each year to the district,” said Mohr, who estimates it will likely fall somewhere in the middle. “This is one of the best win-win programs I have seen from the federal government concerning child nutrition in my career.”