SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Parents in Utah say they're outraged after up to 40 elementary school students at a Salt Lake City school had their school lunches thrown out because of outstanding balances on their account.

The Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/1npJJQC ) reports the move came Tuesday after the Salt Lake City District realized a lot of students in Uintah Elementary owed money for lunches. District spokesman Jason Olsen said cafeteria workers weren't able to see who was in debt until after the lunches had already been handed out.

He said the workers threw out the lunches because they can't be served to another student. The students whose lunches were taken away were given fruit and milk.

Parent Erica Lukes told the newspaper the children shouldn't be "punished or humiliated" for their parents' mistakes.