Summer break provides a “breather” for students and families – a time to relax and recharge before it is time to hit the ground running as school resumes in the fall. But for some students, summer break also equates to hunger – because being in school meant they received a nutritious meal every day in the lunchroom.

In Littleton Public Schools, the good news is that while school is out for the summer, school lunch is still in session at Field Elementary School. Federally funded, the Littleton Public Schools Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) provides FREE lunches for all children ages 1-18 during the long summer vacation.

LPS SFSP provides free lunch for any child who walks through the doors – whether they attend LPS or not. According to Jessica Gould, Director of LPS Nutrition Services and Print Shop, “The Summer Food Service Program is designed so that kids don’t go hungry during the summer months. If you are a kid, you can eat here for free.”

“Within our communities, parents are strapped with a lot of expenses. There are times when they have to choose between paying the utility bill or buying nutritious food for their kiddos. Sometimes it comes down to a parent saying, ‘this is all we’ve got today.’ We take nutrition and hunger seriously here at LPS, and this program helps us feed more students year round,” said Gould.

The Summer Food Service Program is paid for through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. All lunches meet state and federal requirements based on the USDA Dietary Guidelines; so they include a grain, protein, fruits, vegetables and milk. According to the USDA website, more than 200 million free meals will be served to children 18 years and under at approved SFSP sites in 2017. (To find other SFSP sites, text the word “food” to 877877, or go to Kidsfoodfinder.org and enter a zip code to find participating locations.)

Qualified nutrition professionals from LPS prepare these summer meals. While the cooks use a portion of their traditional summer break to run the program, the payoff is the added time being around the kids. “When those kids come through the lunch line, they become my kids,” said Tami Wasson, in her third year as the SFSP Kitchen Manager at Field. “I want them to have a nutritious meal and see a friendly face behind the counter, ready to help them. Some of the kids come from the neighborhoods by themselves, on their bikes or on foot, and we even have some families here from Englewood, Denver and Jefferson County. I want them to feel safe here, and we will be sure they don’t leave hungry. Some days we serve more than 240 meals, so we must be doing something right.”

The meals are planned to ensure that students receive a variety of healthy food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, entrees, sides and sauces made from scratch. Depending on the day’s menu, kids might be served a grilled cheese sandwich, French toast sticks and sausage, pizza, chicken alfredo or a hamburger. Milk options include fat free, 1% and fat free chocolate. The menu schedule is available on the LPS Nutrition Services page.

As the lunchroom fills with kids – from surrounding neighborhoods, from LPS’ K-2 Summer School program at Field and from School Age Child Care programs in the area – the energy and laughter that brightens the room is contagious. Gould noted, “I love seeing the kids having fun and enjoying themselves, while eating good food. I hope that carries over to mealtime at home – too often family life is so busy that eating together rarely happens. We try and make a connection between nutrition and education that encourages kids to try new foods and enjoy the social aspect of eating together. But most importantly, we don’t want them to leave here hungry.”

The LPS Summer Food Service Program runs weekdays from June 5 – July 28, (closed July 3 and 4). Food is served from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Field Elementary (located at 5402 S. Sherman Way, Littleton, CO 80121). There is no enrollment and no cost for kids ages 1-18. An adult lunch is offered for $3.85. There is also a free LPS Summer Lunch Bus that makes stops around the Village Preschool, Moody Elementary, Bemis Library, East Elementary, Cornerstone Park and Field Elementary.