Update: October 12, 2020
During Blended Learning, Cincinnati Public Schools will continue to distribute meals at no charge to enrolled students.
Breakfast will be served from kiosks as students arrive for each in-school day. Lunch will be delivered to and eaten in the classrooms. Meals will be served only to CPS-enrolled students who are in attendance that day.
As students leave the buildings on Wednesdays and Fridays, we will offer them meal packs containing three breakfasts and three lunches, plus four weekend snack packs.
Elementary schools in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant Program will receive additional fresh produce in their meal packs.
Students enrolled in Walnut Hills High School, Virtual High School and Cincinnati Digital Academy will pick up their five-day meal packs on Wednesdays from 1–2:30 p.m. at the schools. These meal packs will have five breakfasts and five lunches plus four weekend snack packs.
Our community collaborators also will be at each school to provide additional nutrition for families and children age 18 and under.
At Virtual/CDA and Walnut hills, UMCFood will distribute seven-day supper/snack packs; LaSoupe will distribute family-style meal kits, and the Freestore Foodbank will hand out produce boxes.
At the Virtual High/Cincinnati Digital and Walnut Hills campuses only, any child age 18 and under may pick up a meal pack.
Students staying in distance learning at their enrolled schools may go to the Virtual High School or Walnut Hills High School campuses to pick up meals. After October 14, these students cannot go to their home school buildings to pick up meals.
Update: September 1, 2020
Beginning September 2, Cincinnati Public Schools will serve breakfast and lunch to all children 18 and under for FREE. Meals can be picked up on Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m. at any of our schools. Be sure to stay tuned to our social media and website for future updates.
Cincinnati Public Schools' Student Dining Services is committed to providing meals throughout the distant learning start of the 2020–21 school year.
From August 26 through September 23, students may pick up Five-Day Remote Meal Packs at their schools every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. Each meal pack contains five lunches and five breakfasts.
Remote meal nutritional information and cooking instructions
Meal pick-up stations are located in the schools' bus lanes. Students may walk up to receive meal packs, too. Walkers should use school sidewalks to stay safe.
To help prevent the spread of germs, it is important to stay 6 feet apart from others and to wash hands often, including prior to leaving home to pick up meals, when returning home and before eating.
We encourage all families to complete the 2020–21 school year meal eligibility form online or on the app for SchoolCafe.com.
Since school buildings shutdown in March 2020 due to COVID-19, CPS' Student Dining Services Department has distributed more than 300,000 grab-and-go meals to families.
10 Reasons Why You Should Take Advantage of the Curbside Meals CPS is Offering
- You will save time grocery shopping and prepping for meals.
- It could extend your household food budget.
- It's comforting and familiar to your kids.
- The meals are nutritious and delicious.
- When kids are offered more healthy vegetables at lunch, they eat significantly more vegetables.
- Healthy food fuels students for learning.
- You are not taking away food from someone who needs it. We have plenty to go around!
- It's convenient - just grab and go!
- We offer fresh produce from local farms.
- We love to provide meals to our students. It's what we do best!
