A hungry student can’t focus on their future. The Cedar Rapids Community School District is a proud participant in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, ensuring every student has access to the high-quality nutrition they need to thrive in the classroom.
Fueling Academic Excellence
Healthy eating is directly linked to student achievement. Our food and nutrition team prepares 15,000 meals every day that meet the rigorous Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Research shows that students who eat school meals experience:
- Higher Academic Performance: Greater gains in standardized test scores, especially for those eating school breakfast.
- Better Attendance: A healthy diet correlates with fewer sick days and fewer trips to the school nurse.
- Healthy Habits: Balanced portions of protein, dairy, grains, fruits, and vegetables help students maintain a healthy weight and steady energy levels.
What’s on the Menu?
Our meals are carefully designed to provide the right nutritional balance for every age group. From kindergarten to high school, we ensure students get the exact portions they need to stay energized and focused throughout the school day.
Contact Our Team
Have questions about menus, dietary restrictions, or meal applications? We are here to help.
- Phone: 319-558-2305
- Email: foodservice@crschools.us
Summer Breakfast and Lunch
School Breakfast: A Strong Start
A healthy breakfast is the foundation for a productive school day. Our National School Breakfast Program provides students with one-fourth of their daily recommended intake of essential nutrients—including protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
What’s on the Tray?
To ensure variety and nutrition, every breakfast offers a minimum of four food items across three core categories. We empower students with a choice, allowing them to decline one item while still receiving a complete, balanced meal.
Every breakfast includes:
- Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: A daily serving of whole fruit, vegetables, or 100% juice.
- Whole-Grain Rich Items: A focus on healthy grains to provide sustained energy.
- Fluid Milk: A daily serving of low-fat or fat-free milk for essential calcium.
- Daily serving of fruit, vegetable, or 100% fruit/vegetable juice
- Daily minimums and weekly ranges for grains with a focus on whole-grain rich items
- Daily serving of fluid milk (Low-fat/fat free)
School Lunch: Balanced for Growth
Our school lunch program is designed to provide one-third of a student’s daily nutritional needs. Each meal is a power-packed combination of protein, calcium, iron, and essential vitamins (A and C) to keep students energized for an afternoon of learning.
Building a Healthy Plate
We provide a wide variety of choices across five core food components. To ensure a balanced meal, students select at least three of these components, including at least one-half cup of fruits or vegetables.
A typical lunch includes:
- Fresh Fruits & Garden Vegetables: Daily servings of colorful produce, including a weekly variety of dark greens, red/orange vegetables, and protein-rich legumes.
- Lean Proteins: Daily servings of quality meats or meat alternatives to support growth and focus.
- Whole-Grain Rich Items: Hearty grains that provide the fiber and energy needed for a full school day.
- Cold, Fluid Milk: Choice of low-fat or fat-free milk with every meal.
Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Schools for the 2025-26 school year.
Elementary Schools
- Cleveland, CRA (Cedar River Academy) Erskine, Grant, Grant Wood, Harrison At Madison, Hiawatha, Hoover, Johnson, Kenwood, Nixon, Trailside, Van Buren, West Willow, Wright
Middle Schools
- Franklin, Harding, McKinley STEAM Academy, Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy, Wilson
High Schools
- City View, Jefferson, Metro Alternative, Washington
Other Sites
- Truman Early Learning Center, Polk AEC K-12
All students at a CEP School shall receive one breakfast and lunch daily at no charge.
- May purchase extra milk, second meal/extra entrée/side dishes and/or ala carte with cash or money in their account where available.
- Students that attend these school will not need to complete a free and reduced application
- Be sure to complete the Release Agreements and the Educational Benefit Survey (CEP) during annual verification for additional school benefits.
- Previously incurred meal debt is the responsibility of the family
- Students, including siblings, attending schools not covered under CEP can still be considered for free or reduced meals by completing the online Free and Reduced Lunch Application.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP)
We believe that healthy habits start early. Through the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program, students at eligible elementary schools receive free, fresh produce snacks right in their classrooms.
More Than Just a Snack
The FFVP is designed to expand our students’ palates and improve their long-term health. Our goals are simple but impactful:
- Discover New Favorites: We introduce children to a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed produce—including unique fruits and vegetables they may have never tried before.
- Build Healthy Habits: By increasing the daily consumption of fresh produce, we help students develop a lifelong preference for nutritious foods.
- Nutrition Education: We use snack time as a learning opportunity, promoting a healthier school environment through integrated nutrition education.
Goals of the FFVP:
- Create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices.
- Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience.
- Increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.
- Make a difference in children’s diet and improve their present and future health.
- 3 days each week students receive an additional fruit or vegetable during the school day.
The following schools will be participating for the 24-25 school year; Cleveland, Erskine, Grant Wood, Harrison, Hiawatha, Hoover, Johnson, Kenwood, Madison, Nixon, Cedar River Academy at Taylor, Van Buren, Grant and Wright.
To learn more, visit the FFVP webpage: https://www.fns.usda.gov/ffvp/fresh-fruit-and-vegetable-program
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
Revised 2-15-23
In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
- Mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-9410; or - Fax:
(833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or - Email:
program.intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Declaración de no discriminación del Departmamento de Agricultura (USDA)
Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement
It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, 6200 Park Ave Suite 100, Des Moines, IA 50321-1270; phone number 515-281-4121 or 1-800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.