Skip navigation
Most in Iowa
54Nationally board-certified teachers
A lunch tray with chicken nuggets, milk, blood oranges, sweet potato fries, with fruits and vegetables.

Cedar Rapids Community School District participates in the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program, which meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Each day, the food and nutrition team prepares 15,000 meals for students.

School meals provide the right balance of protein, dairy, grain, fruits, and vegetables, and are at an age-appropriate portion size, which ensures students get proper nutrition and the energy they need. Students who eat school meals provided by the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs are more likely to be at a healthy weight.

Research has shown that students who eat school meals perform their best academically, and those who eat school breakfast have greater gains in standardized test scores. Additionally, healthy eating correlates with fewer trips to the school nurse and better school attendance.

Contact the food and nutrition department at 319-558-2305 or foodservice@crschools.us.

Summer Breakfast and Lunch

School Breakfast

  • Provides one-fourth of a student’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and calories. Three components that consist of a minimum of four food items must be offered; students have the choice to decline one food item.
    • 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

  • Provides one-third of a student’s recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and calories. Five food components must be offered; students must select at least three components in the required serving sizes; one selection must be at least one-half cup from either the fruit or vegetable component.
    • Daily serving of low-fat/fat free milk
    • Daily serving of fruit (½-1 cup)
    • Daily serving of vegetables (¾ – 1 cup)
    • Including a weekly requirement for dark green, orange/red, beans/peas (legumes), starchy and “other” vegetables
    • Daily minimums and weekly ranges for meat/meat alternatives
    • Daily minimums and weekly ranges for grains with a focus on whole-grain rich items

Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Schools for the 2023-24 school year.

Elementary Schools

  • Arthur, Cleveland, Erskine, Garfield, Grant, Grant Wood, Harrison, Hiawatha, Hoover Community, Johnson STEAM Academy, Kenwood Leadership Academy, Madison, Nixon, Cedar River Academy at Taylor, Van Buren, Wright

Middle Schools

  • Franklin, Harding, McKinley STEAM Academy, Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy, Wilson

High Schools

  • City View, Jefferson, Metro Alternative, Polk Alternative

Early Childhood

  • Truman Early Learning Center

All students 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 Release Agreements and Economic Information (CEP) survey 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.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

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/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.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:

  1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
    1400 Independence Avenue, SW
    Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
  2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
  3. email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

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, Grimes State Office building, 400 E. 14th St. Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website: http://icrc.iowa.gov/.


Key contact

Jennifer Hook

Food and Nutrition Manager