Summer Meals in North Carolina
Many children in North Carolina depend on school for their daily nutrition. When the traditional school year ends, the NC Summer Nutrition Programs makes sure there are still meals available at no cost for kids who need them.
The No Kid Hungry NC team works closely with the NC Department of Public Instruction, schools, and community partners to promote information about how to find summer meal sites in NC.
Find the latest information and resources about the NC Summer Nutrition Programs at SummerMeals4NCKids.org.
Find county-level information about participation in the NC Summer Nutrition Programs with our Summer Meals County Profiles.
The NC Summer Nutrition Programs (Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option) are administered by NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), with federal assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). NCDPI works with schools and community organizations as sponsors to offer free meals and educational enrichment to children and teens ages 18 and younger when school is out. NCDPI reimburses approved sponsors who serve free, nutritious meals and snacks to children and teens in low-income areas.
How to Find Summer Meals
Finding free, appealing, nutritious meals for kids and teens this summer is easy!
- Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304 to receive a text with the three drive-thru or pickup sites with meals for kids closest to you.
- CLICK HERE to use the NC Site Finder Map, from the NC Department of Public Instruction, to find summer meals sites across the state.
- Check your local school district’s website, social media, and other communications for the most up-to-date information.
Don’t forget:
- All kids and teens ages 18 and under can eat for free.
- No registration, application, or ID is required.
- Contact sites ahead of visiting to verify information like times and location.
Fast Facts
- In summer 2021, North Carolina served approximately 16.8 million meals to kids. This is 4.6 times the number of meals served in NC in summer 2019, the last “traditional” service summer.
- North Carolina had 213 summer meals sponsors in 2021.
- During the emergency pandemic response in 2020, North Carolina had the second highest use out of all states of the summer texting hotline that helps families find meal sites.