Orange County Schools Announce Meals for All Students at No Charge

For the 2025 - 2026 school year, all students at Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) will receive all school meals at no charge. There will be no need for applications* or eligibility determinations; every student will have the opportunity to enjoy delicious and wholesome meals during the school day.

To ensure children are eating nutritiously, students can choose three to five components for their meal. The five food group components are: proteins, grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk.

For menu details, access school menu calendar and search for your child's school.

The implementation of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) aims to ensure that every student has access to healthy food, regardless of their background. No student should go hungry and this initiative is expected to enhance students' well-being and academic performance while reducing the stigma associated with receiving free or reduced-price meals.

The OCPS family is coming together to fuel students brains and fill their tummies for a successful school year ahead!

For more information, visit the Orange County Public Schools - Food and Nutrition Services webpage >> www.ocps.net/meal-benefits-home

* Students enrolled at Horizon West's newest school, Atwater Bay Elementary, are not included in the Community Eligibility Provision program at this time; however, OCPS will cover the financial costs to provide free meals for all students for the 2025-2026 school year.  Families are encouraged to fill out the Free and Reduced Meals application. Doing so assists OCPS with gathering the data required to qualify the school for the CEP program in the 2026-2027 school year.