Summer in Minneapolis is about to come with a guaranteed side of free food for kids. Minneapolis Public Schools will serve free meals and snacks to any child 18 and under from June 15 through August 28 at more than 60 sites across the city. Families do not have to enroll in the district or sign up in advance; children can simply show up during posted serving times, and meals must be eaten on site.
According to Minneapolis Public Schools, no-cost meals and snacks will be available beginning June 15, 2026, at schools, parks, recreation centers, libraries, and other community locations. The district notes that food is served only during specific timeframes and that meal service follows federal program rules. The Summer 2026 sites list on the district website was last updated on May 12, 2026.
Local outlets have highlighted that the effort is funded through the federal Summer Food Service Program and that families do not need to complete any paperwork to participate. As reported by MPR News, the free meal program runs June 15 through August 28 and covers more than 60 participating sites around Minneapolis.
Food truck and bus service
For kids who like their lunch with a little flair, Minneapolis Public Schools is also sending meals on the road. The district will deploy its Street Eats hot-food truck and the True Food bus around the city this summer. The Street Eats truck is scheduled Tuesday through Thursday, July 7 through July 30, from noon to 2 p.m., and the True Food bus will run Monday through Friday, June 22 through August 21. These mobile routes and site times are listed on the district's summer meals page, according to Minneapolis Public Schools.
How to find a meal
Families looking for the nearest serving window can use the Free Meals for Kids app, which maps locations, serving times and meal types across participating sites. The app is maintained by Hunger Impact Partners and is updated regularly.
Why this matters
The summer program taps federal Summer Food Service Program funding to help close the nutrition gap when school is out, and state officials have linked it to broader gains from Minnesota's push to expand access to free meals. The Minnesota Department of Education provides sponsor resources and site locators, and Governor Tim Walz's office has noted that Minnesota's Free School Meals Program served more than 151 million meals in its second year, underscoring the state's recent focus on feeding students year-round.
