Denver kids just scored a big summer assist. The city launched its Tasty Food summer meal program on Monday, serving free breakfast, lunch and snacks to children ages 3–18 at 19 sites across the city, most of them recreation centers. Meals are available most weekdays through Aug. 21, and families do not need to register or show ID.
Where to get meals
The city’s Tasty Food page lists participating recreation centers, pools, and libraries, along with site-specific hours, start dates and menus. According to the City and County of Denver, Tasty Food meals are prepared fresh, are low in fat and are designed to include up to five major food groups.
How it works
As reported by Axios, the program that launched Monday will serve children ages 3–18 at 19 sites, with hours, start dates and offerings that vary by location. Most sites provide breakfast, lunch and a snack on weekdays and operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so families do not need to sign up in advance.
Why it matters
Nearly 46% of Denver students qualified for free or reduced-price lunch during the 2023–24 school year, highlighting the gap families face when school meals stop for the summer, per Denver7. "There has been an uptick in Tasty Food participation, especially since the pandemic," Andrea Garcia-Schoelzel, the Office of Children's Affairs health initiatives administrator, told Denver7, adding that the program has served more than 1.7 million meals and snacks since 2012.
Find times and menus
The city has published a monthly menu and a full site list on the Tasty Food page, and parents are encouraged to check that page for start dates and special hours at individual centers. For additional help, the Food Resource Hotline listed on the page offers multilingual support at 855-855-4626.
City leaders are framing the program as a straightforward way to stretch family budgets while grocery prices remain high and are urging youth to pair meals with recreation programming at the sites. For an overview of the rollout and links to the city list, see Axios.
