All students at Orange County Public Schools to get free meals starting this year

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Orange County Public Schools announced Monday they would offer free meals to all students in the 2023-24 school year. 

This marks the first school year OCPS is implementing the new meal provision. The lunch is being offered through the USDA’s Community Eligibility Provision program or CEP.

"We believe every student deserves access to healthy and nutritious meals regardless of socioeconomic status," the district said on its website, adding that it would implement the Community Eligibility Provision for all students. 

This applies to all students at all existing OCPS schools for all school meals, including breakfast and lunch. Students will have the opportunity to choose three to five menu items that fall into the main food groups – protein, grain, vegetable, fruit, and milk. If three to five items aren't selected, the student will be charged an à la carte price. 

Melanie Tosado said she likes making a homemade lunch for her daughter, Talia, but sees how the program will benefit others.

"I think it’s great because there’s a lot of people that can’t afford anything," she said. "There’s a lot of median-income people that are struggling, just to put food on the table, and you’ve got to do the best you can with food prices these days.

"Some of us fall into those weird places where they tell us we don’t qualify financially, but we still don’t have enough to make it," explained Monique Barnett, whose daughter Christina attends the Orange County Public Schools.

For breakfast and lunch, students must choose a ½ cup of fruit or veggies as one of the minimum of three items. 

While students get their first meal at no charge, they have the option to buy more food if they wish. That's $1.35 or $1.90 for breakfast and lunch at elementary schools, respectively, and $1.75 and $2.75 for breakfast and lunch at middle and high schools, respectively. 

According to a district spokesperson, approximately 209,.000 students will be able to eat for free.

Click here for more information and to see a list of breakfast and lunch menu items offered at your school. 

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What other Central Florida public schools offer free breakfast and lunch?

Spokespeople for school districts around Central Florida confirmed the following to FOX 35 News about their free food offerings for students in the 2023-24 school year: 

• Volusia County: Free breakfast and free lunch for all students
• Lake County: Free breakfast and free lunch for all students
• Seminole County: Free breakfast and free lunch is available for eligible students
• Brevard County: Free breakfast for all, free lunch is based on CEP criteria

While Brevard, Lake, and Volusia counties provide free lunches, over in Seminole County it’s only available to low-income families. 

"Unfortunately, the demographics in Seminole County do not make us eligible, however, our families are absolutely still able to apply for free or reduced meals based on their income level," a spokesperson told FOX 35 News.

Those in Seminole County can apply here for free meals.