For the past 20 years, local schools have offered students daily summer meals at no cost.

The locations change based on accessibility to students and school sites that qualify for the federal funding by having more than 50 percent of their student population meeting requirements for free or reduced lunch.

The lunch program began today in Bowling Green Independent Schools locations and at Warren Elementary School.

Gina Howard, director of food service and nutrition for Warren County Public Schools, said the program, which is housed in four county schools and three city locations, is important to the health of students. She said the county serves an average of 800 students a day.

“I think it’s important because students are given the opportunity to eat well-balanced meals during the school year and this gives them the opportunity to continue in the summer months,” she said.

Breakfast and lunch are served to anyone under 18 at Warren Elementary, Warren East High School and Cumberland Trace Elementary School, Monday through Friday at different times. Warren Central High School will only serve lunch from 11 a.m. to noon on select days. All locations are closed July 3.

In the city, lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today to July 24 at Bowling Green Parks & Recreation, Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School and the Learning Center at the Housing Authority.

All children under 18 are invited to all locations regardless if they attend a city or county school. They will receive the same meal at no charge.

Howard said the students can expect to see some nutrition and health programming throughout the summer and do not need to bring anything with them to receive a meal.

Howard said the menu is available on the county Web site at 111.warren.k12.ky.us and will include popular lunch items from the school year, including chicken rings, hamburgers and nachos.

“We would like to see more students take advantage of the program,” she said.

Summer meal program hours, locations

Monday through Friday: