GGUSD Provides Free, Nutritious Meals to All Students

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) is pleased to announce that all students will continue to receive breakfast and lunch at no charge during the 2026–2027 school year. Free Super Snacks under CACFP (Child and Adult Care Food Program) are also provided to students participating in eligible after-school programs.

Meals are provided through the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and California’s Universal Meals Program, which ensures that students can receive nutritious school meals regardless of household income or meal eligibility status.

GGUSD has provided free meals to all students since the 2021–2022 school year. The district is also committed to serving healthy, high-quality meals that students enjoy. For decades, GGUSD’s Food Services team has prepared many menu items from scratch.

Since 2023, GGUSD has received Kitchen Infrastructure and Training funding from the California Department of Education to expand scratch cooking, provide staff training, purchase new commercial kitchen equipment and modernize school kitchens. The funding supports the preparation of at least 40% of weekly breakfast and lunch meals on-site, allowing the district to offer even more freshly prepared options across all grade levels.

Current scratch-made offerings include chicken parmesan, garlic noodles with teriyaki chicken, herb-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes, carnitas with Spanish rice and beans, and homemade breakfast sandwiches, burritos, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and more.

“Providing free, nutritious meals ensures that every student has the fuel they need to learn and thrive,” said Board of Education Trustee Teri Rocco. “We are proud of our Food Services team for continuing to expand fresh, scratch-made options that support student health and well-being.”

No meal application is required for students to receive free breakfast or lunch. However, families are still encouraged to complete the district’s Household Income Form, as this information helps GGUSD qualify for important funding that supports schools, students and educational programs.

For school menus, meal service information and additional resources, visit https://foodservices.ggusd.us/menus-nutrition/menus/