By Lesli Mueller, Director of Child Nutrition
School’s out, and now the summer fun can begin. With loads of time available kids are enjoying the great outdoors in all kinds of ways. Playing at their nearest playground, biking with friends, taking part in a baseball game and swimming at the local public waterpark.
We’ve all seen these activities in our communities and are amused by their obvious enjoyment. Academics during the school year and summer are important but just as important is physical activity for our kids to grow strong. Both can be jeopardized without fuel for energy.
We all know food is what fuels us. Not any food, but ones that contain the most nutrition can make a huge difference in how we perform in our learning and recreational activities. Summer can be a care-free time full of delicious healthy food from family picnics, barbeques, and everyday meals.
For those families who count on school breakfast and lunch, the summer months can be stressful with their food budgets having to be stretched even further. With inflation, rising gas prices and the cost of living going up families could really use some relief from expenses. Thankfully, Hutchinson will be providing free summer meals through the Summer Feeding Program, funded by the USDA. Part of the food being served is sourced locally from farmers for the freshest fruits and vegetables around. All meals follow USDA nutrition guidelines. Meals are FREE to children and teens ages 18 and younger at all the community sites.
Hutchinson Public Schools partners with Common Cup and we are so appreciative of the volunteers they provide for our Summer Feeding Sites. If you are interested in volunteering for this wonderful program that benefits so many kids contact Jen Wicklund at 320-587-2213 or [email protected] for the Common Cup organization.
We are awaiting approval for sites our meals will be served at, and will get that information to the public as soon as it’s available. Our hope is by the time you read this article sites will have been approved and summer meals are up and running. We apologize for the delay this is causing in communicating details about the program, but once we know more, information will be posted on the school website, social media and posters posted throughout the community as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.
