Maryland's Largest School District
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded program that began as a pilot based on the belief that good nutrition is essential for learning. Research has consistently linked eating breakfast to positive outcomes for children, including improved brain function and academic performance. The MCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) operates the SBP, providing an opportunity for more than 160,000 students across over 200 schools to eat a nutritious breakfast each day.
DFNS utilizes different models of breakfast service depending on the school each child attends.
The Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) breakfast model provides a complete breakfast for students to eat in the classroom. In elementary schools, after arriving at school and making their way to the classroom, students select the entree, sides, and milk of their choice to enjoy during morning instruction. In middle and high schools, serving models are unique to each school setting.
The traditional serving line model provides a complete breakfast to students in the setting of the cafeteria serving line. After arriving at school, students go to the cafeteria to select the entree, sides, and milk of their choice to enjoy before morning instruction.
Breakfast kiosks provide students an opportunity to select a complete breakfast in a setting inside of the school but outside of the cafeteria. Students select the entree, sides, and milk of their choice from a central location to help facilitate greater breakfast access throughout the school.
DFNS offers a variety of nutritious and filling breakfast entrees, fruits, and milk choices. Menus can be found here, by selecting each child’s school, and navigating to the “Breakfast” drop-down option.
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally funded program that helps schools provide balanced meals with nutrient-rich foods to children. DFNS operates the NSLP, providing nutritious, low-cost, or free lunches to students each school day.
Meal Pattern Requirements
To promote optimal health and wellness, every lunch offers five meal components including a protein, grain, milk, fruit, and vegetable. The amount and types of components offered meet meal pattern requirements that vary by grade level.
The At-Risk Afterschool Meals component of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) offers federal funding to afterschool programs that serve a meal or snack to children in low-income areas. DFNS provides afterschool snack and supper programs to children at no cost in a safe space to engage in structured activities with friends and supportive adults.
Schools may participate in the CACFP afterschool meal program if:
The MCPS Summer Meals Program provides nutritious meals at no cost and is designed to provide food and nutrition when school is out.
The MCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services (DFNS) is the Summer Food Service (SFSP) sponsor in Montgomery County and serves approximately 9,500 children across 120 summer meals locations each day.
Schools and sites interested in summer meal service for the 2026 summer must request meal service by May 15, 2026. Requests are to be made through the 2026 Summer Meals Request form.
Schools and sites are eligible to participate in the SFSP if:
Located at a site where at least 50% of children in the school attendance area are eligible for free and reduced-priced school meals, also known as being Area Eligible. Annually by February 15th, DFNS shares the list of Area Eligible SFSP sites for the upcoming summer. See below for the most up-to-date list.
At least 50% of students enrolled in programs at the site are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. A student roster is required to determine eligibility.
DFNS will confirm 2026 meal sites, including details, no later than June 5, 2026. Some sites will require an adult point of contact to attend DFNS summer meal training for food safety, ordering, storing, and distributing meals, and require on-site presence during meal service.
DFNS Open Meal Sites: Children ages 18 and under, and those above 18 with a disability who are enrolled in school programs may come to any of these locations, Monday through Friday, for a healthy and nutritious lunch.
Click here to view the list of 2025 summer food service meal sites. No appointment is necessary. However, meals must be eaten at the location.