School and Community Nutrition

​​​Good nutrition makes a vital contribution to physical development and cognitive performance. KDE administers several programs that deliver quality nutrition and nutrition education to Kentucky students and other citizens. In addition to the important mission of providing fuel for growth and learning, these programs bring into Kentucky more than $500 million annually in federal reimbursement funds, employ several thousands of our fellow citizens and utilize thousands of dollars worth of commodities produced by American farmers. For far too many of our children, the meals that they receive through these programs are the only meals they receive that are planned with their nutritional needs in mind.

Child and Adult Care Food Program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that provides meal reimbursement to child care centers, head starts, adult day care centers, emergency shelters, afterschool programs, and family daycare homes for serving nutritious meals and encouraging healthy eating habits.

School Meals Programs
The School Meals Programs includes the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Seamless Summer, and Special Milk Program. Each of these federally funded programs helps fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing public schools, private non-profit schools, after-school programs and residential child care institutions for providing healthy meals and snacks to children. 

Summer Food Service Program
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program that ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Just as learning does not end when school lets out, neither does a child's need for good nutrition.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement​