Food, Fun, and Community: A Look Inside Massachusetts Summer Eats Sites
Olivia Deng
"Food is especially important because we're setting kids up for success. Their bodies are growing rapidly, mentally and physically, and food helps nourish that,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, Standby Cafeteria Manager at Boston Public Schools.
Summer Eats, a statewide program providing free, nutritious meals to kids and teens ages 18 and under when school is out, is critical for nourishing kids during the summer months. No sign-up or ID is required.
Project Bread partners with the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to ensure free meals are accessible to kids and teens across Massachusetts through Summer Eats.
Every Summer Eats site has its own approach. While all sites offer free, nutritious meals, local sponsors shape the experience with activities, special events, and menu items that reflect their communities. From Shark Week celebrations in North Attleboro to face painting in Salem, Summer Eats sites support families throughout the summer.
Behind every Summer Eats site is a dedicated team working to ensure kids in their community have consistent access to healthy meals and enriching activities in a welcoming environment. These site spotlights showcase how Summer Eats brings food, fun, and community to families across Massachusetts.
A Look Into Fighting Summer Hunger With Free Breakfast and Lunch
North Attleboro: Homemade Favorites and Shark Week Activities
Community Elementary School in North Attleboro is serving up delicious food and fun this summer.
Kids and teens start the day with breakfast options like breakfast sandwiches, French toast sticks, and homemade s'mores granola energy bars. Lunch favorites include nachos, chicken nuggets, and homemade pizza.
The fun extends beyond the cafeteria. Families kicked off the summer by meeting turtles, snakes, hedgehogs, bunnies, and lizards during a hands-on animal experience. Throughout the season, kids can make beaded jewelry, plant seeds, enter weekly raffles, and look forward to Lucky Tray Day surprises. One of the biggest highlights is the site's annual Shark Week celebration, featuring shark-themed games and activities alongside playful menu items like cheesy shark bites and shark nuggets.
With meals and activities, Community Elementary School gives kids a place to eat, have fun, and connect with friends all summer.
Salem: Fresh, Local Meals and Creative Sparks
In Salem, kids and teens enjoy nutritious meals, featuring locally-sourced ingredients, while playing with friends and participating in hands-on activities.
The site prioritizes serving fresh local foods whenever possible. One lunch featured a cheeseburger, corn on the cob, kale salad, Frozen SideKicks, chips, an apple, and milk.
After enjoying a meal, kids can take part in activities including painting, crafting, and bracelet making.
For parent Pratigya S., the combination of meals, activities, and friendships makes Summer Eats a valuable part of her family’s summer. "Two hours just pass by. They eat food, they do activities, they find their friends," she said.
Because of these reasons, she added that the program has become increasingly popular in her community. "Since last year, it's been very popular, so they find their friends as well. So it's perfect. It's a win-win situation for both of us," she said. "There should be no person, no kid who is left hungry."
Waltham: A Community Celebration
The Summer Eats Kickoff at Waltham Common was filled with activities for families, including an inflatable slide, face painting, a DJ, and a petting zoo featuring goats and alpacas. Meals were served throughout the event, with kids and teens enjoying delicious chicken salad wraps alongside fresh tomatoes and cucumbers before heading back to the festivities.
For parent Becca Masterson, Summer Eats is a reliable spot for her kids to get a meal and see other families.
“I see kids from our church, kids from our public school here, and it's really special to all eat together and connect and build a stronger community, so I think the Summer Eats program is vital to the thriving Waltham community,” she said.
Dedham: Outdoor Meals, Crafts, and Family Fun
Avery Elementary School in Dedham invites families to take a break from summer heat and enjoy breakfast and lunch outdoors at shaded picnic tables, creating a welcoming place for families to gather.
Breakfast favorites include fresh smoothies, pancakes on a stick, and breakfast breads. Lunch features kid-friendly favorites like hot dogs, cheeseburgers, watermelon, and ranch crispy chicken wraps. Throughout July, adults accompanying children can also receive a free meal every Friday in July, making it even easier for families to share a healthy lunch together.
"We are very thankful for Project Bread for providing all the crafts and giveaways because the community is very appreciative for the food as well as the activities for the kids," said Avery Summer Cook Manager Danielle Matthews.
This year's weekly activity theme, Camp Crafts, gives families a chance to get creative together with take-home activity kits featuring projects like frog decorations, mountain magnets, and adorable clay s'mores with googly eyes. The fun continues with lawn games, a nearby playground to explore, and surprise prize wheel days that keep kids excited to come back week after week.
Roxbury: A Welcoming Lunch for Kids Across the Community
At Orchard Gardens, an elementary school in Roxbury, kids from different summer programs excitedly filled the cafeteria as lunchtime began. At Orchard Gardens, Ricardo Gonzalez, who is the standby cafeteria manager, said the site serves about 100 breakfasts and lunches each day, while some other Boston Public Schools Summer Eats sites serve as many as 200 meals.
Boston Public Schools prepares meals from a central kitchen, allowing the district to efficiently provide nutritious breakfasts and lunches to Summer Eats sites serving children across Boston. On the menu was a sunbutter sandwich or a turkey salad, with a side of fruits and milk, providing kids and teens with a nutritious lunch before heading back to their summer activities.
Gonzalez emphasized how free summer meals help families facing rising costs and changes to food assistance programs.
"Having the meals be free is beneficial to families that maybe cannot afford them because of the rising cost of living. A lot of families don't have [SNAP] anymore. A lot of families had that taken away, so they come here and they're able to get breakfast, lunch, and sometimes snacks, depending on where the site is."
Help Feed Kids
Whether families are celebrating Shark Week in North Attleboro, making crafts in Dedham, enjoying locally sourced meals in Salem, gathering at community events in Waltham, or sharing lunch with friends in Roxbury, Summer Eats sites across Massachusetts are fighting summer hunger by providing nutritious meals and welcoming spaces where kids can connect, learn, play, and enjoy the summer.
You can help keep this support going. Your donation helps provide free, nutritious meals for children, strengthens local Summer Eats programs, and ensures more families can count on these vital community spaces all summer long.
Donate today to help feed kids and keep Summer Eats programs strong for families across Massachusetts. Your support helps keep kids fed and active this summer.