74 Places for Kids to Get FREE Lunch This Summer in San Diego (2024)
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Snag a free lunch this summer while having fun at the library summer programs. Get some groceries for the week when you play at the Parks After Dark.
The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) has partnered with many local organizations all over the county to provide FREE breakfasts, lunches and weekly food pantry items for your kitchens. Feeding San Diego is here to save the summer! (psst...they also allow kids 6+ to volunteer at their distrubution site and kids 14+ to volunteer at community sites.)
Find the list of libraries, schools, community sites, parks and recreation centers below to see the dates, items available and for who and how they're available.
Contents:
❓ FAQs About San Diego's Free Summer Meal Programs
Who qualifies for the free food program?
Kids under 18.
Where is the program offered?
At community sites all over San Diego County.
Is there a cost to participate?
No, it's free.
Do I have to fill out paperwork?
No, just show up.
Do my kids have to be with me?
No, parents can pick up food without their kids present.
Do I have to reserve my food ahead of time?
No, it's first come first served. So they may be all out if you get there late, but some sites often have food left over at the end of the day that they can sometimes give out the extras.
What kind of food do we get and what's included?
Each food program has different offerings and it depends what's available when you get there.
SDUSD Lunch Sites --> provides a daily breakfast & lunch some require it to be consumed on-site
SFSP Meal Sites --> has up to one week's worth of prepared meals that includes 5 breakfasts or 5 lunches to take home. But some of them only have one meal at a time that some require to be consumed on-site.
Schools, Libraries and Parks Dept. --> has "dry goods and fresh produce" available. These "no cost groceries" are first come first served, please BYO grocery bags and wagons or trolleys to take them home in.
FIVE FREE SUMMER LUNCHES & FOOD PROGRAMS IN SAN DIEGO:
San Diego has five different organizations that have partnered with San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) and with Feeding San Diego to provide free food distrubtions for kids and families during the summer.
Some give out prepared meals for breakfast and lunches to be consumed on-site, but some will give one week's supply to take home as well. The others give out no-cost dry foods and fresh produce to take home. Make sure to bring some grocery bags and a wagon to carry them back to your car or transportation.
These locations and dates are on my events calendar if you want to look by date for what's being offered...search for "Free Lunch" to find prepared breakfast/lunches or "Free Food Pantry" to find the pantry locations.
🍎 School Food PANTRIES
🥬 Library Food PANTRIES
🥦 Parks Dept. Food PANTRIES
🌯 SAN DIEGO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT LUNCH SITES
The San Diego Unified School District has partnered with various local schools, libraries, YMCA's, Parks & Rec. Dept's and Military Sites to provide FREE Breakfast & Lunches to kids 18 and under. See MENUS BELOW.
*There are no comments on this program if parents can go pick up meals without kids being present (the other programs noted below said that kids don't need to be present, but I think kids might have to be present for the SDUSD Meal Program. I'll update here when I find out.)
PUBLIC LIBRARIES
June 10 - Aug. 2
Mon-Fri from 12-1PM
Closed June 19, July 1 & 4
Central Library
Mondays 11:30a-1pm are Maker Days with crafts
Tuesdays 11:30a-1pm Game Days: Bingo, trivia, board games
Wednesdays 11:15-11:45am Story Days with singing & dancing
Thursdays 11a-12p has entertainers like drum circles & exotic animals
Fridays 11am are movie days
Rolando Library
Tuesdays 12-1pm are STEAM Tuesdays w/ Fleet Science Center
Fridays 12-1pm are boards games, chess & Legos
Skyline Hills Library
Tuesdays 12-1pm are crafting days
Thursdays 1-2pm are magic shows
Fridays 1-2pm are movie & games
MILITARY SITES
June 10 - Aug. 2
Mon-Fri from 11am-12pm
Closed June 19 and July 4
Bayview CYP
Chesterton CYP
Gateway CYP
Miramar Youth & Teen
Murphy Canyon CYP
Village at Serra Mesa CYP
YMCA & COMMUNITY CENTERS
June 10 - Aug. 2
Mon-Fri from 12-1pm
Copley YMCA - City Heights
Jackie Robinson YMCA - Lincoln Park
Mission Valley YMCA
Ocean Discovery Institute - City Heights
Sherman Heights Community Center - Golden Hill
Salvation Army Kroc Center - Rolando
PARKS & REC CENTERS
June 10 - Aug. 2
Mon-Fri from 12-1pm
Closed June 19 and July 4
Adams
City Heights
Colina Del Sol
Encanto
Golden Hill
Linda Vista
Martin Luther King Jr.
Mira Mesa
Mountain View
North Clairemont
North Park
Paradise Hills
Penn
Serra Mesa
Skyline Hills
Southcrest
Stockton
Willie Henderson
SCHOOL SITES
June 12 - July 12
Mon-Fri from 12:05-12:30pm
Closed June 19, July 4 & 5
Angier Elementary - Serra Mesa
Balboa Elementary - National City
Bethune K-8 - Paradise Hilla
Burbank Elementary - Logan Heights
Cherokee Point Elementary - City Heights
Chollas Mead Elementary - Lincoln Park
Clairemont Canyons Academy
Clark Middle School - City Heights
Pendleton Elementary - Rolando
CPMA Middle - Clairemont
Edison Elementary - North Park
Emerson Elementary - Southcrest
Encanto Elementary - Encanto
Florence Elementary - Hillcrest
Freese Elementary - Skyline
Garfield Elementary - North Park
Ibarra Elementary - City Heights
King-Chavez Elementary - Barrio Logan
6/17-7/05
Knox Middle School - Lincoln Park
Lafayette Elementary - Clairemont
Linda Vista Elementary
Logan Memorial Campus - Logan Heights
Marshall Elementary - City Heights
Mason Elementary - Mira Mesa
Miller Elementary - Tierrasanta
Normal Heights Elementary
O'Farrell Charter School - Encanto
6/10-7/31 from 12:30-12:45
Penn Elementary - Paradise Hills
Porter Elementary North - Lincoln Park
Porter Elementary South - Lincoln Park
Rosa Parks Elementary - City Heights
Valencia Park Elementary
Walker Elementary - Mira Mesa
Washington Elementary - downtown/Little Italy
Here are the menus scheduled for each day of the week, subject to change:
Mon: cheerios, graham crackers, milk, fruit, juice
Tue: mini cinamon rolls, juice, fruit
Wed: concha pan dulce, fruit, juice
Thur: cinnamon rice chex cereal, milk, string cheese, fruit, juice
Fri: "Banana Chocolate benefit bar", fruit, juice
Mon: chicken nuggets, roll, chicken salad, fruit bowl, carrot sticks
Tue: ranch chicken salad wrap, cheesy bread, fruit bowl
Wed: cheeseburger, hummus w/ tortilla chips, fruit bowl
Thur: chicken patty sandwich, mozzarella breadsticks, fruit bowl, pinto beans
Fri: cheese pizza, sunbutter/jelly sandwich, string cheese, fruit bowl
🥪 SFSP MEAL LUNCH SITES
The following are MEAL LOCATIONS offered by the Summer Food Service Program
Summer Food Service Program Meals come in boxes containing one week’s worth of prepared meals (e.g., five breakfasts and five lunches) to be consumed onsite or taken home (each site might have their own requirements for this). Parents or guardians can pick up meals without their kids present. Meals are served on a first-come basis.
Julian Elementary
1704 Cape Horn St., Julian, CA 92036
Mondays 11:30am-1pm
06/10/24 – 7/12/24
Mesa Grande Indian Housing Authority
27000 Black Canyon Rd., Warner Springs, CA 92086
Monday through Friday 12 to 1 p.m.
06/10/24 – 08/09/24
San Diego County Library – Jacumba Branch
Jacumba Community Park, 44605 Old Hwy 80
Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934
Tuesdays 12 to 7 p.m.
6/11/24 – 8/20/24
Warner Springs Resource Center
30950 California Highway 79, Warner Springs, CA 92086
Tuesdays 3 to 5 p.m.
06/17/24 – 7/31/24
Vista Library
700 Eucalyptus Ave., Vista, CA 92084
Tuesdays 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
06/17/24 – 8/31/24
Valley Center Library
29200 Cole Grade Rd., Valley Center, CA 92082
Tuesdays 1 to 3 p.m.
6/18/24 – 8/20/24
Ramona Community Library
1275 Main St., Ramona, CA 92065
Tuesdays 12 to 1 p.m.
7/8/24 – 8/8/24
🍎 SUMMER SCHOOL FOOD PANTRIES
Certain school pantries stay open through the summer months to continue supporting the community. School pantries provide various dry goods and fresh produce. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags and method of transportation for the no-cost groceries.
El Cajon Valley High School
1035 E Madison Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92021
2nd and 4th Tuesdays
(June 11th & June 25th only)
7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
6/4/24 – 6/28/24
Howard Gardner Community School
647 E St.
Chula Vista, CA 91910
1st and 3rd Tuesdays
3:30 p.m. until food runs out
6/6/24 until next school year
Pendleton Elementary
6506 Solita Ave.
San Diego, CA 92115
2nd and 4th Thursdays 12 to 5 p.m. 6/6/24 – 7/12/24
Warner Elementary
30951 CA-79
Warner Springs, CA 92086
2nd and 4th Tuesdays
3 to 5 p.m.
6/11/24 until next school year
Castle Park Middle School
160 Quintard St.
Chula Vista, CA 91911
2nd Wednesdays
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
6/12/24 until next school year
NHA Head Start
3770 Altadena Ave.
San Diego, CA 92105
Wednesday 6/12/24 and Wednesday 8/21/24
1 to 3 p.m.
6/12/24 and 8/21/24
San Marcos Elementary
1 Tiger Way
San Marcos, CA 92069
2nd and 4th Wednesdays
12 to 1:30 p.m.
6/12/24 until next school year
Lincoln High School
4950 Holly Dr.
San Diego, CA 92113
2nd and 4th Fridays
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
6/14/24 – 7/12/24
Borrego Springs High School
587 Palm Canyon Dr.
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
1st and 3rd Tuesdays 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
6/18/24 until next school year
Porter Elementary
445 South 47th St.
San Diego, CA 92113
1st and 3rd Wednesdays
9 a.m. until food runs out
6/19/24 until next school year
The Preuss School UCSD
3750 Voigt Dr.
La Jolla, CA 92037
2nd and 4th Fridays
2 to 4 p.m.
6/21/24 – 7/12/24
Lexington Elementary
1145 Redwood Ave.
El Cajon, CA 92019 1st and 3rd Thursdays
7 to 9 a.m.
6/26/24 – 7/31/24
🥬 SUMMER COUNTY LIBRARY FOOD PANTRIES
Summer mobile pantries provide various dry goods and fresh produce. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags and wagons to carry the food, which includes pantry items and fresh produce.
Imperial Beach Summer Pantry
810 Imperial Beach Blvd.
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
Wednesdays 6/5, 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14, 8/21, 8/28
Thursday 6/20
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June – August 2024
Poway Summer Pantry
13137 Poway Rd.
Poway, CA 92064
Wednesdays 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10, 7/17, 7/24, 7/31, 8/7
3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
June – August 2024
Casa de Oro Summer Pantry
9805 Campo Rd. # 180
Spring Valley, CA 91977
2nd and 4th Thursdays
12:30 to 5 p.m.
June – August 2024
Spring Valley Summer Pantry
836 Kempton St.
Spring Valley, CA 91977
2nd and 4th Thursdays
12:30 to 5 p.m.
June – August 8, 2024
Borrego Springs Summer Pantry
2580 Country Club Road
Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Tuesday 6/18
Wednesdays 7/3, 7/17, 8/7, 8/21, 9/4, 9/18
12 to 1 p.m.
June – September 2024
Lakeside Summer Pantry
12428 Woodside Ave.
Lakeside, CA 92040
4th Fridays
1 to 2 p.m.
June – August 2024
🥦 SUMMER PARKS AFTER DARK FOOD PANTRIES
Feeding San Diego has partnered with Parks After Dark to provide no-cost groceries at their events. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own bags and wagons to carry the food, which includes pantry items and fresh produce.
Members of the community can attend Parks After Dark and enjoy music, entertainment, arts & crafts, and other activities, as well as access a variety of community resources. This will be available every Friday during the event. There are no Parks After Dark events on the week of the Fourth of July.
City Heights Recreation Center
4380 Landis St.
San Diego, CA 92105
Fridays 5 to 8 p.m. June 20 – August 17, 2024
Linda Vista Recreation Center
7064 Levant St.
San Diego, CA 92111
Fridays 5 to 8 p.m.
June 20 – August 17, 2024
Skyline Recreation Center
8285 Skyline Dr.
San Diego, CA 92114
Fridays 5 to 8 p.m.
June 20 – August 17, 2024
Memorial Recreation Center
2902 Marcy Ave.
San Diego, CA 92113
Fridays 5 to 8 p.m.
June 20 – August 17, 2024
Silver Wing Recreation Center 3737 Arey Dr.
San Diego, CA 92154 Fridays 5 to 8 p.m. June 20 – July 27, 2024
Other Food Resources
In addition to its summer programming, Feeding San Diego provides no-cost food distributions throughout San Diego County year-round in partnership with other non-profits, faith-based, and community organizations. You can find other distributions near you on our Find Food Map. For additional resources, please call 2-1-1.