Minnesota providing three million free summer meals for children under 18

Minnesota's free summer meal program is well underway.

Three million. That's how many free meals were provided to young Minnesotans last year through the Summer Food Service Program across close to 1,000 locations statewide.

Jordyn Crane is the program's coordinator through the Minnesota Department of Education and says if you're taking the family on a road trip this summer, planning ahead and finding the meal distribution sites could actually save you a few dollars.

"If you've got maybe two or three that you're driving by, you can maybe look up the menu, see what's on the menu, what times they're serving and swing on by," says Crane. "You are more than welcome to visit any open summer food service site to grab a meal."

Children ages 18 and under or those with mental or physical disabilities who participate in school programs are eligible.

The goal of the summer food service program is to provide nutrition meals to fill the nutrition gap often experienced by children during summer months.

"So I think that really just speaks to the need, but also to the force that a lot of these amazing sponsors in these communities have put together to make food accessible to children all throughout the year," explained Crane. "Not only during that school year time, but also during the school or the summer months as well."

Crane says they still get questions about who's eligible to get these meals.

"Any child under the age of 18 is able to come get a meal," she said. :There's no questions asked. There's no eligibility requirements needed. They can just show up, ask for a meal and get that meal right at that summer food service site."

Crane says those food service sites and easily be found by downloading the Free Meals for Kids app , or by calling the 211 hotline.