School is out for the summer, but not summer lunches.

The Blackfoot School District, Shelley School District and Aberdeen School District all offer summer meals for children ages 1-18. For children in Bingham County, these free lunches help ensure no child goes hungry.

Besides preventing hunger, evidence suggests summer nutrition helps prevent the "summer slide" in academic achievement. While structured school may be out for the summer, learning doesn't stop. Summer hunger can slow down summer learning one stomach growl at a time.

The Blackfoot summer lunch program serves lunches Monday, June 9, through Thursday, July 31. The program will be closed July 2-4 and July 7 for Independence Day week. Lunches are served at four school locations from 11 a.m. to noon: Groveland Elementary at 375 W. 175 N., Donald D. Stalker Elementary at 991 W. Center St., Riverbend Elementary at 730 E. Walker St. and Blackfoot Heritage Sixth Grade at 50 S. Shilling. Unique to the Blackfoot program, adults can join their children for lunch for $5. Blackfoot serves only lunches, not breakfast.

Shelley's program operates only during June at Sunrise Elementary School, 200 E. Fir. Breakfast starts at 8 a.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. Following the district's Monday-Thursday schedule, summer meals are served four days a week. The program invites all children ages 1-18 for "yummy food and fun activities."

Aberdeen's summer meals run Monday through Friday during June, with breakfast beginning at 7:55 a.m. and lunch at 11:15 a.m. Free meals are served at Aberdeen Elementary School, 382 W. Washington.

The Snake River and Firth school districts will not offer summer lunch programs.

All participating schools offer kid-friendly meals. Blackfoot's menu includes walking tacos, corn dogs, sloppy joes, popcorn chicken and "pepperoni rippers." Blackfoot also hosts special lunch days including bring-a-friend day, fruit tasting day and taco day.

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service programs largely fund school lunches. Their goal is to partner with other organizations to increase food security and reduce hunger while supporting American agriculture. The agency believes "no one in America should have to go hungry."