The Guam Department of Education will continue to serve school meals at no cost to public school students during School Year 2026-2027 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Eligibility Provision (CEP.)
The initiative aims to ensure that all children have access to nutritious meals throughout the school day without the need to apply or fill out paperwork to qualify.
"Meals include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products designed to meet the nutritional needs of growing children," GDOE officials said on July 22.
Rynette Perez, program coordinator for GDOE's Food and Nutrition Services Management Division recognized the importance healthy meals noting every meal is "carefully planned to meet USDA nutrition standards and age appropriate meal pattern requirements.
"For many children, school breakfast and lunch make up a significant portion of their daily food intake, making these programs an important investment in their health, well-being, and academic achievement," Perez said.