Food & Nutrition

Cole Nutrition Program

Providing nutritious meals to our students is our commitment to the Cole Arts & Science Academy community. Breakfast is served in classrooms, our cafeteria services healthy lunches and students receive fruit as a snack in the afternoon.
 
We recognize that well-nourished children are better equipped to learn. Providing healthy food and nutrition education are the key ingredients in educating students to make choices that will develop into life-long healthy eating habits. 
 
The school lunch program is operated under the federally funded National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act. All federal laws regulating the program are administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through the Denver regional office and implemented by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). The program objectives are to safeguard the health and well-being of students by providing nutritious food in a safe environment at an affordable price and to help ensure that participating children gain a full understanding of the relationship between proper eating and good health.

Breakfast in the Classroom

Breakfast is served everyday in the classroom. At Cole, students can come into the classroom in the morning and eat their breakfast before class starts. Breakfast is served from 8:05-8:25 a.m. Instruction starts at 8:30 a.m.


Breakfast is FREE for ALL DPS students.


Milk is served daily as is fruit and juice. Entrees are nourishing and easy to eat at a desk or table. Popular items such as cereal, bagels, string cheese and yogurt are some cold items on the menu and hot items may include a breakfast burrito or an egg and biscuit sandwich.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is an important tool in our efforts to combat childhood obesity. The program has been successful in introducing elementary school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample. The various partnerships that FNS and state agencies have developed in the public and private sectors, as well as the dedicated work of school administrators, have contributed to the overall success and acceptance of the program. FFVP is consistent with and supports the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s recommendations to provide healthier snack choices in schools.