Loveland 6-year-old Orion Johnson and his 3-year-old brother Forest eagerly sprinted up to the Food Bank for Larimer County’s Launch Lab truck Tuesday to get themselves a hot lunch. As Orion Johnson made it to the order window he looked up and yelled to the workers inside.

“We love your food truck,” he said, stirring laughter in the crew serving up meals and his mom as she followed the boys from behind.

The Launch Lab and the Thompson School District’s Summer Food Program both returned Tuesday, bringing kids and families the opportunity to get a free lunch even when school is no longer in session.

The Launch Lab, a purple food truck painted with rockets and other planetary food items, drives around Loveland and Fort Collins throughout the summer, offering free hot meals every day for local kids. The truck hit its first spot outside the Loveland Public Library on Tuesday morning to serve up some teriyaki chicken, rice, veggies and more.

“It is getting the kids the food and it is also helping the family,” said Rhonda Niccoli, kitchen manager with the Food Bank.

As families came into or out of the library Tuesday, many stopped to get a box of food and enjoy it in the warm weather.

Kate Johnson, Orion and Forest’s mother, said her kids love the food truck. She said that they will eat things the truck serves that they may otherwise not eat at home, adding the truck always makes sure to have a healthy, well-rounded menu.

“When they found out it was back this year they were pumped,” she said.

“It just has the awesome food,” Orion Johnson said.

The Thompson School District also kicked off its summer of free meals across three locations in Loveland and Berthoud on Tuesday, also providing kids another chance to get some lunch.

“It was established for students to be able to have access to free meals when school is not in session,” said Lisa Kendall, Nutrition Services director with the district.

Across three locations, the district works to ensure kids have a hot meal that they will love but is easy enough to take on the go, Kendall said.

Both Niccoli and Kendall said providing free lunches to kids is a simple way to help parents and families during the summer when free meals for their kids are not as readily available.

“It saves them, by us providing that free meal to their kiddos … they can save that money they would be using to (make) a lunch for their kiddos,” Niccoli said.

“Being able to provide that access for kiddos that might be in a food insecure situation, it is important to have that available,” Kendall said.

The Launch Lab visits multiple sights in Loveland, Fort Collins and Laporte on Monday through Friday through Aug. 13. A full schedule as well as menu for the season can be found at foodbanklarimer.org/the-lunch-lab/. Meals are free and available to all kids 18 and younger.

The TSD Summer Food Program operates at three locations from Tuesday until July 31: Peakview Academy at Conrad Ball, 2660 N. Monroe Ave., from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.; Fickel Park, 620 Mountain Ave., from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; and Winona Elementary School, 201 S. Boise Ave., from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. All locations will not be serving on July 4 and 5 with the Fickel Park location not serving July 3 and 10 as well. Food is free to anyone ages 18 months to 18-years-old with adults able to buy a meal for themselves for $4.75. More information on this program and other district summer programs can be found on the school district website.