Kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students will receive free morning snacks at all Alexandria City Public Schools starting next year. 
    
We have been serving snacks at one of our elementary schools for three years Id been wanting to do snacks for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten for a long time, but the funding was not available, said Becky Domokos-Bays, ACPS food and nutrition director. 
    
The general operating budget allocated the $130,000 needed to serve fresh fruits, vegetables and whole-grain items at no cost to parents this year.
    
The younger students are being targeted because at such a young age, it is difficult for them to go long without snacking, said Domokos-Bays. In addition, 57 percent of all Alexandria public school students received free or reduced lunch.
    
We just decided its the right thing to do. And were saving parents money, she said.