As kids grow, so do their appetites, but that’s not the only thing growing. School lunches have been raised by as much as a quarter in some districts such as Riverhead and North Syracuse Central in NY City, and the BHM district is seeing similar increases.
Just since last year the school lunch prices were raised by $0.05. Currently at Buffalo High School a basic school lunch sells for $2.75. Milk costs an additional $0.50 and there are many more foods and beverages that cost extra also. Prices start at $0.65, for extra foods like chips and fruit roll-ups, and can cost as much as $3.25 or more, for extra foods like beef jerky.
Generally, BHS students who were surveyed thought school lunches were too expensive compared to the quantity of food they receive. Students felt the school lunches were not worth 100% of the money that they were using to pay for them. Students believed that the cost was too expensive for the quality of food, and the portions aren’t large enough for what they pay. They also believed that the extras were too expensive because they could buy that same item somewhere else for cheaper.
“The food at BHS has gotten more and more expensive each year,” said Junior Josh Skarin. “We now have less options at more expensive prices since my sister was in high school [three years ago].”
An increase in school lunch prices can not only be seen nationwide, but also at BHS. These changes can most likely be attributed to the reform of school lunches and the movement to make them healthier.
“The BHM district has worked hard to raise nutritional value, while still keeping the prices affordable for families,” said a former Montrose Elementary school lunch lady. “This is a very difficult task for even the most pristine districts.”
