School Lunch Price Hike?

Alabama Baldwin County The Baldwin County Board of Education could raise the cost of school lunch 25 cents

by Pat Peterson

Published: Thu, April 23, 2009 - 5:58 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, April 23, 2009 - 7:05 pm CST

Ledonia Bailey will have two children attending public school in Baldwin County next year. The Summerdale mother works at a local convenience store and says she can't afford a school lunch price increase.

"We're pulling overtime just to pay our bills," says Bailey. "We can't afford for our school lunches to be raised, we're not making enough as it is, we're doing everything we can to pay our bills."

School officials are considering raising the price of school breakfast and lunch. If the hike is approved, a meal for elementary school students will increase from $1.50 per meal to $1.75. Students in grades seven through twelve will see an increase from $1.75 to two bucks a meal.

"It's being done because of an increase in food costs and labor costs," says Terry Wilhite, spokesman for the Baldwin County Board of Education. "School lunches are still the best deal going."

Teachers could also be asked to pay and extra 25 cents per meal. The hike would not affect students on reduced lunch.

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southfan1981 Says:

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 5:09 pm

engtchr I am right behind you. When I did my placement in the classroom, I was stunned at the waste and GROSS food offered to kids. Glance at the still above. Pizza like that is processed meat, fatty cheese and bread. Add the sugar from the peaches and you have more carbs than a child with limited recess needs. Offer the kids JUICE and you are way over the limits for insulin spiking sugars. These kids need vegetables that are interesting and delicious. Teach the kids to say “Just say no” to McNuggets.

Wait4Me Says:

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 8:53 am

I wish I could eat a meal for 2 dollars, its only 1.25 more per week, what did these people do last year when gas was 2.00 a gallon more? Not drive at all? Come on this is not bad, whats bad is the teachers losing their jobs, who is going to teach the kids the cafateria ladies?

SamRock Says:

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 8:41 am

I agree with the brown bagging. Did my share of balogna or PBJ’s with a banana or an apple. Lots of trading going on too.

Wait4Me Says:

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 7:21 am

Could be, but it could be the price of food is going up also, and the school is already in the hole and cant afford to lose anymore on lunches.

cmb1 Says:

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 at 6:58 am

The problem i see again is. If you get free (discounted lunches) the price won’t change but if you pay for lunch the price goes up? Sounds like another Obama…

Wait4Me Says:

Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 6:57 pm

Brown bag it like we did when we were little and mom couldnt afford school lunches. And they didnt offer breakfast at all, mom got up fixed breakfast for us, fixed our lunch, sent us to school, then went to work.

engtchr Says:

Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 6:34 pm

Suggestion:
Stop paying for disposable styrofoam plates and utensils! Stop buying pre-cooked food that only requires heating. Real food is cheaper. Real dishes are cheaper. Lunches at at least one school are a disgrace. They are pitiful excuses for nutrition.
Mr. Peterson, conduct an investigation on what is being served and the cost of today’s menu items compared to those ten years ago.