Eaten Up: School Lunch Price Soars

Increasing Food, Transportation Costs Make Meals More Expensive

Last updated Saturday, August 9, 2008 5:16 PM CDT in News

By Lana F. Flowers & Rose Ann Pearce
The Morning News

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    Lunch prices are up by as much as 30 cents in many school cafeterias across Northwest Arkansas as districts prepare to open in eight days.

    Milk, bread, meat, vegetable and fruit prices have all markedly increased from last year - primarily because of fuel prices jacking up transportation cost.

    Labor costs are another part of the equation, as school districts attempt to hold the line on expenses, serve nutritious meals and keep food service operations in the black.

    "We're expected to live within what we generate," said Carol Godfrey, food service director for the Springdale School District. "A lot of districts are struggling to make ends meet."

    Food service directors watched food costs steadily increase the past two years by as much as 15 percent, said Lisa Jenkins, Fayetteville food service director.

    The concern is "not knowing where it's going to end," Jenkins said.

    Smaller school districts in Northwest Arkansas are also struggling with food costs. Elkins, for example, increased its meal price by 25 cents for the new school year. Food prices are up, but the meal increase won't recoup the price increases of food, said Superintendent Mike Harris, noting the price increases have to be absorbed.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in July high prices will continue to climb into next year. Consumer staples like eggs have increased in price by 40 percent this year; food manufacturers say to expect more price increases this year.

    The increased milk prices is a particular concern for schools because of the volume of milk purchased, Jenkins said.

    The cost of all-purpose flour is up 151 percent in the past two years. Whole wheat flour has risen 136 percent.

    Bentonville is taking a new approach to the operation of its school cafeterias. Officials hope to save money by contracting for food services with Aramark Service. Bentonville officials are awaiting approval from the Arkansas Department of Education of a contract with Aramark. Until then, the district will use its own employees to prepare and serve lunches.

    The Bentonville schools meal program, under the Aramark contract, is projected to earn $182,824 for the 2008-09 school year, said Sterling Ming, the district's executive director of finance. That contrasts with a deficit of $603,000 in the 2006-07 school year and a projected similar deficit for the 2007-08 school year, Ming said. The books for last school year haven't been closed , he added.

    Students won't notice any food items missing from cafeteria menus, but district officials are watching labor costs, Ming said.

    Districts want to increase the number of students who qualify for free- and reduced-price lunches, because the districts are reimbursed for those meals from the National School Lunch Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The reimbursement rate this year is $2.57 per meal, Jenkins said.

    About half of that amount goes to cover salaries and another 25 cents is spent for milk to accompany each meal.

    "You're left with $1.05 for the meal," Jenkins said.

    Students who pay full price for school lunches don't pay the full cost of the food, which means the districts must make up the difference, administrators say.

    "Our budget is created by participation," Jenkins said. Higher numbers of students who receive assistance means a higher reimbursement from the federal government.

    Some school districts are raising breakfast and lunch prices to keep pace with increasing food costs.

    Rogers increased meal prices by 50 cents; Fayetteville, 30 cents; Siloam Springs, 20 and 25 cents; and Farmington, 25 cents.

    The price increases should net $310,000 to help pay for increased food costs, said Margie Bowers, Rogers School District food services director.

    "I'm thankful for the increase, but I regret it will be hard for some students," Godfrey said.

    Reader Comments (25 comment(s))


    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.

    greg19670 wrote on Aug 9, 2008 5:39 PM:

    " Not that it matters to the the aliens (illegal and otherwise). My wife teaches in one of the Springdale schools. 95% of the children there are Hispanic. At at 90% of them eat for free thanks to the tax payers. "

    masonstorm1958 wrote on Aug 9, 2008 7:03 PM:

    " We suspected as much. It has been common knowledge for many years, but school officials hide behind the law and public officials just flat ignore the problem. It will literally take we the people to change things. Contact www.securearkansas.com to see how you can get involved and in some way contribute to the solution. Until we band together or have people sympathic to our cause run for office, I'm sure, until we get some traction with our officials in Little Rock, this will be a long and winnable fight to wipr out or minimize the illegal problem in Arkansas. After that we can focus on getting the legal immigrants assimilated to the American way of life. Which I'm sure is better than anything they have ever experience. But to be accepted into our society, they must adopt our history, language,culture, and the American way of finding solutions to any problem. We are good at that. Why else do we lead the world in almost every major field that you can think of? "

    faithfull wrote on Aug 10, 2008 8:15 AM:

    " 90 % eat free. How did we get into this mess.. "

    Weenie wrote on Aug 10, 2008 9:42 AM:

    " "School Lunch price soars." What a crock - 25 to 30 cents is not soaring. Have you been to the grocery store recently?? The schools have to pay for the food they buy, just like you and I do, as does any resturant that you eat at. Have you noticed the high price of eating out? The resturants in Fay. and Rogers seemed to be pack every weekend. Can these people not afford to fork over another $1.50 per week for their child's lunch. Maybe they should cook at home on the weekends and/or cut out going to the mall and spending. "

    Tspud wrote on Aug 10, 2008 12:15 PM:

    " It's not the American dream anymore. It's the how much can I get for free if I am ILLEGAL dream. Schools are a bastion of liberalism and they will say it's the law. Most of us know when we are getting taken.
    90% being carried by 10%. How long can that last? "

    Cntryathart wrote on Aug 10, 2008 3:04 PM:

    " Sad part is for a single parent that makes decent money and barely making a living as it is, and now the increase of items for school is making it harder to live and stick to a very strick budget. It does not seem fair that the decision for reduced or free lunches is based on the Gross income, and not on the Net income. I pay my taxes just like everyone else, but because I make $100 too much I can't get help to feed my child every day at school. It is a really sad time that we are living in and the outsiders that are moving into our area get more concern than someone that is willing to work and at least try to make a living. "

    Weenie wrote on Aug 10, 2008 5:52 PM:

    " I realize that times are getting harder and harder. The price of gas, groceries, utilities, clothes and school supplies for children is getting ridiculous. I also realize just how unfair it is for hard working parents to make ends meet, especially when the hispanic students get free breakfast and lunch, even lunch during the summer, free school supplies and a lot of the parents buy groceries with a food stamp card! Something just doesn't seem right here. "

    recross1 wrote on Aug 11, 2008 7:46 AM:

    " as with everything else the ILLEGALS get for nothing lunch is just another slap in the face of the tax payer.Secure arkansas is holding open meetings go check the website securearkansas.com,we have to band together if we ever expect to get rid of these invaders from the south.Between them and the other illegal and legal "gimmie gimmie's"as the one person said the ones that actually need and deserve help cant get it because they are either the wrong color or speak english or both.Its dispicable,we as a whole have to stand up and tell our polititians we have had it and enough is enough,if you cant win an election on the votes of those that speak and understand ENGLISH than we dont need you anyway. "

    drpepper wrote on Aug 11, 2008 9:17 AM:

    " are you people stupid or just wanting to bash illegals? the guy in the article said "Districts want to increase the number of students who qualify for free- and reduced-price lunches, because the districts are reimbursed for those meals from the National School Lunch Program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The reimbursement rate this year is $2.57 per meal, Jenkins said.
    AND ALSO.....
    Students who pay full price for school lunches don't pay the full cost of the food, which means the districts must make up the difference, administrators say.
    I'm a working single mother who relies on food stamps & free lunches.i'm not hispanic..why do any of you care who pays for a little boys meal..it makes me sick to be a proud american "

    Weenie wrote on Aug 11, 2008 10:22 AM:

    " I guess because a lot of us grew up in "middle" class America. Our parent or parents worked, paid the bills, bought groceries, lunches and clothes for us. We never had a "free" lunch in our lives or never even saw a food stamp. Yes, times were hard then, but we didn't have to wear "designer" anything. We had 2 pairs of shoes-l for school and 1 for Sunday and it did Not matter. We didn't even have garage sales when I was growing up, my mother made over our clothes, or sewed them. I bet every child's parents that gets free lunch also has a cell phone, a DVD player and probably a PS3. Go figure!! "

    Jones wrote on Aug 11, 2008 12:11 PM:

    " Wow, you people will find any article and relate it to illigals won't you. Yeah it must be them, not the Housing Market or High Oil Prices not even the weak dollar, mmmm, you people need to think before posting comments that won't even relate to the article, at least it would make you sound a bit more intellectual. It just makes me laugh every time i hear you people cry about how Illigals are taking your jobs, well if illigals are taking your jobs than instead of sitting home and cry about it, get an education and you won't have to worry about fighting for a position picking chickens at Tyson. Education will set you apart not posting comments everyday and expecting things to change for you, here is something for you to remember: Same Efforts will bring same Results, it is crazy to think that by planting Tomatoe seeds you will grow Potatoes. "

    Tspud wrote on Aug 11, 2008 2:34 PM:

    " The first post mentioned "My wife teaches in one of the Springdale schools. 95% of the children there are Hispanic. At at 90% of them eat for free thanks to the tax payers." We are free to comment on this site. If you want to defend the ILLEGALS be our guest. If you don't think 90% in a school getting free meals at our expense is is a problem then I suggest you sponsor a few on your own. drpepper; just who do you think pays for these and the more you allude to? If the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funded by our tax dollars and it is, then these ILLEGALS are taking money out of system that could be going to your children or schools. Are we Stupid, maybe for letting it happen. I suggest that we fill up the ILLEGALS cars each week also. Any takers? Why not? "

    faithfull wrote on Aug 11, 2008 7:40 PM:

    " After reading some of the comments here it is clear some deny there is an illegal problem and don`t quite understand what a Proud American stands for. All this freebie stuff is one step closer to a socialist society. Government dependency and ohh yeah a great example of how people think. One look---New Orleans.. There was a time when there was a tragic thing happened in a community the people joined together and took it upon themselves to solve it and rebuild or whatever. Now they wait for the government to do something.. "

    ozarks wrote on Aug 12, 2008 7:40 AM:

    " So Jones, you feel you are so educated your job could never be taken, out sourced, or you replaced? Please share with us what your career is so I can change my major? I think if all would check with you local school boards the lunch room is the onlt thing that turns a big profit in schools. You know, it doesn't cost much to slap the kids a hot dog, mac & cheese, pint of milk and fruit cup. The cost is generally under $50 per lunch. In the HS they can make good money selling Red Barren Pizza at about a $1.00 per slice. It is just one more thing to jack up besides our income. Oh well wish I had a job like Jones so I would not worry so much. "

    masonstorm1958 wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:30 AM:

    " Mr. Jones: While your post is geared towards the general audience, I am a memeber of that general audience. So one personal response to a collective tirade. If you personally knew of my upbringing ,you'd not be so quick to judge. I'm a diabled professional in the retail field. I got my sheepskin in Retail Management. I was the General Store Manager for the western Springdale site under the old, now bankrupt, franchise. Which is how two coincidences came together. Namely their bankruptcy and my disability. Oh yeah, I also had a little boy shortly after this, thereby complicating and enriching my life immensely. Point is, after he is fimly established in school, I will continue my deucation and try to get off disabilty altogether. That's enough background. Now my rebuttal.I am turning fifty in September, so maybe I'm old school. My little sister and I grew up on a sisty acre working faarm in Southwest Missouri. During that time, until we established ourselves as adults, we wore handmade clothes, ate the food we grew at home, toiled the land and went to school where my folks gobbled yp anything free to aid us in our daily struggle for survival. Free lunches were a large part of that. I can still remember the shame I felt when other school kids would taunt me with the fact that we were so poor that my fols could not afford my lunches. For you see, back the it was considered shameful, cont. "

    masonstorm1958 wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:48 AM:

    " cont. to display in any manner the inability to afford your children the basics. It taught me the only way to get ahead in life was by educating myself. It paid off too. But now with my situation changed to being below the poverty level, I am forced to accpt any free assisstance that is available in order to give him a chance at an education so he can pull himself up out of our ancestorial poverty. Collectively, this family has been largely an uneducated lot for many generations. I am trying to change that. So, if freebies are part of the process then so be it. My father would call it charity, I do not. My observation is, it can be used as a financial planning tool to help you gain financial solvency. The upshot Mr. Jones is, there are deserving families out there that need those services. And they can't get them because of all the illegals in front of them. Most of these Americans don't want to have to rely on a free program but feel they have no other alternative. There are as many reasons for this as there is the colors of a rainbow. So when you have a group of people, who have no legal right to be here, pony up to the public sop, then what other kind of reaction do you expect? After going over my last post, I think I better hire a proofreader. "

    shoutitout2 wrote on Aug 12, 2008 10:14 AM:

    " DrPepper and masonstorm1958 The system was set up to help people in a time of need- tragedy, unexpected medical needs, etc. NOT for every one that wants to use it as their career!!! Also, if I hear one more time "I am a single Mom..." I am going to puke!!! Unless your husband has passed away so you are left single, I don't care to hear how unresponsible you were to get pregnant and then not have a way to support your child yourself. Btw, I don't think anyone on assistance should be allowed to have a cell phone, gym membership, go tanning, OR have anymore kids!!!! Most of them drive nicer vehicles then myself and my husband and I both work!!! It is such a shame! Also, masonstorm1958, you must not have felt too much 'shame' since you are STILL DOING IT!! Ugh you freeloaders frustrate me! "

    Tspud wrote on Aug 12, 2008 11:10 AM:

    " shoutitout2, even after reading his explanation you have the nerve and low class to attack him. So in your mind every person that gets food stamps is a freeloader. You missed the whole point of his post, benefits for ILLEGALS are taking away benefits for deserving citizens. Cell phones are a lifeline for many parents and for you to think people should not have them is almost breathtaking in it's stupidity. Who are you to decide what people should have? If a friend or relative paid for the phone or gym membership what sweat off your back is that? "

    masonstorm1958 wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:48 PM:

    " shoutitout2: So you think I'm a freeloader do ya? I paid into the system my whole working life. Believe me when I say I did not plan to become disabled. It is far more profitable to work than not to work, especially with my education and experience. It was not a choice, mister. It was because I had no other choice. We get no food stamps. What this family gets, if you must know is the following, Disability, Medicare and VA for me. The boy gets Social Security and Medicaid. My wife works at a good job with benefits. With all that we still can't and will not be able to afford monthly payments on a car. You have a car? then you are doing better than me. I'll bet you are not on disability either. In my day, I would have worked you under the table. I was very wquick with my hands and my mind. Wherever I worked, I almost always moved up the ladder. I am very proud of my work accomplishments that I had acheived. So don't sit there and throw rocks at my house you ingrate. You should be happy I had the fortitude to do something about my situation in my youth. I did something no one else in family had never done, gone on to a institute of higher learning. That should tell you something of my character. You know, TSUD is right, you missed the whole point! Thanx tsup for your support! "

    masonstorm1958 wrote on Aug 12, 2008 9:50 PM:

    " My typing is terrible. I think I'll go to bed and see if the typing genie will visit me tonight. "

    TickyTacky wrote on Aug 13, 2008 1:25 PM:

    " The point is that assistance is there for people who need it and unfortunately there are those that abuse the system (illegals for instance). If youre working and become disabled I see no problem being on disability because you know what those people worked and paid their taxes! I have a friend who is only 30 years old, she has bad kidneys and has to be on dialysis for the rest of her life!!! She has two children and guess what she did not expect to ever be in the predicament that she is in. She is in bad health and she cannot work because she is constantly in the hospital so therefore she is on disability. You never know what could happen tomorrow so before you start making remarks about freeloaders please think twice. Not everybody is a freeloader
    And the comment above Unless your husband has passed away so you are left single, I don't care to hear how un responsible you were to get pregnant and then not have a way to support your child yourself
    I see that you are married and that means you have two incomes. Some women and men that are single parents cannot afford everything and you DO NOT KNOW everyones situation and I think it is very rude of you to make comments as such. I for one am a single mother of three, I DO NOT get child support from their father, I work two jobs "

    TickyTacky wrote on Aug 13, 2008 1:25 PM:

    " cont' - I pay for my own insurance for my children, pay day care for two children, have a car payment & I do not qualify for any assistance because I make too much money. I feel like I am someone who could use the help sometimes but I do not get ANY help. I do have friends however that need assistance such as the school lunches and you know what they WORK! So they work and pay their taxes and I do not have a problem with them getting a free or reduced school lunch. No big deal in my eyes. "

    TickyTacky wrote on Aug 13, 2008 1:33 PM:

    " and one more thing i wanted to mention was that I am fortunate that I have my parents to help me out, sometimes I cannot afford to buy food so my parents will buy us groceries. How about those people that do not have anybody? How sad is that? I dont know what I would do without my family. But everybody's situation in unique. "

    girlie wrote on Aug 16, 2008 6:35 AM:

    " For those who still dont know even illegals pay taxes, You pay taxes everytime you buy something, and they eat too. You pay taxes out of each pay check you want it or not, so if you are illegal and get paid they pay taxes . So see, I do not agree that every Hispanic gets lunch for free, my siblings are Hispanic and they do pay for their lunches at school regarding their ethnicity. It depends on the incoming of your family or at least thats what the school says. I went to school myself in Springdale and I saw many North Americans get lunch for free too while I paid and I didnt get any hard feelings. many people has race problems thats not my case, I dont care if you are brown or white as long as you are fair. I am not proud of the Ilegal problem not only in Arkansas but in the WHOLE US of A but I dont jugde either because you never know the WHY somebody decides to immigrate until you KNOW them. And not everyone thats illegal robs, kills or whatever. Some people are decent people thats fighting for their families to have something to eat, nothing else but gets trowed in the bunch because of one or two that decides to do something they are not supposed to. If you will know how hard is to get a legal status in the US then you might understand. "

    Weenie wrote on Aug 16, 2008 4:18 PM:

    " Just an observation. This morning I went to the Springdale Farmer's Market at the Jones Center. I bought tomatoes and peaches. When I was leaving a hispanic man and his 2 children were buying a watermelon for $10, which is more than I could justify paying for one. The man asked if they "taka de WIC Coupons." Needless to say, he got a watermelon and I did not. "


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