MarketWatch: Schools hit by rising food costs

[marmar]

Schools hit by rising food costs

By Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch



WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. schools are being overwhelmed by growing food costs, and some are cutting back on meals for kids and "downgrading" menus, lawmakers are told Wednesday.

It will cost an additional $1.5 billion to prepare lunches this school year, according to an estimate from Katie Wilson, president-elect of the School Nutrition Association, who is testifying before the House Education and Labor Committee.

Wilson's estimate is based on preliminary findings from a recent survey of school-nutrition directors that show the cost of school-meal preparation will rise 30 cents per meal per child per day -- 5 billion lunches were served last year -- to a national average of $2.88.

"As food costs continue to rise, we are challenged to do more with much less," she said.

Committee Chairman Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., said that the federal-reimbursement rate for child-nutrition programs increased last year by 3% to 4%, lagging cost gains for lunch staples. The child-nutrition programs serve more than 31 million students, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.

With the fall fast approaching, these increases are forcing school districts operating under already tight budgets to make some very tough choices," Miller commented. "Many report having to use frozen vegetables instead of fresh vegetables, processed-wheat products instead of whole grains and prepackaged foods instead of more nutritious entrees that involve additional preparation costs."
Due to rising food costs, some schools are cutting back universal free meals, Wilson testified, citing a North Carolina district that will stop offering free breakfasts to students at six district schools. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/schools-hit-rising-food-costs/story.aspx?guid=%7BE860E747%2D01A3%2D4C25%2DBA25%2D10DC8974A748%7D

[glowing]

1. Oh great... now, children will underperform even more... while gaining weight

from unhealthy packaged crap.

[femmocrat]

2. That is a shame.... after schools were finally starting to make some progress.

Our district just started offering fresh fruit (instead of the syrupy canned stuff) like 2 years ago. Frozen vegetables are better than canned, at least.

Considering that for some families, the school nutrition program is 2/3 of the child's diet, school meals still have a long way to go. Still too much salt and fat in them. And way too much sugary junk at breakfast.

Our prices went up 10 cents, I think. Not bad, but some surrounding districts are going up maybe 30 cents. We never had universal free meals!