School Lunch Prices to Increase Next Year
The higher costs are attributed to new regulations that mandate a fruit or vegetable be provided with every meal, Council Rock officials said.
The cost of lunch at Council Rock schools will increase next year due to new mandates that require certain healthy components be served with each meal.
The Council Rock School Board on Thursday approved increasing the cost of lunch for elementary students from $2.55 to $2.75 for the 2012-2013 school year. Middle school lunches will increase by a quarter, from $3 to $3.25.
The high schools have a la carte menus. Some items will be increasing by a nominal amount.
Council Rock students attend school for 180 days per year. The 2012-2013 school calendar has five half days. That means if an elementary school student purchased a meal each of the 175 days, he or she will end up paying $35 more next year for lunch.
Middle school students will shell out $43.75 more.
Council Rock uses Chartwells Food Service as its lunch provider.
Each year, the school district is required to receive a proposal with regard to the financing of the food service department, said Robert Reinhart, the district’s director of business administration.
“This year, they are requesting an increase in pricing,” Reinhart said, adding the higher costs are attributed to new regulations that mandate a fruit or vegetable be provided with every meal.
Board member Paul Anagnostakos was skeptical of the mandate. “We’re forcing something that’s going to cost us more money,” he said. “I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.”
John Larkin
12:06 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012
I really have no problem with this increase in cost if it results in a wider and healthier selections of vegetables and fruit being offered. The current menu is, in my opinion, very deficient in providing nutritious meals. What I don't want to pay for is "pink slime". I've tried to find out if this is being used in the cafeterias but have had no luck in getting an answer. This ammonia-based filler is something that has no place in cafeteria food.
Kara Seymour
12:13 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012
That's an interesting point, John. Let me reach out to Chartwells and see what their position on pink slime is. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
Kara Seymour
12:59 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012
Just as an update, a board member has informed me that Chartwells confirmed it doesn't use pink slime at Council Rock, however, my request to their corporate HQ is in and I'll let you know if that is a blanket company policy or if it varies school district by school district.
Tim
2:12 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012
It's a falsehood to say that pink slime is "ammonia based". Read this article at HuffPo: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/04/pink-slime-ammonia_n_1404287.html
Ammonia is used to kill the pathogens - it is not the main ingredient as many think. Unfortunately most of this panic over pink slime is due to the nickname it has been given. I wish everyone would do their homework and not panic so much.
John Larkin
3:05 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012
Ok "ammonia-based" is slightly deceiving so let me change my sentence based on the article: "These fatty beef trimmings (used as fillers for ground beef) are more susceptible to contamination than other cuts of beef and need to be sprayed with ammonia mixed with water to kill germs. This is something that has no place being in the food served to our children.
Dave Bruck
7:58 am on Saturday, April 28, 2012
Chartwells does a great job handling a very important and difficult task for our kids at a reasonable price. If you have questions, reach out to Joe Twardowski,
Director of Dining Services,
215.944.2797.
Dave B.
Molly
2:44 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
School lunches suck in elementary school, get better in middle school, and hopefully next year as a freshman the lunches will be even better. But the prices are ridiculous, nearly $5.00 for a drink and pizza at newtown middle.