Barnstable's School Lunch Prices On the Rise

The price of a Barnstable school lunch is going up, but not by much. Due to new regulations, Barnstable lunches will increase by 10 cents for the 2011-2012 school year.

Prices are increasing to assure a higher quality of cafeteria food, as mandated by the “Equity in School Lunch Pricing” federal policy. However, no additional federal funds are being allocated to offset the price increase.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the production cost of a school lunch is often times greater than the price of a school lunch. Currently federal funds are used to help “fill the gap” between what a lunch costs, and what a school actually receives for it.

The policy’s goal is to make sure schools have the funds necessary to provide quality meals.

According to the USDA, school’s with an average lunch price of less than $2.46 will be, starting July 1 2011, required to gradually increase the price of lunch.

Barnstable school officials believe 10 cents will be a manageable increase that will benefit the school lunch program.

Barnstable’s current $2.26 average lunch price is closely aligned with neighboring districts’ prices. Next year’s new average price is also expected to be on par with other Massachusetts school districts.

The 2011-2012 Barnstable elementary school lunches will cost $2.10. Intermediate and high school lunches will increase to $2.35. The price of faculty lunches will be $2.75.

According to Assistant Treasurer Gareth Markwell, the last time Barnstable increased school lunch prices was in 2007.

School officials will reevaluate the price of lunches each year in order to meet government guidelines.