School lunch prices climb

By Alex Cameron, NEWS 9

Depending on where your kids go to school, you may have to pay more for their lunches next year.

Edmond schools just raised lunch prices at the beginning of this school year 10 cents at the Elementary schools and 15 cents in the higher grades, but this week the school board voted unanimously to increase the price again -- 20 cents across the board.

The increase in price means that at Angie Debo Elementary and every other Edmond grade school, lunch will jump from a $1.85 to $2.05 and from $2.10 to $2.30 at the district's middle and high schools.

"We did not want to go back on any of the changes we've made with more fresh produce, we're serving more whole grain products," Edmond Nutrition Supervisor Shelly Fox said. "So, to keep going forward, we needed to raise prices because the alternative was to lower the quality."

Parents said they aren't thrilled with the increase, but they see the food prices going up and are going to pay more one way or another.

"Either I pack their lunch and feel it more in our budget at home, or it goes to the school," one parent said. So, for convenience, I'm willing to pay the little extra."

"The schools are making sure our kids have well-balanced meals, so if we have to pay 20 cents more, I don't think that it is a big deal," a parent said. "I think all parents are going to be willing to do that, as long as it's not junk food."

District officials said this is going on across the state and across the country, and in many places, they said, prices are going up more than 20 cents.