School lunches cost how much????!!!!

[Edina]

My children started school yesterday, so I sent them with $ 1.85 each, last years price for lunch at the middle school. They came home hungry because they said lunch is now $ 3.00, and that's without dessert!

This seems like an awfully big increase, and very expensive. What's a school lunch cost in your town, and where do you live? I'm in Weston, Ct. My kids will not be buying lunch every day this year!

 

[glo]

My kids go to a private school in Boston...they paid $1.75 with a milk and no dessert last year. It is $2.00 this year multiply times 3 kids a day...cheaper for me to make!!!

 

[Boo'sMom]

hot lunch at elementary (through grade 5) is $1.30, at middle school (6-8) it is $1.50, and HS is $1.75, this does include a dessert.
Lunch milk or juice is .35
we're in NH

 

[Breezy_Carol]

DD in high school pays $1.50 for lunch. I think she gets entree, 2 sides and a drink (milk). As long as she isn't hungry, I think it is enough. She prefers it to packing.

 

[dizneenut]

I'm in NE Ohio and lunch for my boys is $2. Multiply that by 4 boys. Needless to say, they are packing every day but pizza day.

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

North east Michigan:
Elementary: $155
Middle: $165
High School: $185

This includes a choice between three entrees (one is always pizza at Elementary & High School, Middle has a deli style sandwich) potato, vegetable or salad, milk & fruit dessert like fruity jello or canned fruit, apple sauce, etc.

Middle school also has an al a cart line with little debbies, sunny delight, chips ice cream.

High school has wayyyyy too many choices. Two entree choices in the reg. line, a snack line with hot pretzles, nachos, and one with chips, snack cakes, and three vending machines and juice and water bottle machines. I'm amazed at the variety for such a small school.

I remember going to the same school and had the horrors of Goulash and cold green beans, or worse, something unidentifiable!!!!

 

[Lynn CC]

DS is a Sophmore in H.S. . $6.00 a day for a hot lunch, dessert and drink. The same as last year!
He buys everday, and takes a Spring water in his bag so he doesn't have to buy another drink out of the machine during the day for another dollar

 

[kinlaw6450]

My kids are in Elementary school. Lunch is $1.50 per day and $2.00 on Friday if they want ice cream.

Lunch M-Th does include milk, fruit, veggies and a main and a small dessert.

 

[vickyBaby]

$2.00/day and does not include dessert.

 

[Mskanga]

My DD in elementary pays $1.15 and it includes everything, even fruit. I don't know about the other schools, I haven't gotten there yet.

 

[RUDisney]

It's $1.75 per day in our private, catholic elementary school. Reduced lunch is $.40 and some students get it for free. It includes milk or water, choice of two entrees and dessert. There is a snack cart after lunch that has pretzels, chips, fruit snacks and ice cream for $.35. The kids are allowed to buy one snack, if they choose to have a snack.

Our school can keep the cost down because it hired parishoners and mothers to work in the kitchen. The food is better and I'm sure if ARA was hired the cost would be more.

The best thing that the school did this year was to send a menu for the entire month home. I hate being nickeled and dimed each week. I'd prefer to write one check per month for both of them than to write one each week. The best part is that they still give you the option of paying weekly, for those parents who can't pay all at once.

 

[Lars624]

Elementary is 1.75
Middle School is 2.50
Both of these prices include milk but milk alone is .40
Middle schoolers can also buy a lot of ala carte items & that drives the prices way up. For instance they offer ice cream, bagels, snapple, gatorade, some Taco Bell items etc.

 

[newmousecateer]

Edina

I have no idea since I do not have school aged children anymore.

But why didn't the school go to greater lengths to let the parents know of the increase instead of letting them think it was the same as last year, and make kids go hungry all day because they didn't have enough money?

 

[jx3smom]

$2.10 at our elem. schools. Includes milk and dessert.

 

[Edina]

I'm not sure, although I'm sure they would have let the boys have their lunches "on credit" if they had asked. They used the money to buy cool pens in the bookstore instead!

As an aside, I'm very opposed to all the a la carte items. I just found out that kids can order sides of fries, bags of chips, and various other garbage in the cafeteria. I wish they wouldn't give them this option. I can't imagine how many kids forgo lunch and eat fries and ice cream for lunch instead.

I know it makes me sound old but what was wrong with the meatloaf, mashed potatoes and overcooked green beans we had for lunch when we were kids, besides the taste that is?

 

[rbuzzotta]

$1.75 here but my DD #1 (6th grade) would rather starve then buy a lunch!! DD #2 (1st grade) is looking forward to buying lunch since this is a new thing for the "bigger kids". We will see how long she wants to buy for!!

 

[supercarrie]

I spend $3.50 a day for a chicken bowl or a sandwich and a bottle of water. It is cheaper to walk across the street to the Wendys and order a salad there, which I often do. They don't sell regular cafeteria meals here.

 

[AF Brenda]

Look at the bright side Edina - at least the school didn't make them eat PB&J sandwiches!

But I agree, $3.00/day seems high to me.

 

[PandyPaws]

Edina ~ I'm in Stamford. Lunch at elementary was $1.85 last year, raised to $2.00 this year. I'm not sure how much it is at the middle school...but I agree, $3.00 is a big jump from $1.85

 

[Galahad]

$3.00 a day at a small private school in the Tampa Area. Public schools here in is $1.25 to $2.00 a day.