Meal prices going up next year in CFISD

Due to an increase in food costs and new mandates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cy-Fair Independent School District trustees voted April 11 to approve a slight increase in the recommended student and adult meal prices for the 2011-12 school year.

The district has not increased meal prices since the beginning of the 2000-01 school year.

Elementary students next year will pay a nickel more for breakfast and a dime more for lunch. Breakfast will cost $1 and lunch $1.75.

Secondary students will pay $1.25 for breakfast next year, a 15-cent increase. Lunch will increase by 20 cents to $2. Premium lunch, which features higher cost ingredients such as fruit and yogurt parfaits, will remain at $2.50.

Adults eating in the district cafeterias will pay $1.50 for breakfast, a 30-cent increase, and $2.75 for lunch, a 60-cent increase.

The Consumer Price Index for food has increased 25.2 percent since 2000 and is forecast to increase from 3 percent to 4 percent in 2011.

As an example, the cost of a one-half pint of milk has increased from 13 cents to 26 cents during this period.

Effective July 1, 2011, Section 205 of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires school food authorities participating in the National School Lunch Program to gradually increase paid meal prices to equal the USDA reimbursement for a free student meal or provide non-federal funding to cover the difference. The USDA requires a minimum increase of 5 cents for the 2011-12 school year.

Adult meal prices are currently below the amount allowed by USDA, and must equal the paid meal price plus reimbursement for a paid student meal and the value of USDA-donated commodities. The recommended price of $2.75 will account for increases in 2011 reimbursement and commodity assistance rates.