School Lunch Prices Rise For A Second Year

Sun., July 21, 1996

By Jeanette White jeanettew@spokesman.com

Spokane parents must reach deeper into their pockets for school lunch money this year as prices jump for the second time in two years.

Lunch will go from $1 to $1.15 in Spokane School District’s elementary schools; from $1.25 to $1.50 in middle schools; and from $1.50 to $1.75 in high schools.

For high school kids using debit accounts, the price will rise from $1.25 to $1.50.

Breakfast prices are the same.

School officials link the increase to wage hikes and new menu regulations calling for more fruits, vegetables and bread. Those items increase preparation costs.

Kitchen workers earn 9 percent more than they did when lunch prices were last raised in 1994, said Associate Superintendent Walt Rulffes. They’ll get another 1 percent increase next year.

New regulations also call for larger portions of low-fat foods as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to make lunches healthier.

Students on the reduced-price lunch plan will still pay 40 cents.

Schools expect to serve 2,895,862 lunches and 716,000 breakfasts next year.

, DataTimes

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