COLUMBIA − Primary and secondary schools around the country are facing food prices that have increased more than 300% from the year before, according to the consumer price index.
That’s a number that translates to what a majority of school districts are seeing. A recent survey from the School Nutrition Association found that 60.5% of school meal program directors said they had increased prices this year.
During the pandemic, schools had waivers that allowed free meals for all students, including Columbia Public Schools, but that program ended this school year.
However, debt regarding school food is still a large problem.
In November, the School Nutrition Association found that school debt topped over $19 million. Eight-hundred and fifty schools participated in that survey.
Laina Fullum, the director of nutrition services for CPS, said there are times when a person is behind paying for their child’s meals. The district has made sure that those students still have the opportunity to have the foods that they need.
“For free [meal assistance] students, we typically take care of their bill with donated funds,” Fullum said. “In terms of full-priced and reduced [meal assistance] families, there are some who struggle as well, so we try to help them as much as possible and [offer] payment plans.”
Many parents did not realize that the free lunch waiver expired this year. Some families in CPS are a few hundred dollars above the required threshold for school meal assistance, leading to higher debt for the district.
“We [nutrition services] are not allowed to cover the cost of the debt of our full-priced families,” Fullum said. “That rolls over to the district by federal law.”
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CPS currently has a negative balance of $228,955.18 for student meals, according to Fullum. Their bill for groceries from their vendor was $11,000 more in October 2022 compared to October 2019.
School districts are also finding it hard to supply certain foods to students with dietary restrictions or allergies. If vendors do not supply allergen-free foods, districts have to find an alternative to ensure those students eat.
“We have our own line of allergy goods,” Fullum said. “While the foods may be redundant, we actually have something we can feed them.”
With food shortages and the rise in food costs, many families have to decide where they can spend their money.
Glenda Curnutte, food service director for the Boonville School District, said they are also seeing the impact of increased food prices.
“The costs have gone up quite a bit. Some of the stuff has gone up nearly 30%,” Curnutte said. “A lot being the meat items.”
It’s an increase that families in Missouri are seeing at home, too. Feeding America found that one in seven children face hunger in Missouri, and 44.8% of households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have children.
Fullum said CPS may raise meal prices by five to 10 cents next school year if the school board approves the proposal.
Currently, the Missouri General Assembly has introduced House bill 172, which would require public schools to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students in schools. If passed, it will go into effect for the 2023-24 school year.