USD 489 lunch, breakfast prices going up a dime per meal

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

The price of school meals will be increasing by 10 cents for the 2014-15 school year after action by the Hays USD 489 Board of Education on Monday. The move was made in order to meet U.S. Department of Agriculture pricing requirements.

‘The requirement is average $2.65 per meal,” said Jessica Younker, director of nutritional services. “Until we get to that point, we have to continue raising (the meal price). Every school district has to do this unless the district wants to supplement it.”

Younker said the average cost of a school meal in USD 489 is not at $2.65 this year, but federal requirements do not allow a district to raise the price more than 10 cents – meaning another increase might be recommended next year, as well.

Younker said she is hopeful the increase will cover “federal equity requirements and the projected rising cost of food products such as beef, whole grains, fruit, vegetables and milk.”

Board President Greg Schwartz noted the districts nutrition department is “self-sufficient,” meaning the price of meals and federal funding cover all expenses including staff salaries and health insurance, and no money comes from the general fund.

2014-15 meal prices:

Breakfast:
K-12: $1.70
Adult: $2.10

Lunch:
K-5^th grade: $2.50
6^th – 8^th grade: $2.60
9^th – 12^th grade: $2.70
Adult: $3.50