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Apr 29, 2008 7:00 pm US/Eastern
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School Lunches Changing Due To High Cost Of Food
BROWARD COUNTY (CBS4) ―
The high cost of food is teaching school districts a few things about creative cafeteria planning.
In Broward County, school district food managers have had to cut some items from the menu and substitute others.
"Soaring corn, wheat and gas prices have driven food costs up especially in Florida" says Raymond Papa who is the coordinator of food and nutrition Services. "Diesel fuel is at an all time high and it impacts Florida in particular because everything has to be brought in either by train, boat, or truck."
Milk is up almost 42 percent and that translates to an extra $2.4 million a year. Produce increases have been dramatic. Bananas cost 50 percent more while apples are up 20 percent. Whole wheat buns cost the district $200K more to serve than white buns.
To make up the deficit the district has cut out some selections like Jamaican beef patties and eggrolls. Those items cost an average of 52 to 53 cents a portion while others run 40 cents a portion.
Apples are now excluded and cafeterias are serving white bread over whole grain buns. But food managers aren't sacrificing nutrition.
"They still will be getting less than 30 percent of calories from fat, and less than 10 percent from saturated fat", according to Darlene Moppert who is the Broward Schools program manager for nutrition education and training.
Moppert also says the district is committed to no transfats despite the increasing price tag. Most of the school system's daily meals are funded by the federal government.
"We hope the federal government will recognize the economic state of what's happening in the school food service industry and that you can't exist on the reimbursement that was good last year or the year before", says Raymond Papa.
While there are no plans right now to increase the cafeteria costs to students, that could change next year.
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