How much is hot lunch at your school and how often do your DC get it?

[liz]

yikes, just saw that our hot lunch prices went up a bit this year. It is now $2.40 (incl milk) a day. It didn't seem so bad when I only had one child in elementary school, but this year DS2 is in the same school. I have to admit that I depended on DS1 getting lunch quite often the last few years, esp when I was really busy with work. DS1 would get hot lunch at least 2-3 times a week. I guess it's time to get creative with home lunches!

[Mikey0709]

$2.55 for a base lunch here.... But there have been days my son bought an extra drink, or extra fruit or snack, and was charged over $4-4.50 some days! Really adds up fast, and now I have 2 lunch accounts to fund!

[rlu]

$3.00 includes milk.

DS never gets hot lunch since he said they "are awful" and he doesn't like them at all. We have to prepay his account, which will follow him to middle school if there is a balance on it. We have a balance around $4 so that there is enough if he ever needs to buy a lunch.

[KrisM]

It's $2.35 here and includes milk. My kids buy 3-4 times a month, generally. DD buys milk daily for $.50.

[SnuggleBuggles]

I think $2.40? They both buy 3-5 times/ week so far b/c they have a new food service provider and I want them to try out everything so we can plan for the year.

[ABO Mama]

It's $2.75 here, and includes milk. My guys refuse to try it, which is fine with me.

[KpbS]

$4 here with drink. I let DS2 order once or twice a week. It's too too expensive!

[ZeeBaby]

Lunch is $2.75, which includes milk. DD1 is in K. This is her third week of school. We have ordered 2-3 times per week. We are having her try different meals to see what she likes.

[elephantmeg]

1.95 (includes milk), and they can buy twice a week. DD is lactose intolerant so she is limited to what days she can buy. DS has tried most of them and now has a list of 3 or 4 favorites...

[smilequeen]

It's between 3 and 4 dollars (can't remember the exact number) per day for everything. They've been getting it every day. It's healthy, local, mostly organic and it saves me time so...whatever :)

[mom2binsd]

1.90 includes milk. DS eats it everyday, DD about 75% of the time. I'm ok with that, it's not great, but not too bad either.

[Green_Tea]

$2.50 including milk. My kids almost never buy - I wish they would! Life would be much easier :).

[wellyes]

$2.75 includes milk, and it seems like a bargain to me. If only DD would be willing to try anything new without flipping out I'd love to try it.

[crayonblue]

I think $6 something? It's from a local organic place. We've eaten at the restaurant and it is fantastic! However, I am not paying $6 for DD1 to throw most of it away. She will continue taking a bag lunch until she actually likes food!

[maybeebaby08]

$2.75 including milk. The plan is to only buy on Fridays which is pizza day, which is brought in from a local place. I'm not sure what the meals are the other days of the week we've only had 2 days of school and I haven't seen a menu. But I've heard horror stories from the older kids about the Intermediate school food, so I'm guessing Elementary isn't any better. I'm actually surprised about the quality of food and how bad it is, we live in a HCOL area and I'm in one of the wealthier towns in my area. I wish they would overhaul the food.

[KpbS]

Ours is a private school that has a contract with a local food service company. Are all public school lunches subsidized somewhat to make the prices more affordable?

[daisymommy]

$2.35 including milk. I can't pack a lunch that cheaply. Nearly all the fruits and veggies are from local farms, this year they started using milk from our state, all grains are whole grains, and I think they are pretty decent meals.
And yet, my kids can usually only find one or two things each week that they want to eat. Grrr...


Sent from my iPad

[wellyes]

Ours is a private school that has a contract with a local food service company. Are all public school lunches subsidized somewhat to make the prices more affordable?

I think it's just that cheap. Bulk lunches. McDonald's charges twice as much but they give you a toy and make a profit.

As a side note, I read that many cities with a large free/reduced lunch program ARE offering free lunches to all kids, regardless of ability to pay. The Fed gov't will cover the cost. Rather than school districts who were taking in large debts over unpaid lunch bills. The program will go nationwide next school year. It's interesting. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/09/02/boston-public-schools-will-offer-free-lunches-all-students/2aaUy5sxJjIak9ndGDHxkJ/story.html

[maestramommy]

Our lunch is up this year to 2.50 at the elementary school. It was 2.35 last year. DD1 is allowed to get it once a week. DD2 will be allowed to get it once she memorizes her student number, then it'll be the same. It is not particularly healthy although the breads are whole grain, and the fruit cups don't use syrup.

[o_mom]

Ours is a private school that has a contract with a local food service company. Are all public school lunches subsidized somewhat to make the prices more affordable?

If they participate in the Federal School Lunch Program it is subsidized. Our lunch costs $2.30 for students, but $3.25 for non-students. The $0.95 difference is the subsidy.

Mine usually buy 1x wk, sometimes 2. When DH travels for extended times, I let them buy as much as they want.

[JBaxter]

No clue we have never bought one.

[Kindra178]

$2.65 and includes milk. Ds1 never gets it.

[lovin2shop]

$2.25 including milk. I'm actually quite impressed with the quality of the food, whole grains, lots of produce, and the kids are pretty positive about it. Thank you Jamie Oliver! Although, we still have flavored milks, and that irks me because DS2 will always choose chocolate over white milk.

[baileygirl]

3.75 with a drink from an outside food service.

[westwoodmom04]

I think $3 but I don't actually know, I just put money in the account periodically. My kids buy a few times a week. The food certainly isn't amazing but not that different from what they are willing to eat from home and easier for me.

[ChristinaLucia]

$3.50 including milk. Totally worth it if they ate it, which they almost never do.

[elliput]

Lunch is $2.10 this year, up from $2 last year and I make DD buy school lunch. I made lunch for her for half the year last year and it grew old fast. Everyday there are 4 lunch options one of which is always a sandwich of some type and one is a salad. It is rare for there to be a day when DD doesn't like any of the options, but I still want her to try the lunch to expand her super picky palate.

[belovedgandp]

$2.35 including two drinks (2 milks or milk and juice).

It is 45 cents for just the drink.

DS1 is in his 4th year of elementary. He gradually increased the number of days he wanted hot lunch from 1 or 2 times a week to every day by the middle of third grade.

DS2 is just starting with lunch. He only wants it about 6 times a month so far. If I send lunch he still buys the milk/juice.

The nutritional content is decent. There's unlimited fruit/veggies as sides and DS1 actually takes advantage of that.

[jenmcadams]

DS goes to a public school and it's $2.40 including milk - he gets it 1-2x/week
DD just started a private school where meals are included in tuition - dining hall is amazing and has a salad bar, grill, deli, hot lunch core and fruit/dessert. I swear it's nicer than my college dining hall :)

[ett]

$2.30 including milk and unlimited fruits and veggies. DS1 buys lunch every day. DS2 has food allergies so he'll bring lunch on most days.

[TwinFoxes]

I just looked it up. $2.65 not including milk. I guess they can buy little sides too like salad or hummus and chips.

[Starfish]

Wow! Now that I'm seeing your prices, I can't believe how expensive ours is! I'm looking at the lunch choices and prices now: chicken fingers w/ apples $6.25, pasta & fruit cup $6.25, 1 slice pizza w/ apple $4, quesadilla/chips and gogurt $6.25, plain bagel & gogurt $2.50, california rolls & gogurt $6.75. Milk is separate. I work a crazy FT job so I order whenever I can...otherwise, packing 3 lunches and 3 snacks every day would put me over the edge!

Re: the high prices...I live in NJ. Also, the lunch program is run by the PTO also as a 'fundraiser' for the school though I don't know exactly how much of it goes toward the local food vendors and how much back to the school. If I recall correctly, the PTO was able to donate more than $10K back to the school through their fundraisers....so maybe I shouldn't complain?

[o_mom]

$2.25 including milk. I'm actually quite impressed with the quality of the food, whole grains, lots of produce, and the kids are pretty positive about it. Thank you Jamie Oliver! Although, we still have flavored milks, and that irks me because DS2 will always choose chocolate over white milk.

Ours is similar - all 'breading' is whole grain and everything is baked, even the 'fries'. They have a ton of choices for fresh fruits and vegetables. It's still somewhat 'school lunch-ish', but way better than anything I had growing up ( I still get nauseated at the thought of the ice cream scoop shaped spaghetti that they served). They also have daily choices of an entree, sandwich/wrap, salad, PB&J or yogurt and cheese stick.

[cono0507]

I think it is around $2.50. My kids have never bought hot lunch due to food allergies.

[mommyp]

$2.00, plus .50 for milk. DD just started and we haven't tried the lunches yet. We probably won't do it too often though.

[dcmom2b3]

$6.25. Bunny only eats "hot lunch" on pizza Friday. Cuz she's just that picky . . .

[almostamom]

$4.50/day. Milk is an extra $90/year (can be bought each semester or annually). A local catering company makes our lunches and they really are quite good. They also make sure that the meals are nut-free and are not cross-contaminated as our school is nut-free. Unfortunately, our school moved over the summer and the kitchen is not ready yet, so we have been packing lunches every day. DS normally buys school lunch about 75% of the time. He prefers hot food at lunch to sandwiches or anything cold.

[AnnieW625]

Catholic school, suburban SE Los Angeles County that uses a privately run company (based in the Bay Area, Choice Lunch).
$4.55 for an entree sometimes with a side, a snack (DD1 likes the Pirates Booty, but other choices are $$ gummies like Annie's brand, or a natural nut free cookie), a piece of fruit, and milk or juice. DD1 usually gets juice which is fine with me because we don't keep it in our house. For entrees like spaghetti I usually send a container with her for the left overs.

DD1 gets lunch about once a week depending on what the menu is.

[wencit]

$3.50 including milk. It's pretty healthy as far as I can tell, but I prefer to pack his lunch because I can do it for cheaper, and I'm not thrilled with the fact that DS1 will choose chocolate milk more often than I would like.

[YouAreTheFocus]

Elementary schools in our town charge $3.25. They are really making an effort to serve good foods--no processed foods, hfcs, bad oils, refined sugar/flour, etc. Produce & dairy is local and/or organic, all grains are whole. Food is all cooked fresh daily. I hope they can keep it up!

[wildfire]

Ours is $3.50, I'm not sure if that includes milk or not (school just started today). It's $.50 for milk. I'm not terribly impressed with the menu. Lots of junky type foods (chicken nuggets, corn dogs, pizza, etc.). They do have other interesting options like "yogurt lunch" and "baked potato lunch" and veggie burgers. Maybe once she's adjusted to school she'll want to try it but for now she wants her lunchbox.

[queenmama]

Ours range from $5.75 - $8.75 depending on whether you order a child's or adult's portion and extras/sides. Our lunches are catered by various restaurants and we have to preorder now since you're allowed so many options.

Henry has taken his lunch for the past few years. I can't afford to buy! He does eat a school lunch on Fridays, pizza days. $1.75/slice and he eats one or two.
None of these prices includes drinks. Not sure what those cost.

Lara

[citymama]

Ours is $3.50, including milk. Public elementary. There are subsidies available based on income.

DD eats school lunch, on average, no more than once a week. Usually the penne bolognese, since we're mostly a vegetarian home and she loves pasta with meat sauce!

The food is locally prepared for all the schools in the district, but it ain't great. Teriyaki chicken, mac and cheese, pizza, potstickers, nachos, veggie burgers - this is the general range. The lunch includes a salad bar which includes fresh fruit, but I doubt too many kids do the salad bar.

[jgenie]

......
DD just started a private school where meals are included in tuition - dining hall is amazing and has a salad bar, grill, deli, hot lunch core and fruit/dessert. I swear it's nicer than my college dining hall :)

DS1 just started a private school this year and his set up is similar to this. I'm really hoping that having to eat lunch at school he might try some new foods. Here's hoping anyway...

[marymoo86]

Don't know and won't use considering what passes for food based on our state regulations in daycare.

[jenmcadams]

DS1 just started a private school this year and his set up is similar to this. I'm really hoping that having to eat lunch at school he might try some new foods. Here's hoping anyway...

so far it's worked for us :) My DD has started being more willing to try foods over the last year or two and I would say she chooses the hot entree option 1/2 the time (and does pizza, grilled cheese, salad the other 1/2 the time). This food is far different than the food at her old school. The food at the new school is 90% organic, almost nothing frozen, etc.

[egoldber]

Elementary lunch is $2.65 (includes milk) and MS/HS is $2.75.

They buy lunch a couple times a month. But neither kid likes the school lunches very much and from my observations, I don't really blame them.

In elementary school, older DD would often buy breakfast when she got to school. School started at 9:10 and it was something of a social thing to do before school. Breakfast is $1.50 and includes milk. They have various entrees, but she usually got Cheerios or pancakes.

[georgiegirl]

I think it's $2.10. Dd is in second grade and we've always brought lunch from home. Hot lunch is mostly junky food and getting hot lunch cuts down on the already short time to eat (20 min.).

[emily_gracesmama]

2.75 with milk. They follow the newer guidelines for meals which is more fruit and veggies and whole grains but my kids are not going to eat chick pea salad they will pick the pizza substitute so I am only letting them buy one day a week. Nothing is fried anymore but heres a sample day. My kids are not brown rice fans, chick pea salad and cherry tomatoes would make them grab the pizza. They would get the veggies to go with it but I know they wouldn't eat them. Packing at least lets me give them fruit and veggie snacks they will actually eat.
Breaded Chicken Nuggets 172/8g/14g
Brown Rice 105/1g/22g
Chic Pea Salad 122/6g/15g
Cherry Tomatoes 13/1g/3g
Chilled Peaches 50/0g/12g

[icunurse]

Last year, it was $3, including milk and you could decide to order the same day. We didn't buy even once a month, but the options were typical (chicken nuggets, pizza, hamburgers) with a unique choice every so often. As far as nutrition, they were okay...better than the year before when a fruit bar was considered the fruit part of their meal!

This year, they switched to a new place and it is only cold sandwiches and has to be ordered a month in advance. Still $3. Horrible choices -bologna sandwich with an apple, turkey ham and cheese with a corn and bean salad. Healthier, yes, but not worth the cost vs throwing it together at home. Of course, everyone is blaming Michelle Obama for it :) But the other local schools have better options than this, so I am guessing that our district either didn't put much effort into searching for a new provider or it is financial.

[wellyes]

Packing at least lets me give them fruit and veggie snacks they will actually eat.

Can you give me some insight into veggie snacks your kids will eat? I'm desperate.....

[sarahsthreads]

Ours went up - to $1.85/day including milk.

DD1 bought nearly every day last year. So far this year she's brought a couple of days and bought a couple. DD2 has as well. I'm OK with them buying most days - it's hard to pack a lunch for much less than that anyway, and I feel like our cafeteria does a reasonable job in terms of types of foods offered. They used to have a lot of pre-packaged junk, but the past couple of years the menus have changed over to mainly "real" foods. Also, if my kids brought every day they'd likely want the same exact meal daily (it's just how they roll) but when they buy they branch out a bit and try new things occasionally!

Sarah :)

[Gena]

$2.40 at the elementary school. The price is slightly more at middle school and high school. DS never gets hot lunch. He prefers to pack his lunch so that he does not have to wait in the lunch line.

[carolinacool]

DS goes to a day care that provides lunch. You can't bring in other food unless you have a doctor's note.

It's not stellar, it's typical school lunch stuff and most of it is frozen/in cans, but I do think they make an effort: one meatless meal a week, no fries, lots of chicken, turkey instead of ground beef, no chocolate milk, juice on rare, rare occasions. About once a week they have fresh fruit. I think they try to to balance the nutrition with the financial realities of the families they serve, which are mostly regular middle class but also a few kids on voucher assistance.

I just looked up my county lunch prices (in N.C), and it's $2.55, which includes milk.

[wendibird22]

Lunch is $2.05 (all items included) and we let DD1 buy once a week. The meals aren't amazing but they aren't horrible either and if she'll eat a full meal then that's what matters to me. Her favorite day is Wednesday because they offer "snack plate" as a choice which is like a lunchable...crackers, cheese, yogurt, etc. They always have a hot choice, sandwich, hot dog or snack plate (depending on the day), and salad to chose from. The only thing that bothers me is the PBJ is a "uncrustable" which I think are so gross. You mean they can't slap together a PBJ on site? But we live in small town USA and our food service manager is shared with more than 1 district so they menu plan for multiple schools and the cafeteria staff basically heat and serve. Gone are the days of the lunch lady cooking the meal.

[SASM]

Oops...duplicate.

[SASM]

$2.25. I allow them to buy once/month. Breakfast is $1.25. We do not buy bfast. Our last school in NYS was $1.40.

[Pennylane]

Ours is $2 and my ds eats it maybe 2 times a month. My girls have never had it. By choice though as I wouldn't mind.

Ann

[arivecchi]

$2.60 per lunch including milk. I still have to send in snacks. Ds loves it as do I. :) Love love love not having to pack up a lunch with my busy schedule.

[marinkitty]

Ours is $6 a day and that doesn't include a drink. Our schools don't have cafeterias with food prep, so all the lunches are brought in through outside vendors. They are PTO fundraisers in addition to being lunch, so I'm sure this includes a hefty mark-up over what they actually pay for the food.

I let my kids do it a max of 1x-2x a week. Many weeks not at all.

[khalloc]

$3.25 includes milk I think. For grades K-5th

DD gets lunch once a week for pizza day.

DS just started Kindergarten and wants hot lunch more often, but I think he just wants it for the chocolate milk. Because when I read off the menu to him, he says he doesnt want to eat that. But he does always get hot lunch on pizza day. Next week he is trying it for 3 days. DH wants both kids to eat hot lunch everyday. He hates packing lunches. He does most of the lunch packing.

This year you have to order hot lunch by Thursday for the following week. it really stinks! They said they were wasting too much class time ordering lunch for that day. So now they have a google form to fill out.

[MelissaTC]

MS and HS is $2.25 for lunch. ES is $2.00. Price includes drink.

[klwa]

I think it's $2.35 a day. DS usually gets it on pizza day, which can be 1ce a week or 1ce every other week. (I had to ask him if he wants to start getting it when they have fiestada pizza as well as regular pizza & he said "YES! I like all pizzas!", so I think it's going to be more on the 1 time a week side rather than every other.) DD will have to decide this weekend if she wants to get pizza Monday or not. She hasn't eaten cafeteria lunch yet.

ETA: Oh, that includes milk, too.

[bcafe]

Ours is $1.75. We only have hot lunch on Wed and Friday. Parents menu plan, shop for the food, prep it, serve, and clean up. There is a kitchen with 3 ranges, 2 fridges, 2 freezers, and large commercial sinks (3).

[schrocat]

Lunch at elementary school is $2.50 and includes milk. Portion sizes are small though. DS1 bought lunch throughout last year and ate a slice of pepperoni pizza and apples every single day. I'm sending a packed lunch this month and he can start buying lunch again next month when I get further into the pregnancy and have no time to cook. He gets to bring pasta and noodles from home right now and pizza from Whole Foods.

Hot lunch at DS2's preschool is $4.25 and includes milk. They also serve milk to the kids who bring their own lunch. We pack lunch for now but will be buying lunch the month the baby is due.

[div_0305]

$2.65 with milk. The school's food is supposed to be "healthy" but not by my standards, as some foods have preservatives, HFCS, and we prefer organic and fresh grains, fruits and veggies, and our raw milk. I let DS buy the pizza lunch on Fridays, but this first Friday of the new schoolyear he said he'd prefer food from home! When I've been at the cafeteria as a volunteer, I think the majority of kids buying the school lunch throw more than half of their food away. I wonder how they do the rest of day with so little food, and hope they have a good snack for later.

[Sweetsunshine]

$2.50 with milk. Last year they started a new somewhat healthier menu. DD loves to buy for some reason, but I only let her two days a week. A menu is sent home for the month and she looks at that and circles the days she likes the food. There's an online system where you can add money to their account and see which days they bought. Each kid is assigned a number. Works well because I don't have to worry about sending in money with her.

[Tondi G]

DS1's Charter middle school is $5 for lunch (and includes milk). DS2's public elementary school is $1.50 for lunch (and includes milk)

My boys don't love the lunches ... even though DS1's school has awesome lunches (If you ask me)... so maybe once or twice a week.