Inflation has struck again, now affecting lunch prices more than ever. These growing prices have caused curiosity as to why the prices have risen for the new school year.
Information about the price change was given to students and parents of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School community at the start of the school year.
An email sent from Carla Erdey, H-F’s director of communications, stated “As we all have seen at the grocery store and in restaurants, the cost of food has risen dramatically over the past few years. Unfortunately, school lunches are not immune to those price increases.”
Information in this email also stated the aid of lunch prices provided by H-F.
“For the past two years, H-F has covered all of the 10-12% food price increase resulting in a savings for families of approximately $125,000 in 2022-23 and $175,000 in 2023-24” Erdey also stated in the schoolwide email.
After reaching out to the Quest Food Service company, more information was given by Nick Saccaro, president of Quest.
“To start, we have not increased prices in roughly five years at the District. Since that time, food inflation has grown by roughly 25%. Even enormous companies like McDonald’s have seen 20% – 40% price increases over that time, with (for example) the average price of a Big Mac growing 21% since 2019.” stated Saccaro, “In addition to food inflation, the costs of wages (such as those team members who produce the food at the high school) have risen by over 20% since 2020.”
Therefore, the change in prices has simply come from the school matching current inflation that is strongly affecting the economy.
Inflation is affecting almost every consumer item, including electricity, groceries, shelter, medical services and more. “Inflation occurs when prices are rising over a long period across an economy,” shared social science and economics teacher Sara Youssef. “which can decrease the purchasing power of consumers (or make the cost of living higher).”
The U.S. Department of Treasury stated in 2022, “Across the economy, the IRS, (International Revenue Service) is creating opportunities to build projects, hire workers and manufacture equipment needed to strengthen domestic supply chains, lower household energy costs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pay good wages for those efforts.” When President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
Even with the current inflation H-F is trying their best to help out families who need financial aid regarding lunch prices.
The “Viking Value Meal” ranges in price from $5.50 to $7.25, this meal will include several value meal entree options for students to choose from including eight entree options, or the daily special, which comes with milk or water as a beverage and a bag of chips.
Any student who purchases the previously listed entrees is eligible for the discounted lunch price. This deal is open for students as long as they don’t add extra food, consisting of fries, soft drinks, or a quest cookie.
The idea of rising prices is not ideal for families paying for school lunches, but H-F continues to offer reduced lunch prices for any family who needs it.
