School Lunches Going Up a Nickel in Hannibal

by Contributor | August 24, 2010 7:41 am

A school lunch will cost a nickel more this coming year in the Hannibal Central School District.

The five cent increase was approved by the Board of Education during a discussion of whether to raise the price by ten cents instead.

One board member asked if five cents  will be enough to make the meals program self-supporting.

But Debbie Richardson, who heads the meals program for the district, said the extra nickle would be enough.  She said it would bring in an estimated $3,400 for the program’s budget.

She noted that some costs are rising for the food service unit, such as retirement costs for staff and the cost of some foods, such as ice cream.  However, a new bread supplier has brought down the price of that staple food and the cost of milk has held steady.

Only board member Donna Ingersoll voted against the five-cent increase.

Richardson also noted that the food service unit had recently passed a state inspection.  “I’m really pleased that my staff did such a wonderful job,” she said.

She said she’s working on two health improvements for the school lunch program: the need for more low-sodium foods and for more fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.

Richardson also reminded parents to sign their children up for the free or reduced price lunch program.  She noted that the school district makes a little more money on subsidized lunches.

“People need to realize, ‘I am helping the school'” to sign a child up for the free or reduced price lunch program, said board member Madeline Pittorf.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/fulton/school-lunches-going-up-a-nickle-in-hannibal/

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