There has been growing discussion around rising prices in today’s economy, and one area quietly feeling the impact is school lunches. While this may not seem like an urgent issue, the steady increase in meal prices has become hard to ignore. In Wake County, the school board recently voted to raise breakfast and lunch prices by 25 cents, marking the fourth year in a row of increases. According to ABC11 and WRAL, these changes were made to cover higher food and labor costs, yet even with the added revenue, the district’s Child Nutrition Department still faces a multi million dollar deficit. What seems like a small adjustment for families points to a much larger question, how are schools supposed to stay affordable when essential costs keep rising?
At the same time, North Carolina’s state budget continues to grow in other areas. Governor Josh Stein recently proposed a $60 million plan to boost law enforcement pay and recruitment bonuses over two years, as reported by Police1.com. While supporting public safety is important, this kind of spending highlights a deeper tension between maintaining community priorities and supporting students directly. When school systems are forced to raise meal costs just to keep programs running, it becomes clear that funding decisions at higher levels have a direct impact on families and classrooms.
The growing divide between funding priorities creates a ripple effect. As more money flows into certain sectors, programs that directly affect children like meal assistance or nutrition often get left behind. This not only burdens families but also affects student health and focus in the classroom. Many children rely on school meals as a primary source of daily nutrition, meaning every price increase carries real consequences. Balancing statewide spending is necessary, but it should never come at the expense of student’s basic needs.
Ultimately, the rise in school lunch prices represents more than just inflation, it’s a reflection of how state and local budgets choose to value education and equity. Students rely on school meals to provide the nutrition necessary to make it through the day. Focusing on an empty stomach is extremely difficult and detrimental to students’ wellbeing and overall productivity. This is directly affecting their academics and mentality. When the cost of a meal becomes a barrier to learning, it’s clear that real change is needed to put students and education first.