May 6, 2008 5:36 pm US/Pacific
High Transportation Costs Hit School Lunches
Higher costs may now be limiting students' options at the lunch table, making it so that some foods are being removed from the menu at schools in Marysville.
It's lunch time at Cedar Lane elementary in Marysville.
"We have hamburger, fries," said Ken Llewellyn, Marysville Joint Unified School District Nutrition Services Director.
But at the salad bar, there's something noticeably missing.
When I walk up and there are no grapes I get mad," said a student.
"Gas prices you everything that we buy especially food it's coming in with a vehicle of some kind," said Llewellyn.
He says with the cost of food rising more than four percent, the Marysville Joint Unified School District simply can't afford expensive produce like grapes anymore.
"Four months ago they charged $18 for a 20-pound flat. Now they are up over $28," said Llewellyn. "That's a sizable increase, and going through 120 pounds a day, you can see where that would add up."
Instead, the he says the district is changing the way it serves more than 7,000 meals a day -- by buying locally-grown produce.
"…which tend to bring down [prices] because of transportation costs are reduced," said Llewellyn.
And for now, being strategic hasn't forced the district to pass the cost of rising food prices onto the students.
"Right now we haven't reached level where causes us to make any dramatic changes," said Llewellyn.
