The pricing of school meals in Anne Arundel County Public Schools will not change for the 11th consecutive year.
The Board of Education unanimously voted May 21 to keep meal prices at the level set in 2014.
“There is so much uncertainty in our economy now and the fact that we can provide this stability for our families is a huge step toward helping all students Belong, Grow, and Succeed,” Superintendent Mark Bedell said in a news release, referring to his signature phrase.
Unless the student is on a free or reduced-price plan, breakfast is $1.50, lunch in elementary schools is $2.75 and lunch in both middle and high schools is $3.
Because of inflation, a dollar in 2025 buys roughly $0.37 less than it did in 2014. Had the district kept pace with inflation, a middle and high school lunch would cost $4.25.
For a high school student who attends classes for the full 180-day calendar and eats lunch every day, that totals $540 a year. If lunch prices had kept up with inflation, that total would be $765.
To put it in perspective, the Economist publishes an annual “Big Mac Index” that tracks the price of the burger across the globe over time. In the United States, a Big Mac currently costs $5.79, but in 2012, it cost $4.24.
The menu changes regularly, but is always compliant with federal nutritional guidelines, for example, by meeting the minimum amount of “dark green” vegetables and “starchy” vegetables.
Still, “The lack of variety and having the same food over and over again gets tiring,” said Kevin Kayton, a Southern High School student.
While affordable, students have mixed feelings about the food.
“I think the school needs to make better efforts at making healthy food attractive. In the lunch line the veggies look so dead and, in my opinion, sketchy,” said Deborah Arinze, a Chesapeake High School student.
“Eating the school lunch can sometimes be enjoyable, only when we’re not being fed slop,” Gabreiella Blair, a student at Meade High School, said in a text message. “Three fourths of the time, the food will be overly cooked, burnt, under cooked, etc.”
In Anne Arundel, dinning services are 73% federally funded, with approximately 22% of the remaining funding coming from sales of meals and approximately 4% from state government.
The district’s pricing falls between neighboring counties. In Howard County, prices are slightly higher: $2 for breakfast and $3.30 for middle and high school lunch. In Harford County, prices are slightly lower: $1.20 for breakfast and $2.50 for middle and high school lunch. In Baltimore City schools, all students get free meals through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program.
Although there have been cuts at the USDA, which oversees school lunches, under President Donald Trump, a Republican, the Summer Food Service Program remains intact, so far. Nationwide, 136 million meals were served at a cost of about $547 million in 2023, according to the USDA.
With summer approaching, Anne Arundel will offer fewer locations with summer meals this year but will add “grab and go” options and weekend meals, also funded by USDA.
Have a news tip? Contact Bridget Byrne at bbyrne@baltsun.com or 443-690-7205
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