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District Considers Two-Tiered Lunch Plan

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By RONNIE BLAIR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 2, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Cafeterias in high schools and middle schools would offer a two-tiered pricing system for lunches under a plan the Pasco County School Board is set to vote on Tuesday.

One tier would stick with the current $2.30 and have less-expensive entrees. The second tier would have more expensive entrees and cost $3.

Students on the free and reduced-meal program wouldn't be affected and could choose from either tier.

The move to a two-tiered system is part of the cafeterias' effort to deal with a budget crunch brought on by the rising cost of food.

"Some of our entrees we were not going to be able to continue to offer at $2.30," said Julie Hedine, supervisor of food and nutrition services for the district.

For example, the cafeterias serve homemade calzones that are labor intensive and expensive, but also popular with students, Hedine said.

Cafeterias still will be able to provide those as a choice for students willing to pay for a $3 lunch, she said.

That doesn't mean all the good stuff will be limited to the higher-priced menu, Hedine said.

"We're still offering popular items on the regular lunch also," she said.

The lunch price includes an entree, a milk choice and two side dishes.

The hope is that the move to two-tiered pricing will allow food and nutrition services to survive these tight financial times without an across-the-board price increase, Hedine said.

"We're frantically trying to look at all the options and provide as nutritious a meal at as affordable prices as we can," she said.

Elementary school lunch prices would remain unchanged.

Among the items on the $2.30 menu are stuffed-crust pizza, pasta with meatballs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, corn dogs, fish sandwiches, fajitas, tacos and chef salad.

The $3 menu includes such choices as turkey sandwiches, meatball subs, pizza sticks, popcorn shrimp, nachos, stuffed shells with marinara sauce, Cuban pork and rice bowls, Philly cheese steaks and Mandarin chicken bowls.

As part of the change in the pricing structure, the district would shift to separate menus for high schools and middle schools.

That allows the district to "more effectively adjust portion sizes to maximize the nutritional needs of each age group and provide high school students with new menu options unavailable on the middle school menu," according to a memorandum sent to school board members.

IF YOU GO

The Pasco County School Board's meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at school district headquarters, 7205 Land O' Lakes Blvd. (U.S. 41), Land O' Lakes. To see the agenda online, go to www.pasco.k12.fl.us, click on "Our School Board," then "Agenda" and "June 3, 2008 Agenda."

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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