CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Schools are having a tougher time getting nutritious meals due to supply chain shortages and inflation that are driving up food costs.
Many districts in the Charlotte area are also locked into high prices because they're required to place orders months in advance. On top of that, the type of food on the plate in a school lunch matters due to strict nutrition regulations outlined by the USDA.
"Virtually all school districts are suffering from supply chain disruptions right now," said School Nutrition Association spokesperson Diane Pratt-Heavner.
The School Nutrition Association has warned this is putting districts in a bind.
"They place their orders well in advance to try and secure the best possible price, but when their orders are canceled, are short, and they have to scramble at the last minute to purchase whatever they can for their cafeterias, often at a much higher price," Pratt-Heavner said.
It's happened at multiple schools in the Charlotte area. And it's not as simple as substituting an item they don't have for something that's in ample supply.
"Say we want to serve carrots for lunch, and maybe there's a shortage in the carrot supply and we can't get carrots for that week's menu," Lindsay Machak with Rock Hill Schools said. "Then we'll have to make an appropriate swap to something that is the same in nutritional value."
Rock Hill Schools have made the decision not to raise lunch prices. Subsequently, the district is absorbing rising food costs.
"We've had to have some creative refiguring some weeks and we can't get a hold of the things," Machak said. "But we are absolutely dedicated to making sure that we are still fulfilling the nutritional values of those meals."
Some districts are being forced to raise lunch prices because their budget can’t cover the strain of rising costs.
"Schools are seeing the same higher food costs that families are seeing in the grocery store," Pratt-Heavner said. "But for them, it's even more challenging because the supply chain shortages further increase their costs."
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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