HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Parents in Henrico may soon pay more for their child's school lunch. The county is considering raising lunch prices by 10-cents next school year.
There is a federal law that requires all schools to make healthier options available to children. Those healthier choices, could mean higher costs for schools and parents.
The Henrico School Board will look into the possible lunch price increase during Thursday's meeting. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandate requires schools to implement improvements to the overall nutritional quality of what kids at school by 2015.
Some parents said their child's school already receives plenty of taxpayer money, so parents should not have to fork over more cash. Other parents said they were happy to pay more if it meant helping students eat healthier.
"I think it just gives them a choice to eat it and then it pushes it on them because some kids do not eat the healthy foods when they get home," parent Deanna Farley said.
If Henrico moves forward with the price hike, parents would pay approximately $18 more per year for their child's school lunch.
At least one parent felt the additional money would pay off in the long run.
"If you teach kids at an early age the proper way to eat, good nutrition and start them out right then we might must alleviate a whole lot of things down the road," parent Lauren Corby said.
Richmond school officials said they already raised lunch prices last year and did not have plans for another price hike. And in Chesterfield, school leaders said they were still reviewing the pricing structure.
