The Truth about School Lunch's Pricing and Portions
As of the 2026 to 2027 school year, the prices for school lunches at Vashon Island High School have gone up by about 5.3%, meaning lunches are no longer the $4.75 they used to be, and instead $5. To some, this may not seem like a significant increase in pricing, but the compounding cost adds up throughout the school year. This can raise issues for numerous families. Another issue many students have noticed here at VHS is that meal portions have gotten noticeably smaller, but administration argues otherwise.
Getting enough nutrition is very important for everyone, but especially teenagers. Research has shown that students are able to learn better while well nourished. Since eating enough food has also been linked to higher grades, better memory, alertness, and faster information processing, it’s extra important for teenagers because they need these qualities in order to be good students. However, as the prices of lunches go up, it becomes much harder for students to get the proper nutrition they need in order to be healthy and successful. We don’t want lunch to be another thing teenagers are worrying about on top of everything else on a high schoolers plate. Haha, get it, plate
This year, many students have felt hungry even after all their lunch is finished. Are the lunch portions truly getting smaller, or is that just what students think?
“I think they got way smaller,” sophomore Oliver Bailey said.
“Yeah, they’re so much smaller,”sophomore Fynn Holloway agreed.
“The portions have actually gotten bigger,” Cierra Hunziker, head of food services, revealed.
So from this, we can conclude that students and administration have opposing viewpoints, but who’s telling the truth? To students, it may feel like we’re getting less portions, but in reality it’s the opposite. According to our school’s food services, portions have gotten bigger, and although the school lunches are still incredibly tasty, the quality of ingredients has worsened due to the increase in cost of food. This could be what’s leaving students hungry even though portions have remained consistent.
Some students have the option to get free and reduced lunch, but it's not always that easy. In Washington State, there's a certain amount of money your guardians have to make per year to qualify for free or reduced lunch, and many times kids just barely aren't qualified for it. This leaves parents footing the cost of their kids' lunches all year. It’s harder for students to get into the program because of the low maximum income needed to qualify.
With food prices going up, the school has to find ways to feed students while still paying for the food. Students aren't happy though. “I think they’re taxing. It’s a lot,” Holloway said.
In reality the school doesn't want to increase prices, but they have to. “Lunch prices did go up cause we had to cover input,” Cierra Hunziker stated.
Unfortunately we can't do anything about how expensive school lunches are getting, but hopefully, in the future, we can give students more access to free and reduced lunches, as well as making lunch more affordable for all VHS students. When it comes to portions, although students aren’t feeling as full, it’s not because they’re getting smaller. Our school’s food services are right, the lunch portions haven’t decreased and may have actually gotten bigger this year. However, the quality of ingredients has decreased due to how expensive food is becoming. This is leaving students less full, which makes it understandable for many of us to think portions are getting smaller. While quality has unfortunately worsened due to inflation, portions have increased and we’re still reaching our caloric maximum for lunches. Our school’s food services also work really hard to make sure we are being fed nutritious and tasty food.
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