Price increases in dairy products, paper goods, health insurance and gasoline are being felt in local schools - even in the cafeterias.

Haverhill schools are considering a 25 cents per lunch increase to cover the rising cost of food deliveries caused by increased costs for gasoline. The same thing is happening in Methuen, where next week the School Committee will discuss increasing the cost of buying lunch in school.

Seven area school districts, including Andover, Chelmsford and Billerica, had recent price increases, according to Methuen school officials.

Andover raised its lunch prices by 25 cents in May 2006, citing the rising costs of health insurance and utility costs needed to run its program.

Even with an increase, Methuen lunches would still be among the cheapest in the area - $2 for elementary students, $2.25 for upper school students and $2.50 for a high-school meal. A line of premium meals, which includes upscale dishes such as chicken Marsala, would cost high-schoolers $3.

In Haverhill, students pay the same basic prices - $2 in elementary school, $2.25 in middle school and $2.50 in high school.

In Methuen, the price increase wouldn't take effect until next year. If passed, elementary-school lunches would increase 10 cents per day. Lunches for high-schoolers would go up a quarter each day.

Wayne Vespa, Methuen school nutrition services director, described the "extreme need" for the price increase in a Jan. 3 memo.

The school's nutrition department is dealing with a nearly 8 cents per unit increase in milk. Grocery and cheese prices are up 3.5 percent, and paper products also are up.

A typical school lunch includes a main course, such as a slice of pizza or fried chicken, a fruit and vegetable course, bread or roll and milk or juice.

Staff writer Crystal Bozek contributed to this report.



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Current school lunch prices for elementary-, middle- and high-school students

Haverhill: $2, $2.25, $2.50

Andover: $2.25, $2.75, $3

North Andover: $2.25, $2.50, $2.75

Methuen: $1.90, $2.15, $2.25

Lowell: $1.75, $1.75, $1.75

Amesbury: $2, $2.25, $2.25