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Cafeterias feel the strain
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| H&N photo by Andrew Mariman Gale Lane and Jim Breen serve up dinner for a dozen juveniles being held at the Klamath County Juvenile Detention Center. Rising food costs are troubling many cafeterias in the area. |
Schools, others battling the high cost of food
By Ty Beaver
H&N Staff Writer
The Klamath County School District paid $8 for a bag of flour last year for its breakfast and lunch programs. Today, the district is paying $21 for the same bag.
Government organizations and other agencies that provide meals to community members are facing tighter budgets as food prices continue to climb. Nationwide, consumer food prices in June rose again, charting the highest percentage increase in the past 17 years.
“We’ll be as creative as we can to hold down the increases, but we can’t control the price of food,” said Dan Golden, assistant director of Klamath County’s juvenile department.
Feeding 300-500 juveniles
The juvenile department annually feeds between 300 to 500 youth three meals a day at its residential facility. In addition to buying canned and dried foods in bulk, Golden said he shops for sales on perishable items such as bread and produce.
Produce combined with rising food prices led the county school district to raise its student breakfast and lunch prices for the coming school year. Those prices are increasing between 5 cents to 50 cents, depending on grade level.
Ken Hadlock, county school district business manager, said the district is working to provide healthier meals in its lunchrooms, offering more fruits and vegetables and cutting out high fat and high salt items. But healthier, fresher foods cost more, he said, increasing the financial strain as items, such as flour, increase in price.
“Even without price increases, our costs are going up,” Hadlock said.
The Klamath Basin Senior Citizens Center also is feeling the pinch. The agency has a $250,000 annual budget to supply food for its Meals and Wheels program and provide lunches and holiday meals at its center on Arthur Street.
Carole Huntley, nutrition manager, said so far she is on budget for the year. The agency has received generous contributions in the past, such as an annual donation of 1,000 pounds of chicken.
But, she added, the financial situation is getting tighter.
How the agencies and groups will adjust to increasing prices in the future is unknown. Golden said money would potentially be routed from other budgets within the juvenile department, impacting items such as new mattresses and supplies.
Government organizations and other agencies that provide meals to community members are facing tighter budgets as food prices continue to climb. Nationwide, consumer food prices in June rose again, charting the highest percentage increase in the past 17 years.
“We’ll be as creative as we can to hold down the increases, but we can’t control the price of food,” said Dan Golden, assistant director of Klamath County’s juvenile department.
Feeding 300-500 juveniles
The juvenile department annually feeds between 300 to 500 youth three meals a day at its residential facility. In addition to buying canned and dried foods in bulk, Golden said he shops for sales on perishable items such as bread and produce.
Produce combined with rising food prices led the county school district to raise its student breakfast and lunch prices for the coming school year. Those prices are increasing between 5 cents to 50 cents, depending on grade level.
Ken Hadlock, county school district business manager, said the district is working to provide healthier meals in its lunchrooms, offering more fruits and vegetables and cutting out high fat and high salt items. But healthier, fresher foods cost more, he said, increasing the financial strain as items, such as flour, increase in price.
“Even without price increases, our costs are going up,” Hadlock said.
The Klamath Basin Senior Citizens Center also is feeling the pinch. The agency has a $250,000 annual budget to supply food for its Meals and Wheels program and provide lunches and holiday meals at its center on Arthur Street.
Carole Huntley, nutrition manager, said so far she is on budget for the year. The agency has received generous contributions in the past, such as an annual donation of 1,000 pounds of chicken.
But, she added, the financial situation is getting tighter.
How the agencies and groups will adjust to increasing prices in the future is unknown. Golden said money would potentially be routed from other budgets within the juvenile department, impacting items such as new mattresses and supplies.
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