Why should my child buy lunch at school rather than bring it from home?

The school breakfast and lunch assures that your child is receiving nutritionally-balanced meals. More variety, an established dietary guideline, is easier to achieve through school menus. Also, the subsidized school lunch is less expensive than a lunch of equal nutritional value that is prepared and packed at home.

How can lunch be sold to students for a price much lower than the cost?

Lamar County Schools receives federal and state funds for every student meal they serve. This reimbursement makes up the difference between what the lunch costs to produce and what the students pay. The amount of federal reimbursement paid per lunch depends on the economic needs of the student.

Why is the meal priced as a unit rather than pricing food items separately? 

A balanced meal provides essential nutrients. Omitting foods, such as vegetables and fruits, may lead to undernourishment and poor scholastic performance. Buying the meal as a unit encourages students to accept and eat the complete meal. Meals not priced as a unit would cost the student considerably more money. Research shows the higher the meal price, the lower the number of students participating in the meal program.