School lunch prices are rising in Broward. How much more will students pay?
Broward County Public Schools students will pay more for lunches after the board approved a price increase on Tuesday.
The board passed the $1 increase for the 2026-2027 academic year about seven hours into a nine-hour special meeting on June 23 at the district’s headquarters in Fort Lauderdale.
The item passed 7-2 with dissenting votes from District 2 board member Rebecca Thompson and District 6’s Adam Cervera, with no discussion before the vote.
Under the approved changes, breakfast with remain free for all students. Reduced-price lunch, for those who qualify, remains at 40 cents.
Lunch prices across all grades will increase $1:
- Elementary school from $3 to $4
- Middle school from $3.35 to $4.35
- High school from $3.50 to $4.50
Adult lunch prices rise from $4.95 to $5.95.
According to the district, the increase is needed to help the Food and Nutrition Services Department continue providing meals that meet federal standards while maintaining “a self-sustaining operation.”
Broward County Public Schools kept meal prices unchanged from 2012 through 2024. The end of federal pandemic-era meal programs, coupled with rising food and labor costs, made the increase for 2026-27 necessary, the district said.
The increase is also meant to help prevent the meal program from relying on the district’s general fund to cover deficits.
From the 2025-2026 school year, the board said it expects to use about $720,000 from its general fund to cover student meal debt, according to district data.
How can I apply for free or reduced lunch?
The district announced 141 schools are set to participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision for the 2026-27 school year, which would allow all students at those campuses to receive free breakfast and lunch regardless of household income.
The program lets schools in qualifying low-income areas offer free meals to all enrolled students without requiring individual meal applications. Students at the remaining 80 schools have to submit a Meal Benefits Application.
The application is done through the My School Apps website to determine whether the student qualifies for free or reduced-price meals.
Starting Sept. 22, students who have not completed an application will be required to pay for lunch until it is submitted and eligibility is determined.
This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 10:40 AM.
