Student Nutrition Break Healthy for School Budget

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District Board of Education this week approved a series of measures that officials hope will generate more than $200,000 in food sales during the upcoming school year.

Beginning in the fall, students at Costa Mesa High School will receive a 20-minute “nutrition break” each day, like the students at the district’s three other high schools. That additional break will allow students to buy a midmorning snack and is expected to generate $80,000 in the first year.

“This is a good thing for teen-agers who zoom out of the house without breakfast,” said district Supt. Mac Bernd, who said that two-thirds of Costa Mesa High’s teachers support the move.

The district also plans to raise money by assuming control of school vending machines, which are currently maintained and stocked by booster clubs as a source of revenue. Officials said they hope to generate $100,000 with this measure and promise to compensate those booster organizations for the lost money.

In the cafeterias throughout the district, some of the a la carte food prices will be increased by about 5% in hopes of generating an extra $42,000 or so. For example, the price of French fries with chili and cheese will increase from $1.25 to $1.30, while a cup of yogurt will cost 80 cents instead of 75.

The standard tray lunch will not increase in price.

Bernd said that the district food services program has been a money-loser in recent years. The district has had to spend general fund money to balance the cafeteria accounts.

The additional revenues will be used to pay worker’s compensation for food service employees and cover some of the indirect costs, such as utilities, Bernd said.