Back-to-school lunch trends: Balancing nutrition and budgets

Whether to pack a lunch or buy a school meal is one part of the equation as caregivers look for balanced nutrition and balanced budgets.
Whether to pack a lunch or buy a school meal is one part of the equation as caregivers look for balanced nutrition and balanced budgets. (Getty Images)

With grocery prices up 23% from five years ago, many caregivers are wondering what to feed their kids for lunch - and how to pay for it - as they return to school

Almost half of caregivers are bracing for school lunches to cost more this year than last year, and many will change what they buy as a result, according to new data released today from Deloitte based in part on its 18th annual Back to School survey.

How much more they will spend depends on what they pack in their children’s lunches or if they buy school meals, according to the report.

On average, Deloitte predicts caregivers who pack their children’s lunch will pay about 3% more on average than last year, which is slightly higher than overall inflation for food consumed at home.

To offset costs, many caregivers are rethinking what is for children’s lunch.

New research from Deloitte reveals caregivers will pay more for school lunches this year than last and many are changing what they buy as a result.
New research from Deloitte reveals caregivers will pay more for school lunches this year than last and many are changing what they buy as a result. (E Crawford via Piktochart/E Crawford via Piktochart)