Prices of school meals rise in North Yorkshire

County Councillors have confirmed a new price of £2.10 per day compared to the existing £2.00. But keeping the economic climate in mind, they have also decided to retain the sibling discount which means that there will be a charge of £1.90 for a second or subsequent child having a meal at the same school. Over two and a half thousand children benefit daily from this discount. County Councillor John Watson, executive member for North Yorkshire's Children & Young People's Service, said: "I regret the need to increase prices, but we are determined in North Yorkshire to maintain the quality of our school meals, commended by the School Food Trust, and to ensure that our children receive a healthy and balanced meal every day." All meat and poultry used in the menus of North Yorkshire County Caterers – the county council's school meals service - is sourced from within North Yorkshire and more than 90% of all fresh food comes from the wider region. Watson added: "Parents will agree it is essential that we maintain these high standards. Indeed we have increased the budget for food costs for each meal by 50 per cent since the introduction of the healthy meals initiative." "Despite this regrettable increase in the price of our school meals, they are still very good value for money – where else could you purchase a nutritionally balanced two-course meal for £2.10?"