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Canyons nutrition director: reimbursements down but fund balance and savings measures keep student meals prices steady
Summary
Director of Nutrition Sebastian Varas told the board that federal and state reimbursement rates reverted to pre‑COVID levels, reducing revenue; the district is covering the difference from its fund balance and other cost‑saving measures while keeping student meal prices unchanged.
Sebastian Varas, director of nutrition services for Canyons School District, told the board Sept. 16 that federal and state meal reimbursement rates have returned to pre‑COVID levels, prompting budget pressure but not immediate price increases for students.
Varas said the district built a healthy fund balance during the higher COVID reimbursement period and is drawing on that balance and cost‑saving measures to absorb higher food and labor costs. “We were operating under reimbursement rates, for COVID… And now they went back to pre COVID. Unfortunately, the cost of living didn’t go back to pre COVID,” Varas told the board.
Among cost‑saving steps, the nutrition department switched from disposable trays to washable household‑style trays, a…
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