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Homewood SD 153 awards food-service bids, raises student meal prices for 2025–26
Summary
The board awarded grocery, meat and bakery bids for the 2025–26 school year and raised student meal prices to meet USDA paid-equity requirements.
The Homewood School District 153 Board of Education on June 9 awarded grocery, meat and baking product bids for the 2025–26 school year and approved small increases to student meal prices required under federal paid-equity rules.
Dr. Trimberger, the district’s chief school business official, presented the results of competitive bids assembled by Anne Simon, the district’s food service director. He said the recommended vendors and amounts are: Performance Food Group, $144,401.05; Gordon Food Service, $87,974.27; Sysco Foods, $56,517.69; and Alpha Baking, $10,017.10 — a combined total of $298,910.11. Trimberger noted the total was “just about $6,000 cheaper than last year.”
The board voted to award the bids as recommended. The motion was recorded as approved on a roll-call vote.
Meal prices: Trimberger told the board the district participates in the National School Breakfast and National School Lunch programs and must meet a USDA paid-equity requirement that prevents federal reimbursements from subsidizing full-price student meals. To comply, the board approved the following student prices for 2025–26: breakfast, $2.55 (up from $2.45); student lunch, $3.45 (up from $3.35); adult lunch, $4.45; and milk, 35¢ per carton (up 5¢). The board approved the price schedule on a roll-call vote.
Why it matters: awarding multiple-line-item food bids sets vendors and estimated spending for next school year and ensures the district meets federal pricing requirements that preserve reimbursement eligibility. The board also publicly recognized Anne Simon for her work as food service director.
Board discussion: board members praised the director’s work, noted the competitive bid process and asked about the number of bidders; Trimberger said bids were advertised in accordance with applicable purchasing laws and that the district selects the lowest responsible bidder per line item.
Next steps: food service staff will execute vendor agreements and implement the new meal prices at the start of the 2025–26 school year.
