Food service reports 530,000 meals served; board hears small meal-price increase proposal

Andy Hughes, director of food services, told the Grain Valley R-V board the department served approximately 530,000 meals during the year and credited 34 staff members for that total.

“We served more meals this year than we did last year,” Hughes said. He highlighted a renovation of the high-school serving area that reduced time students spent in line and new digital menu boards that provide nutrition information to students.

Hughes flagged workforce turnover as a key near-term challenge: two employees are retiring this year, representing roughly 50 years of combined experience, and many staff members have 15–20 years with the district. He said leadership development and internal training will be necessary to sustain service levels.

On food waste, Hughes said elementary waste is minimal because the district solicits student preferences, while secondary-level waste is higher because students have more choices. He noted liability and food-safety constraints limit reuse of prepared items.

Meal pricing: the administration recommended a 5¢ increase to standard meal prices for 2025–26 and a 10¢ increase for certain juice drinks. “He’d rather take a nickel increase for the upcoming year than delay it and at some point do a dime or more,” Dr. Gooch said, summarizing the department recommendation. Administrators indicated they do not expect the small increase to materially affect participation and that the board typically acts on meal prices in the summer.

Ending The board heard the report and asked questions; the meal-pricing recommendation was presented as a summer action item for the upcoming consent agenda.