Coral Springs Public Schools increase lunch prices as free meals end and new menu items are introduced for the upcoming school year
Coral Springs, Florida – As the 2025-2026 school year begins in Coral Springs, students will face new changes in their lunch options and prices. After years of free lunches provided through federal funds during the pandemic, the free lunch program has come to an end. School officials announced that lunch prices will increase by $1 across all grade levels, marking a shift back to regular lunch prices after the pandemic-era free meal initiative.
The new prices will see elementary school students paying $3 for lunch, middle school students paying $3.35, and high school students paying $3.50. For those who qualify, reduced-price lunches will be available for just $0.40. This change follows the end of the federal funding that allowed schools to offer free lunches to all students. Last school year, the program came to an end, leaving many families to navigate the process of applying for free or reduced-price lunch once again.
Parents and guardians can apply for assistance through the online portal at myschoolapps.com. Students already receiving benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), along with those in foster care, Head Start, or homeless/migrant programs, are automatically eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, according to the district’s announcement.
Despite the price hike, there is some good news: all students will still receive a free breakfast through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Universal Free Breakfast Program. The district’s expanded menu will also bring a variety of new, exciting food options to the students.
Students at all grade levels will be able to enjoy new items such as breakfast tacos, cheese tortellini with meat sauce, guava pastelitos, and bono bites—cheesy bread that’s sure to be a hit among the kids. In middle and high schools, additional options will include Philly cheesesteaks, beef and broccoli bowls, and Broward bowls, which combine mashed potatoes, gravy, macaroni and cheese, and chicken tenders. To keep things fresh, high school students will also have access to a new ham and cheese croissant in January.
These new offerings are part of the district’s ongoing effort to provide a diverse range of meal options, which will hopefully make the transition from free to paid lunches a little easier for students. School officials are optimistic that these changes will bring positive benefits to both students and parents alike. With the menu update and new pricing structure, Coral Springs schools are ensuring that students have access to a variety of tasty and nutritious meals as they head into the new school year.
The first day of school in Coral Springs is set for August 11, 2025, and students and families are encouraged to prepare for these changes before the start of the school year.
