Children eating lunch at school.

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

As the new school year gets closer, parents are preparing to pay more to pack a lunch, with many changing what will be in their kids' lunchboxes to save money.

Nearly half of parents and caregivers (48%) expect to pay more for school-day lunches this year than last, according to Deloitte's 2025 Back-to-School Survey. The study also found that grocery prices are 23% higher than they were in 2020.

The increase comes as many everyday staples are getting more expensive under President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on imports, which economists say are raising costs on a variety of foods from beef to canned goods. Grocery prices have already risen 2.4% since 2024, outpacing overall inflation, while eating at restaurants is up 3.8%.

Deloitte’s lunch cost index tracked three years of prices for four typical lunch options: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a chicken and avocado quesadilla, a salad, and a prepackaged meat, cheese, and crackers kit. On average, packing a lunch in 2025 costs $6.15 a day, which is 3% higher than in 2024 and above the overall food-at-home inflation rate.

The classic peanut butter and jelly lunch remains the cheapest choice but saw the steepest jump, rising 6% due to higher apple, jelly, and single-serve milk prices. Since February, prices for all four lunch options have climbed an average of 5.5%.

Parents say they're adjusting in several ways: 31% are switching to store brands, 27% are choosing cheaper main items, and 24% are cutting other expenses to offset lunch costs. More than half of Gen Z caregivers (56%) say they'll turn to more school-provided lunches, which are less than half the cost of packing one at an average of about $3.00.

Still, 42% of families pack lunch despite the higher cost, citing better taste, variety, and nutrition. Health is the top priority, with 82% of parents wanting their children to eat better during the school day, and most saying food from home is healthier and less likely to be wasted.

Three in four parents want more fresh and less processed food in school cafeterias, even if it costs more. For those packing at home, 44% say deciding what to make is a major pain point, with weekly meal plans topping their wish lists for help.

A recent poll from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 86% of Americans said the cost of groceries is a "major" or "minor" source of stress in their lives.