A recent PEER report shows the overall cost of food in Mississippi schools ranges from $1.35 per meal to $8.16.

A recent report from the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) reviewed the nutrition programs offered at select school districts in Mississippi.

Forty-nine districts responded to the request for information, which included breakfast and lunch participation rates, the number of districts offering alternative breakfast programs, and the cost of meals for the district. Data included in the report is based on information from the 2023 fiscal year.

All districts in the report provide students with the option to choose their food items, called “offer versus serve.” It allows students to decline food items they have no intention of eat

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