Students heading back to school next week will see some changes in the cafeteria, from what makes it onto their trays to what some families will pay for breakfast and lunch.
Inside the brand-new kitchen at Swift Creek Elementary School in Raleigh, staff are preparing to serve hundreds of meals when students return.
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“One of the things we try to do is taste test in our schools,” said Tiffany Lawrence, senior director of Child Nutrition Services for Wake County Public Schools. “That way students get to see what they’re going to eat in advance and we can get their buy-in.”
Lawrence said the district follows the Dietary Guidelines for Americans when developing its menus while also considering what students will actually eat.
“We really try to think about what kids like, and we have trained chefs on our staff, so we’re using expert advice to come up with the menus for our students,” Lawrence said.
But at least to start the school year, some fresh produce will be missing from school menus because of concerns surrounding Cyclospora in North Carolina this summer. North Carolina has reported more than 900 cyclosporiasis cases and 32 hospitalizations since May 2026.
The parasite causes cyclosporiasis, and spreads when someone eats or drinks something contaminated with human feces. Outbreaks are most often tied to fresh leafy greens, herbs, and fresh fruits.
Wake County Public Schools said it is continuing to temporarily remove all salads, parsley and cilantro out of an abundance of caution. The change includes a la carte salads and tossed salads on serving lines.
Durham Public Schools is taking additional precautions. The district said it will hold off on serving fresh produce until September, instead serving canned and frozen fruits and vegetables.
While the menu will look different, Durham students will continue to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost.
More Wake County students will also have access to free meals this school year. Of the district’s 204 schools, 53 will offer both breakfast and lunch to students at no cost.
“The biggest change this year is our increase in CEP sites,” Lawrence said. “We went from 44 to 53 school sites where students get breakfast and lunch at no cost. Then we have 19 universal breakfast sites where kids get breakfast at no cost.”
The Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, is a USDA-sponsored program which provides free meals to students attending schools in high-poverty areas without requiring individual families to apply for free or reduced-price meals.
The expansion comes as Wake County Public Schools reports an increase in the share of its students qualifying for free and reduced-price meals.
Lawrence said about 42% of students qualify this school year, compared with approximately 37% last school year.
“Seeing the CEP numbers increase, that also shows that there is a shift in the economics of our student population,” Lawrence said.
For families who pay full price, school meals will also cost more this year.
Wake County increased meal prices by 25 cents. Elementary school breakfast will cost $2.25 and lunch will cost $4.
Middle and high school breakfast will cost $2.50, while lunch will cost $4.25.
Lawrence said rising labor and food costs contributed to the increase.
“The overall goal for us as a program is to eventually meet the federal reimbursement, but also increases in labor and food costs have impacted us and had us need to make that change in increase of price,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence emphasized that school meals can play a role beyond simply making sure students are not hungry during the day, particularly when it comes to breakfast.
“Students who eat breakfast are more academically successful,” Lawrence said. “They increase reading scores, science, and math scores. It helps a student thrive while they’re at school.”