Multiple Adelaide schools either shut canteen or raise costs to stay open

The humble school canteen might be the latest victim of rising cost of living pressures, with multiple tuck shops across Adelaide being deemed no longer “financially viable”.

Multiple school canteens across South Australia have been forced to close or raise their prices to stay open as governing councils decide they are no longer financially viable and families battle the rising cost of living.

Among the schools struggling to keep their canteen running is Reynella Primary School which sent a message to its community this week to notify them that changes were made to the canteen to keep it afloat.

“Our canteen staff have spent many hours analysing all products in our canteen menu, to ensure the canteen remains financially viable and also cost effective for families,” the message said.

The most expensive item at the school is a meatball sub hot roll at $7.50 and the least expensive is a chicken nugget for $1.

At Pimpala Primary School its governing council made the decision that their canteen would shut from 2025.

An Education Department spokeswoman said the canteen was “found to be no longer financially viable” by the governing council in a decision made in 2024.

The department contacted Pimpala on Tuesday and will work to see if the canteen, which previously operated two days a week, can be re-established.

Pimpala Primary School no longer runs a canteen. Picture: Matt Loxton

SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor. Picture: Australian Primary Principals Association website

At Aberfoyle Hub Primary School, their canteen is closed for term 1 as they search for a new manager.

Principal Sarah Magnusson said the position has been advertised but not yet filled.

“Our governing council are exploring all the options in order to resume this service, including advertising the role,” Ms Magnusson said.

The department spokeswoman said they will be contacting school sites this term “to remind them of the canteen support service available through the department to establish or maintain school canteens”.

“Where a school-based canteen is not viable, the department can assist schools in finding suitable alternatives including off-site canteen services or collaboration with a local deli or cafe,” she said.

SA Primary Principals Association president Tobias O’Connor said factors including profitability and cost of living had an impact on the viability of canteens.

“While they don’t seek to make a profit they still need to be viable,” Mr O’Connor said.

Calvary Lutheran Primary School’s Eadie, 10, and Anita, 10, enjoy a healthy packed lunch. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“People just don’t have the cash lying around.”

Calvary Lutheran Primary School, in Morphett Vale, has not had a canteen for more than a decade as principal Angela Branford said it would not be viable and bought lunches create inequity between students.

“Being a small school, we weren’t in a position to do that,” Ms Branford said.

“We’re in a low socio economic environment and we’re a low fee paying school.”

For many families at the school, a bought lunch would add unnecessary pressure in a cost of living crisis.

“If you’ve got four children and you want to have a lunch order, it’s an extra $40 to $50,” Ms Branford said.

“We consulted the community and they were quite happy not to have that service.”

Instead, multiple times throughout the year the school will have a day where students can order a meal from outside providers such as Subway.

“We have people in our congregation who donate so families who might not afford a special lunch can have them,” she said.