Some public schools charge more than elite private schools and Adelaide Oval for common canteen tucker

There are some big gaps between public and private menus – and prices – our survey reveals. But the tuck shops charging big bucks may surprise you.

Eliza Maloney, year 10, with a Thai noodle salad and Charlie Bradford, year 9, with a chicken salad sandwich. Picture: Tom Huntley

The cost of a humble school lunch is soaring with students at many campuses paying more for a pie than sports fans at Adelaide Oval.

The Advertiser’s survey of 50 schools show parents who don’t send a packed lunch with their children are often being charged close to $20 for a basic meal.

Some public schools are charging more than high-profile private colleges for the same canteen items.

A lasagne ($10), fruit salad ($5) and a flavoured milk ($3.50) at Richmond Primary School sets you back $18.50.

At North Adelaide Primary, a meal comprising of a ham sandwich ($7.20), a fruit salad ($5.80) and a fruit juice ($4.30) totals $17.30.

At Unley Primary, the cost of just a pie and a fruit juice comes to $10.70.

Of the 50 schools surveyed, nine are charging more for a classic meat pie than Adelaide Oval’s $5.40 price.

The most expensive was $6.20 at Unley Primary School and $6.10 at Goodwood Primary.

Adelaide Botanic charges $7.50 for a burger compared to the $5.00 to $6.90 at some private schools.

All private schools included in the survey charge below $6 for a pie.

Seymour College had an affordable canteen charging only $1.50 for a meat pie, $2.50 for a ham sandwich and $5 for a burger.

Westminster principal Simon Shepherd. Picture: Mark Brake

Public primary schools are also offering kids luxury items such as sushi, yum cha, Bahn Mi, cold rolls and even Subway for lunch.

The canteen price data was sourced from publicly available price lists via the school’s website or through the Qkr! app, where parents can order their children lunches through their smart devices.

A range of public schools contacted by The Advertiser deferred to the Education Department.

The department said it used a competitive tender process “to get the best value for money for students”.

“(It) ensures providers comply with their tendered pricing and only permits an annual CPI adjustment,” a spokeswoman said.

“Non-private providers are managed by each individual school. The department encourages schools to consider affordability when setting prices, which schools take seriously for their families.

“The department will proactively contact schools given cost of living challenges to remind them about the importance of considering affordability.”

Sausage rolls are pricey, with Unley Primary School charging $6.20, Goodwood $6.10 and a number of others charging $5.50.

Fruit salads at St Joseph’s School Payneham are $6.00, with various other schools charging $5.80 for a large size.

Burgers also have a hefty price tag at some schools, Marryatville Primary charging $8 and Adelaide Botanic $7.50.

Lasagne at Richmond Primary and Tenison Woods Catholic is $10.

The department spokeswoman said it took cost of living pressures “very seriously” and had a range of initiatives to help families including a $100 discount in the materials and services charge for each student and reducing the threshold for the School Card.

She said the state government was also providing more than $1m for the preschool and school breakfast programs run by Kickstart for Kids and Foodbank SA.

“The state government is always open to considering proposals that benefit families and that could help reduce cost of living pressures,” she said.

Commissioner for Children and Young People as well as Foodbank SA and Kickstart for Kids, which deliver breakfast and lunch programs in some schools, called on the government to subside healthy tuck shop food, particularly in lower socio-economic areas.

Helen Connolly, the SA Commissioner for Children and Young People said there “may be value in examining tuck shop prices” as well as expanding free meal programs in areas of high need.

“Missing lunch because you can’t afford it is not going to bring the learning outcomes we’re all aiming for, regardless of the excellence of the teaching,” she said.

Around 78,000 South Australian kids have experienced severe food insecurity in the last 12 months according to Foodbank SA.