Publications

The Economics Daily

School lunch prices over the last 20 years

September 18, 2026
Ask a young student what's their favorite subject ... and many of them might say, "lunch!" Those same students might not pay much attention to the cost of lunch items, but the price of lunch is a subject many parents study closely. For example, common sandwich items, white bread, lunchmeats, and lettuce have risen 87.5 percent, 58.3 percent, and 52.0 percent, respectively over the past 20 years. Full Text »

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