With the high cost of everything from food to fuel, it's no surprise the prices of school lunches are going up.

Students in the North Rockland School District currently pay $2.25; that price is about to go up an additional 25 cents a meal. For some families it might not mean much, but Assistant Superintendent James McGuire says it can become a burden for others.

?Other families are working on very strict budgets,? says McGuire. ?Over the course of a week this is gonna have $1.25 increase. I'm sure there would be some concern expressed by that parent.?

About half the districts in Rockland County are increasing the cost to offset food and fuel prices. McGuire says the increase allows the district to break even.

A spokesperson for Aramark, one of the major food service providers, says it's trying to offset costs by using more fruits and vegetables provided by federal programs for schools.

Meanwhile, children that can't afford the cost of a school lunch can qualify for free or reduced priced lunches with the difference made up by federal and state money.