Saucon Valley School District students this fall will be able to buy breakfast at school.
The school board voted to create a federally subsidized school breakfast program despite reservations from some that the food offerings won't be healthy enough.
Breakfast will cost $1.70 for students, although price breaks are given to those that qualify for free or reduced meals.
Superintendent Monica McHale-Small said the need is rising in the district. At the elementary school, 28 percent of students now qualify for free and reduced lunch.
"It is something our principals recognize as a need," McHale-Small said after the meeting.
Last month, the board was presented with some of the potential breakfast offerings and some directors said Tuesday they did not approve of the food choices.
Hellertown resident Linda Leewright was so disturbed by the choices that Tuesday night she packed two sample breakfasts to bring to the meeting. A banana, organic milk, boiled egg and nuts and raisins doesn't cost much but it more nutritionally sound, she said.
"I realize it is difficult to not go with the carrot of federal dollars," Leewright, who is a school board candidate, said.
But she thinks it does a disservice to students, who aren't getting healthy meals or learning how to pack such a meal, by taking away the responsibility of their parents.