THE IMPACTS OF INFLATION ON SCHOOL CAFETERIA PRICES AND SENIOR

STUDENTS MEAL CHOICE: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Undergraduate Research
Submitted to the Faculty of the
Senior High School Department
Kin Yang Academy Inc.

Galang, Mary Belen C.

Abrantes, Lord Cedric
Lasim, Jhon Benedict M.
Balatbat, Kyla Nicole U.
Crisostomo, Cassandra Jade I.
De Guia, Regina Marie G.
Ocampo, Grace Ann D.
2023
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to thank Dr. Leodencio T. Obra, director of Kin Yang Academy, Inc., for

approving and allowing us to conduct our research, as well as Ma'am Reny C. Obra for

allowing us to do so.

First and foremost, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to ma'am Ara Jane

Layug Roncesvalles, our research advisor, for teaching us about research and enhancing

our talents, which we will use in a variety of fields in our life in the near future. for her

constant support and inspiration of her pupils to fulfil our duties as researchers. We owe you

our respect, Ma'am Ara . We also like to thank Haylee Irish Barba from 11 TVL (hhs) for

helping us figure out how many seniors at Kin Yang Academy, Inc. there were in each track

and strand.

Last but not least, we would want to express our sincere thanks and appreciation to

God Almighty, who has given us the power, information, and inspiration we presently have.

For illuminating the positive aspects of life and giving us hope that, if we put our faith in God

and our own abilities, we can overcome any challenge. We will always be grateful to him for

the gift of life that he gave us because without him, we would not be who we are today.
 Table of Contents

Chapter I - The Problem and Its Background

A.Background of the Study……………

B.Statement of the Problem…………..

C.Hypothesis……………………………

D.Significance of the Study……………

E.Conceptual Framework……………...

F.Scopes and Delimitation………………..

Chapter II - Review of Related Literature

A.Foreign Literature………………………..

B.Local Literature……………………..

Chapter III - Research Methodology

A.Research Design………………………

B.Population and Sampling……………….

C.Research Instrument………………….

D.Data gathering procedure……………

E.Ethical consideration………………….

References………………………………………………..

Appendices……………………………………………….
INTRODUCTION

Inflation has been defined as an increase in prices that results in a loss of buying

power over time. The average price increase of a basket of selected goods and services

over time might show the rate at which buying power declines. The increase in pricing, which

is frequently stated as a percentage, signifies that a unit of money buys less than it did

previously. Inflation is distinguished from deflation, which happens when prices fall but

buying power rises Jason Fernando (2023).

A cafeteria is a restaurant where individuals gather food and drink from a serving

area and take it to their own table after paying.Most schools include cafeterias to give a

lunch service to children and to support busy parents who are unable to always prepare a

lunch from home. Canteens can also contribute some additional funds to schools. Students

are not permitted to leave campus for safety reasons. The sudden increase in food prices

may affect students. This situation has both positive and negative consequences for

students. Some positive consequences include students learning how to save money. Some

negative consequences include students choosing to starve themselves rather than eating a

full dish.

According to Sara Ruberg el at (2023), school cafeterias are in crisis. Some of the

schools serve more junk food to students than healthy foods, because they can’t always

afford some of the ingredients of a dish that is affected by inflation. Plastic utensils are not

always available, several school districts serve more finger meals. One is subsidizing the

cheese on its pizzas with government support. Another is discussing whether to reduce

workers in order to reduce its grocery expenses.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The significance of this study aims to address all the potential problems caused by

the impact of inflation on school cafeteria prices and senior student meals which will benefit

the following:

School administrators - Benefit from the study by using the findings to improve the quality

and affordability of school meals. By understanding the impact of inflation on school cafeteria

prices and meal choices, administrators can develop strategies to mitigate the negative

effects of inflation and improve the availability and nutritional value of school meals.

Senior high school students - Benefit from the study by understanding how inflation affects

the cost and availability of school meals. By showing them how the impact of inflation on

cafeteria prices and meal choices, students and their families can make informed decisions

on their food choices.

Parents - Understanding the effects of inflation on the costs and availability of school meals

will benefit their decisions on the allowance they give to their kids.

Future Researchers - This paper serves as a reference for the works of future researchers

and to make them knowledgeable about the current topic of inflation within the school

cafeteria.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study focuses on how the inflation affected the meal choices, meal prices and

meal ingredients in the school cafeteria.This will help the researchers to have more ideas to

do this study.

How does inflation positively impact the school cafeteria prices?

How does inflation negatively impact the school cafeteria prices?

How inflationary changes in cafeteria prices affect the food choices of senior high

school students?

HYPOTHESIS

How do inflationary changes in cafeteria prices affect the food choices of senior high

school students?

H0 : Inflation does not affect the food prices in the school cafeteria, affecting the

food choices of the senior high school students at Kin Yang Academy, Inc.

Ha : Inflation does affect the food prices in the school cafeteria, affecting the food

choices of the senior high school students at Kin Yang Academy, Inc.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Figure 1:The conceptual framework of the study

Figure one shows the variables in our study.The inflation is our dependent variable,

businesses, eateries, households, and even schools have been impacted by rising food

prices. Due to rising prices or offering a more restricted menu as students return to school

this fall in many school districts around the nation due to staffing shortages, supply chain

issues, and rising inflation in school cafeterias Nik Polpi (2022).Inflation affecting the school

cafeterias causing the price increases.Prices increase, causing inflation. There are two

primary types, or causes, of inflation.The demand-pull, when the economy's ability to create

goods and services cannot keep up with demand, demand-pull inflation results.Cost-push,

inflation happens when the cost of raw materials and labor drives up the cost of output

goods and services McKinsey (2022).

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This theory is supported by Norikazu Takami el at (2013). The cost push inflation

theory, economic experts, including politicians, journalists, and economists, started to notice

a peculiarity that went along with the ongoing inflation in late 1956, namely, an cost-push

demand.In interpreting this peculiar phenomenon, they heavily emphasized cost-push

inflation theories.Cost push highlight autonomous increases of wages and other production

costs as a cause of inflation, played a decisive role in the policy debate over interpretation of

price movements in the second half of the 1950s. Cost-push inflation theory focuses on

another reason for prices to rise, namely, the apparent lack of excess aggregate demand.

Cost-push is when total prices rise (inflation) as a result of rising costs for wages and

raw materials, this phenomenon is referred to as cost-push inflation, sometimes referred to

as wage-push inflation. The overall quantity of output in the economy may decline as a result

of higher manufacturing costs. Cost-push inflation results from the manufacturing price

increases being passed on to consumers because the demand for goods hasn't altered Will

Kelton (2022).

SCOPES AND DELIMITATIONS

The study will target senior high school students at Kin Yang Academy, Inc. We will

only look for students who purchase food from the cafeteria and students whose food

choices have been impacted by inflation in order to conduct our research properly and wisely

with a smaller sample size. Researchers will not examine the nutritional content of food,

teachers who purchase meals from the school cafeteria, staff members who prepare food, or

the effects of food on the study's participants.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

A definition of terms to have a better understanding in our research

Correlation.a mutual relationship or connection between two or more variables or factors.

Consequences. result or effect of an action or condition.

Economic phenomenon.a contradictory unity of the socio-productive relation and its material

carrier

Inflation.the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time

Mitigate.to lessen the negative impact or effect of something

 CHAPTER II

Review of Related Studies

I.Foreign

According to the study "Inflation hits the lunch line: How higher costs and supply

chain issues are affecting school lunches" by CBS NEWS (2022), inflation is not only

affecting family budgets, but it is also affecting the school cafeteria.At Meade Middle School

in Maryland's Anne Arundel County, had to improvise the ingredients that get hit by

inflation.Most of the students noticed that their school cafeteria is losing some condiments

that most of the children's loves.some of the ingredients of the meal are volatile that cause

them to change their monthly menu.

A study by Chriqui et al. (2016) found that changes in school nutrition policies,

including changes in food prices, can have a significant impact on student food choices. The

study suggests that price increases for healthier food options can lead to a decrease in their

consumption, while price decreases for unhealthy food options can lead to an increase in

their consumption.

A study by Schwartz et al. (2016) examined the impact of food prices on student food

choices in middle and high schools. The study found that price increases for a la carte items

and snacks led to a decrease in their consumption, while price decreases led to an increase

in their consumption. The study also found that price increases for healthier food options led

to a decrease in their consumption, while price decreases did not have a significant impact.

A study by Kim and Lee (2019) explored the impact of food prices on the food choices of

college students. The study found that price increases for healthier food options led to a

decrease in their consumption, while price decreases did not have a significant impact. The
study also found that students were more likely to choose unhealthy foods when they were

cheaper.

A study by Lovenheim and Slemrod (2010) examined the impact of changes in food prices

on the National School Lunch Program. The study found that increases in food prices led to

a decrease in student participation in the program, while decreases in food prices led to an

increase in participation.

According to the study “Effect of Food Service Nutrition Improvements on Elementary School

Cafeteria Lunch Purchase Patterns” unconditional cash transfers can be used to raise

schooling levels and protect investment in children's education against income shocks.

Policy simulations show that making transfers conditional on attendance can increase the

efficiency of such transfers, Patricia A. Cluss el at (2014).

According to the study Food Price Inflation and Children's Schooling by Michael

Grimm (2013), investigating how parents' decisions to send their children to school are

impacted by growing food prices. In order to determine the income elasticity of enrolment in

schools, I also take into account the fact that producers of cotton and food crops were

exposed to the shock in various ways. The results suggest that enrollment rates were

immediately impacted by the shock-induced loss of purchasing power. Instrumental variable

estimates indicate that the impact of household income on children's school enrolment is far

more than a simple OLS model would suggest. As a result, while formulating plans to boost

education in Sub-Saharan Africa, the demand side should not be disregarded.

According to ‘ EFFECTS OF FOOD SERVICE NUTRITION IMPROVEMENTS ON

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CAFETERIA LUNCH PURCHASE PATTERNS” by patricia cluss

(2014), school cafeteria ca playa major role in intervention for childhood obesity.Elementary

schools often purchase more healthy and nutritious lunches and sell them to low
prices.While unhealthy foods are sell in high prices and have a limited space on menu.This

technique made the students eat more healthy and nutritious foods every lunch.Some of

the students still buy some junk foods or finger foods, so the school cafeteria agreed to

remove the junk foods in the menu.

According to the study “Survey on the Assessment of the Current Actual Expenses

Incurred by Students on the Meals and Accommodation within and around the Campuses:

The Case of Tanzania Higher Education Students' Loans Beneficiaries “, some of the

parents need to adjust their children's allowance to in order to purchase any item in the

school cafeteria.Students parents always busy working so they don't have time to prepare

their children's lunches, Nyahende, Veronica R (2015)

II. LOCAL

According on the study “Affordability of Goods Sold in School Canteens as Perceived by the

Grade 10 Students of General Mariano Alvarez Technical High School” by Nathalia Valera et

al (2023) researchers discovered that canteens do not provide more inexpensive products

that ordinary students can buy. Most of the products sold in canteens have increased costs

to the point where even students lose interest. The research also advises small adjustments

to the canteen's supplied services. Setting up menu boards with pricing listings for food and

other items, as well as healthier meal alternatives, was also highly suggested.
 Chapter III

THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The researchers chose quantitative research to examine the effects of rapidly

changing commodity prices due to inflation, how students' food choices are affected by these

phenomena and the impact of sudden changes of food prices to senior high school students

so that most students are not able to eat properly. The researchers also chose quantitative

research to provide a solution to the rapid increase in the cost of goods.

Population and sampling

The researchers will focus on the senior high school students enrolled in Kin Yang

Academy, Inc. Tracks exist in grades 11 and 12 are Humanities and Social Sciences

(HUMSS), Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) strand Bread and Pastry Productions

(BPP) and Household Services (HHS), Business, and Management (ABM); General

Academic Strand (GAS), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Table 1. The number of students on each stand and track in grade 11

Strand/Track Number of Percentage Sample size

students computed

TVL (BPP) 29 12.03% 22

TVL (HHS) 31 12.86% 24

STEM 82 34.02% 45

HUMSS 51 21.16% 34

GAS 27 11.20% 21

ABM 21 8.71% 17
 Figure 1 shows the computed sample size of grade 11 senior high school students

enrolled in Kin Yang Academy, Inc.. We use the slovin’s formula to compute the given inside

the table.According to Franklin Isip el at (nd), slovin’s formula is to determine the sample

size especially if there is uncertainty about the population’s behaviour.

Computing the populations is to divide the population to the confidence level that you've

chosen.

𝑛= 𝑁

_________

1 + 𝑁𝑒 2

Table 2. The number of students on each stand and track in grade 12

Strand/Track Number of Percentage Sample size

students computed

STEM 83 35.17% 45

HUMSS 39 16.53% 28

GAS 25 10.59% 20

ABM 38 16.10% 27

TVL 51 21.61% 34

TOTAL 236 100% 154

 Figure 2 is the number of students in each track and computed sample sizes.In this

table we also use slovin’s formula.the researchers can also use this information to have an

easy and better research study.

Research Instrument

We chose the survey questions for this investigation. The researchers will use

Google Forms, Google Drive, and the Messenger app to connect to all of our respondents'

answers or opinions for our study. This survey questionnaire contains a total of 20 questions

about the negative and positive effects of inflation on students' food choices in the school

cafeteria. Some of the questions also inquire about the prices of food in the school cafeteria.

Table 3. Questionnaire

Demographic Information This part is where participants will put their

name, age, section, and track.

Positive impacts of Inflation in the cafeteria This part will contain some positive
questions that will be answered with
multiple choices.

Negative impacts of Inflation in the cafeteria We ask some negative questions that will
be answered by multiple choice,
identification, and enumeration..

Inflation affecting the meal choices In our last part, respondents will give their
opinion on some questions that we will put
in.
Data Gathering Procedure

The quantitative study was selected by the researchers to make things simple for us.

The chosen techniques can be used to collect data. For example, questionnaires might be

given to senior students to inquire about their food preferences and pricing impressions.

Data might also be gathered by observing the school cafeteria during meal times. Student

and staff questionnaires can also be used to collect information about cafeteria costs. A

survey may ask respondents how frequently they buy meals from the cafeteria and how

much they usually spend. It can be used to see if there has been a significant increase in

cafeteria food spending. The data can be used to propose changes to the cafeteria menu or

pricing methods.

Ethical Considerations

When making actions that potentially have an impact on other people, individuals and

organisations should keep certain ethical issues in mind. It entails comparing the advantages

of a course of action against any potential drawbacks while considering how it might affect

humans, animals, and the environment.

In the context of ethical considerations, research must be conducted in a manner that

respects the rights and dignity of participants and adheres to ethical principles and

guidelines. Some of the ethical considerations, researchers can ensure that their research

studies are conducted in an ethical and responsible manner, promoting the welfare and

dignity of participants, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in their respective

fields.
REFERENCES

CBS NEWS (2014) Inflation hits the lunch line: How higher costs and supply chain issues

are affecting school lunches.

(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/inflation-food-prices-school-lunch-supply-chain/0)

Patricia A. Cluss el at (2014) Effect of Food Service Nutrition Improvements on Elementary

School Cafeteria Lunch Purchase Patterns.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/josh.12157

Michael Grimm (2013) Food Price Inflation and Children's Schooling.

https://nepc.colorado.edu/files/CERU-0301-16-OWI.pdf

Nyahende, Veronica R (2015)“Survey on the Assessment of the Current Actual Expenses

Incurred by Students on the Meals and Accommodation within and around the Campuses:

The Case of Tanzania Higher Education Students' Loans Beneficiaries

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1428836

Department of Economics, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi(2014)Food Price

Inflation in India: Causes and Cures

https://www.jstor.org/stable/24583407

Grimm, Michael (2008) : Food price inflation and schooling, IAI Discussion Papers, No. 174,

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Ibero-America Institute for Economic Research (IAI),

Göttingen

https://www.econstor.eu/handle/10419/57324

Mitrea DM, Kriwacki RW. Regulated unfolding of proteins in signalling. FEBS Lett. 2013 Apr

17;587(8):1081-8. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2013.02.024. Epub 2013 Feb 20. PMID: 23454209;

PMCID: PMC4898947

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4898947/
Yin Y, Zhang P, Tan Z, Zhou J, Wu L, Hou H. The Association of Pre-S/S Gene Mutations

and Hepatitis B Virus Vertical Transmission. Hepat Mon. 2016 Mar 6;16(3):e32160. doi:

10.5812/hepatmon.32160. PMID: 27226799; PMCID: PMC4876664.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4876664/

Scott, S.; Kempf, P.; Bally, L.; Stettler, C. Carbohydrate Intake in the Context of Exercise in

People with Type 1 Diabetes. Nutrients 2019, 11, 3017.

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11123017

Scott S, Kempf P, Bally L, Stettler C. Carbohydrate Intake in the Context of Exercise in

People with Type 1 Diabetes. Nutrients. 2019; 11(12):3017.

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11123017

Sam Scott (2019)Carbohydrate Intake in the Context of Exercise in People with Type 1

Diabetes

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/11/12/3017

Lars Rosenbaum,Georg Hinselmann,Andreas Jahn,Andreas Zell(2011)Interpreting

linear support vector machine models with heat map molecule colouring

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3076244/
APPENDICES

THE IMPACTS OF INFLATION ON SCHOOL CAFETERIA PRICES AND SENIOR

STUDENTS MEAL CHOICE: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

Dear participants,

Good day! We, the researchers from group 2 of Grade 11-TVL (BPP), are conducting a study
entitled “THE IMPACTS OF INFLATION ON SCHOOL CAFETERIA PRICES AND
SENIOR STUDENTS MEAL CHOICE: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY”.

In line with this, we are politely asking for your participation in our study.Below are the criteria
we are looking for in our respondents:

1. Currently enrolled as a senior high school student in Kin Yang Academy, Inc. (A.Y. 2022-2023)
2. Already purchased an item from the school cafeteria.

The information you will be providing will be used exclusively for research purposes. We will
respect your privacy and keep your information anonymous.

Your approval and participation will be deeply appreciated. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Galang, Mary Belen C.
Abrantes, Lord Cedric
Balatbat, Kyla Nicole U.
Crisostomo, Cassandra Jade I.
De Guia, Regina Marie G.
Lasim, Jhon Benedict M.
Ocampo, Grace Ann D.

11- TVL (BPP)

Kin Yang Academy, Inc.
 RESEARCH ADOPTIVE SURVEY

SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Name (optional): ________________

Grade Level: _____________

Strand: _____________

SECTION B: POSITIVE IMPACTS

1. Do you feel that the school cafeteria provides a good variety of food options?

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

2. How satisfied are you with the nutritional value of the food options in the school

cafeteria?

Very satisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Neutral

Somewhat dissatisfied

Very dissatisfied

3. Do you feel that the prices of food in the school cafeteria are fair and reasonable?

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree
 4. How likely are you to recommend the school cafeteria to other students?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Neutral

Somewhat unlikely

Very unlikely

5. Do you feel that the school cafeteria staff are friendly and helpful?

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

SECTION B: NEGATIVE EFFECTS

1. Do you believe that the increase in school cafeteria prices due to inflation has negatively

affected the quality of meals available to senior students?

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree
 2. Have you noticed a decrease in the variety of food options offered in the school cafeteria

as a result of rising inflation?

yes

no

maybe

sometimes

never

3. Do you feel that the rising prices of school cafeteria meals due to inflation have made it

more difficult for senior students to afford delicious meals?

yes

no

maybe

sometimes

never

4. Have you observed a decrease in the portion sizes of meals served in the school

cafeteria due to inflation-related price increases?

yes

no

maybe

sometimes

never
 5. Do you think that the impacts of inflation on school cafeteria prices have led senior

students to opt for cheaper, less healthy meal choices outside of the cafeteria?

yes

no

maybe

sometimes

Never

SECTION C:

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agreeing, please

rate the extent to which you believe that inflation has affected the affordability of school

cafeteria meals for senior students.

2. How often do you purchase meals from the school cafeteria? (Please select one: Daily,

Few times a week, Once a week, Rarely, Never)

3. Have you noticed an increase in the prices of school cafeteria meals over the past year

due to inflation? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not sure)

4. In your opinion, has the increase in school cafeteria prices due to inflation influenced your

decision to purchase meals from the cafeteria? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not

applicable)
5. Have you observed any changes in the quality of school cafeteria meals as a result of

rising inflation? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not sure)

6. How would you rate the variety of food options available in the school cafeteria after

considering the impact of inflation? (Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being very

limited and 5 being very diverse)

7. Are you more likely to choose cheaper meal options from outside the cafeteria due to the

increased prices caused by inflation? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not applicable)

8. How satisfied are you with the affordability of school cafeteria meals for senior students

after considering the impact of inflation? (Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being

very dissatisfied and 5 being very satisfied)

9. Have you heard any discussions or complaints from other senior students about the

impact of inflation on school cafeteria prices? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not sure)

10. If the prices of school cafeteria meals were to decrease, would you be more likely to

purchase meals from the cafeteria? (Please select one: Yes, No, Not applicable)

11. How would you rate the overall impact of inflation on school cafeteria prices and senior

students' meal choices? (Please rate on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being very negative and 5

being very positive)