BROOKLINE, Mass. -- It may be a bit tough to stomach, but the cost of school lunches in many Bay State school districts will be going up in coming months as officials struggle to deal with rising food prices.

Video | Survey

The town of Brookline will be raising prices in the fall as meat, dairy, fruit and vegetable costs have all risen by double digits over the past year. Skyrocketing fuel costs are blamed for many of the increases, as it is now costing more to deliver food.

About 75 percent of school districts nationwide plan on raising school lunch prices, according to the Boston Globe, and schools that offer the healthiest food choices, with fresh produce rather than cheaper processed foods, tend to be the hardest hit.

In Brookline, the price of lunches will jump 50 cents from $2.75 to $3.25. In Chelmsford, lunches will cost 25 cents more, hiking the cost to $2.50. In Quincy, lunches will spike from $1.75 to $2 in September.

The food services director there says this may be the toughest year since the early 1980s when the federal government cut reimbursements to local districts.

The city of Boston is facing a nearly $4 million budget deficit in its school lunch program. School committee members there hope to avoid some cost hikes by encouraging parents to enroll in federally-subsidized free or reduced lunch programs.

Meat costs have risen by 11 percent over this past school year and fruits and vegetables by 13 percent, according to a national school nutrition survey. Bread costs are up by 17 percent, and milk by 19 percent, results showed.