Despite a $1,275 shortfall in the Rochester Memorial School’s food service account last year, the school has seen a drastic improvement from 2011, said Old Rochester Regional School District’s Food Service Director Caitlin Meagher.

On Monday, Meagher informed the Rochester School Committee that the shortfall last June was “progress” when compared with the previous year's deficit of $14,000 in food service.

By increasing lunch prices 25 cents and decreasing spending, Meagher said her staff has been able to get the food service account under control without taking anything away from the students.

To get students to buy more lunches from the school and save on food, Meagher has done away with a former lunch ordering practice.

Previously, the students ordered their lunches first thing in the morning, but by the afternoon, some students were not eating the lunches they had selected earlier. This resulted in surplus food being prepared by the cafeteria staff.

Now, the students are able to choose their meal at lunchtime.

“Students can get what they want and it seems to work out better,” Meagher said. “They seem to be doing really well with it.”

School Committee member Sharon Hartley commended Meagher on her efforts to improve the food service in the district.

“I think we’re really happy with Caitlin is here and making progress,” Hartley said. “It’s looking really good.”