FORT WORTH - You know about the housing crunch - now there's the lunch crunch.

As families tighten their belts, more of them are finding it harder to come up with school lunch money.

In Tarrant County, several districts already report an increase in demand.

In the end, it means taxpayers will have to pay.

Across Tarrant County, more children are showing up for school with empty tummies and no lunch money.

Grapevine Colleyville ISD reported the biggest increase in its free and reduced lunch program thus far - up about 15 percent from last year.

Fort Worth, Birdville, and Hurst Euless Bedford ISDs all report more modest increases of up to three percent.

The districts' grocery bills are up as much as 20 percent.

"The subsidy we receive for that federally-funded program is a set amount and as you know the prices of food items and other grocery type things are going up, so there is a disconnect between the two," said Megan Overman from Grapevine Colleyville ISD.

The School Nutrition Association estimates the federal reimbursement program, in actuality, only covers about 90 percent of the total cost and all that missing money really adds up.

For example, in Fort Worth ISD that translates to about $50,000 extra dollars a week the district needs to come up with for the free lunch program.

Districts can take part in a federal program that supplies surplus foods to make up some of the difference but critics complain it often includes too much of the fatty, processed foods schools want to avoid.

"We're operating at a deficit but we're making sure those children do get the breakfasts and lunches they deserve," said Clint Bond from Fort Worth ISD.

Fort Worth ISD has found one other money-saving measure - parents now sign up on the internet for the free and reduced lunch program - eliminating costly paperwork and staff time.

E-mail chawes@wfaa.com.