— Chew on this: More than 1,000 people have

— a boycott of the school's cafeteria food meant to protest the district's healthier, but more expensive menu.

The effort — a one-day boycott, to take place Friday — is the brainchild of senior Brandon Faris and junior Nicholas Caccavale. Their parents said the teens have been passing out flyers and rallying support through social media, hoping their voices and rumbling stomachs will be heard.

"One of the first questions Brandon asked me was, 'Mom, do you think we could get in trouble or suspended?'" Faris' mother, Angela Barringer, said. "And I told him, I don't believe so. You're not doing anything disruptive. You're just bringing awareness and telling people about this."

At issue is a new menu,

. The changes follow

.

"To summarize, some of the most dramatic changes being implemented will be smaller entrées, including smaller bread and smaller protein portions; the elimination of 1 percent flavored milk, to be replaced by flavored fat-free milk; and, for many districts, mandated price increases," Pomptonian said in a "Nutrition Corner" notice posted to the district's as well as its own The changes follow legislation signed by President Barack Obama in 2010.

Further materials from Pomptonian state that while districts have historically offered fruits and vegetables, students often refrain from selecting them. Now, the fruits and vegetables are put in students' trays by default.

"The serving size of the fruit and vegetable portion has also been increased. It is estimated that at current cost this could add about $0.10-$0.15 to the price of every meal,"

.

The

for the high school shows full meals starting at $2.60, and "gourmet" meals at $3.25. Several optional purchases are available.

"Aww man ... We 'the students' are finally kicking it up a notch for a better lunch!!!" one supporter, Anthony Espinoza, wrote on the Facebook group's wall.

Nicholas' mother, Kelly Caccavale, said she fully supports efforts to get students eating nutritious food, "but I would like to see a reasonable portion of the food at a reasonable price."

"Some of these students are at school for a very long day," she said. "When (Nicholas) is there for wrestling, he's sometimes there until 10 at night, and it's really not enough to get through that whole day."

Kelly Caccavale said her son didn't tell her about the boycott at first, afraid he might get in trouble.

"I said, 'You know what, if you believe in this, go ahead,'" she said. "'You have to do it the right way, do it properly, but go ahead.'"

Both mothers said they hope the effort will at least start a conversation about how lunch policies are implemented, even if the district is constrained by regulations. Barranger said she also hopes students who brown-bag on Friday may continue next week and beyond, realizing there are choices other than the school cafeteria.

Kelly Caccavale said her son is upset over another aspect of the lunch program. She said students receiving reduced-price lunches wind up with smaller portions, and have to stand in a separate line to get their meals.

District officials had not returned calls from NJ.com asking to clarify whether that is, indeed, the policy, or comment on the protest overall.

Nicholas and Brandon were in school Thursday, and not immediately available for comment.

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