School Meals

[DaisyNonna]

School meals for Primary school children from September. Is this workable?

[pixie373]

They used to do it, but then stopped. Presumably about money?

[~Wingnut~]

As a school cook currently serving 90-100 but from September this will rise to an estimated 175, to say im slightly worrying about it is an understatement lol I certainly hope it is!

[sherrardk]

A lot of schools don't have any kitchen facilities. Our local primary get meals delivered from the secondary school (for those that choose to have them), wouldn't have thought they would have the capacity to do many more meals.

Personally, I don't want my children to have school dinners.

[anneasquith]

do you mean free meals ? I think its a waste of money, only families on a low income should to eligible, why is the tax payer paying for a free dinner for children with parents who can well afford to pay . ?

[pixie373]

Well, that's a good point, sherr. We do a cooked meal in the evening when everyone is home from work or school. We try to do one meal a day with everyone- although older daughter too busy and often microwaves hers later :-\

[Buenchico]

I might be accused of being pedantic here but I wouldn't want any parents reading this thread to be misled by the wording of your post. 'Primary' education is usually taken to mean (and is the definition used by the DfE) the the 'reception' year plus school years 1 to 6. It's only children in Reception and Years 1 & 2 who will get free school meals, not those in Years 3 to 6.

£600m per year is quite a sum for the Government to find but my view is that it's money well spent. (I used to be a teacher and I remember kids having no lunch at all or simply having a portion of plain boiled rice from the local Chinese takeaway).

[DaisyNonna]

Where I live many school kitchens were deactivated a few years ago.

[DaisyNonna]

I was not referring to the cost but the availability of premises to produce the meals.

[~Wingnut~]

Yep Anne, from September, reception, year 1 and year2 children will be entitled to a free school dinner. Some schools the kitchens arent big enougn to have the extra equipment to cope with these expected increase in numbers so not sure what they can do. I think maybe if they are to do it at all then just have Reception as free then pay from yr 1.

[~Wingnut~]

Dammit I type too slow lol :)

[DaisyNonna]

What about different dietary requirements?

[~Wingnut~]

Luckily I only have 1 vegetarian to cook separately for atm but I do know from Sept there will be some children with gluten and other allergys, all of which will be catered for too. I will just adjust their ingredients to suit so shouldn't really be that much of a problem.

[bundleone]

I think it's up the parents to feed their children,, and just provide free meals for the low income families, mine always took sandwiches and had their main meal in the early evening as most families do,you have to cook for yourself and the childrens dad anyway.