To think that free breakfast at school is a bad idea due to the quality?

Serving breakfast to 34 children in a classroom and then asking one child to take a tray to the staff room. What could go wrong? I honestly think some people don’t live in the real world. We had to eat lunch in the classroom during Covid and the time taken to hoover the floor after, clean up spills and wipe tables was crazy. I’m all for children eating healthy food and having breakfast but the posters stating it’s easy for schools have literally no clue.

It's not that there's no money, it's the priorities that are all wrong. We don't need HS2 or more nuclear submarines.

I'm interested in what they are actually given. There was a discussion about this subject about 6 weeks ago on LBC and the presenter kept referring to the fact that they were going to have to pay the staff 'to cook these breakfasts'. I thought 'Cook them? I hardly think they'll be given a full English!'. More like cereal or a croissant. Or toast at a push.

Especially when the week they started, early years settings (who the government seem set to ruin) were issued with new food guidance. Here are their breakfast example menus:

Berry porridge with banana sticks
Egg and wholemeal toast strips with quartered tomatoes
Wheat bisks with milk and peach sticks
Cinnamon wholemeal toast fingers and mashed banana
Egg and mushroom cups with wholemeal bread strips

I haven’t said it’s poverty-related, I have agreed that those parents are despicable, I said that in high poverty areas these breakfast clubs exist and are used. So as I said, if by rolling it out means even a few more children might get fed then I’ll be content. Of course, we all know there shouldn’t be a need, there shouldn’t be hungry kids for any reason whatsoever, but irrespective of that if there is a chance that a few more kids might get fed breakfast then I support this whole heartedly.

Maybe some of these ‘types’ might not bother, but some might, their kids might access school another way, and those children will benefit massively, and that is what counts.

The point is that it is rarely so simple. Not just due to poverty but SEN, dietary needs etc.

Not to mention how well it would go down with other children and probably some parents if my child was the only one at breakfast club with rice krispies or how it would make my child feel, he doesn't want to stand out any more than he has to.

As an aside, I used to take young children on a week long residential trip each year. The place we went served kiddie style food. Soup as a starter then roast chicken or fish fingers and chips or pizza. There was always a cooked dessert and the children all ate well and had a great time.
Suddenly Jamie Oliver happened and the menu changed. The pizza became very different and covered with lots of random veg. The chips became spicy potato wedges. It meant that many children didn’t eat it and we had a real issue with children being hungry. Luckily the year after the menu had reverted back as the centre realised that while healthy eating is important it’s actually more important that children eat.

Schools will serve whatever the majority of children will eat and whatever they can quickly and safely prepare. A selection of cereals and toast are ideal in this situation.

Hear hear.

All my children went to the state primary. The school had a hall which was for lunch, pe and assembly. It has a kitchen off it.

in that school, breakfast coukd be served in the classrooms and then a child bring a tray with plastic bowls to the hall to go through the dishwasher.

why wouldn’t something work in your school as it sounds like the same set up.

It's not poverty it's neglect, I was jobless and under 25 (look up how much less benefits under 25s get) and still fed my kids breakfast every morning. Cereals literally 70p. Sorry but I think it's bullshit they're too poor to buy cereal. Sadly breakfast club isn't the answer because those types aren't getting up early to go to the breakfast club

@fetaface you seem very determined to want to argue with me today.

Personally, I think the job of feeding a child breakfast should be the responsibility of the parents. There shouldn’t need to be a government initiative to feed children breakfast.

The problems of catering for unknown numbers surely applies whether you’re feeding the kids cheap processed cereal or something with a bit more nutritional value? So if we have to feed them, let’s make it something nutritious. And I refuse to believe that numbers fluctuate by 190 each day.

Now I understand that if the porridge you’re making is sticking like cement to a bowl, no wonder no one wants to eat it! And I wash up plenty thanks!

I’m going to turn my phone off now before another stressful week of working for the NHS. If you want to carry on arguing about why our kids should be fed rubbish, you’ll have to do it with yourself.

For the majority its childcare to enable both parents to work to keep on the treadmill of fuelling the housing prices and crisis, a deliberate act by successive governments. Parents rushed, kids rushed, breakfast on the go as its often too early for a lot of people to eat. Children are the collateral damage.

Some children are being fed breakfast at school because parents can't afford it but we have a safety net of benefits and organisations to help. There shouldn't be a 'need' for it, apart from when UC sanction parents for obtuse reasons.
Its been said that children of the poorest are more likely to be obese, due to cheap food being non nutritional . But these children are also being fed non nutritional food in quantities that produce obesity.
Obesity is the opposite of starving. It may be nutritionally deficient but it's not 'starving'. They may be unhealthy due to poor nutrition but how is giving them another poor meal helping?
Are these parents likely to think Alfie has had breakfast, school dinner and give a maccyd for dinner as he's had two 'good' meals? Their perception of good is already skewed.
Children of neglectful parents who are actually starving their kids are hardly likely to be making sure kids get to school early, probably not even turn up. Teachers will do safeguarding actions for children they suspect are neglected.

Surely the money would be best funnelled into social services. School is there to educate, not replace parents. Changes to mortgage lending, rent caps and social housing build levels would be more useful for the future of children.

your son is in the minority, clearly they can and should cater fir him and obviously they wouldn’t and shouldn’t give him something that would hospitalise him. I dint really understand your point.

do you think they should serve white bread/ krispies to everyone as one person has an intolerance?

whst point are you making?

Many do. And there isn't a 'type'. Kids not being fed isn't often down to poverty. It is shite parenting in many households.

People keep saying this and yet breakfasts clubs aren’t new, they have been around for a while in schools in high poverty areas and are used. All this is doing is rolling them out to every school.

And yes, I imagine some of them are used for free childcare so parents can get to work. But if the option is there and even a few more kids get fed I’m fine with it.

The type who aren't feeding their kids breakfast when cornflakes cost 70p aren't getting up early to take them to breakfast club.

It just shows how many do not understand things in schools. Just like the government. My primary school I went to as a child has the hall on another site! So imagine that? Kids just walk over that dual carriageway after dropping your bowl in the sink!

My feeling is that whilst the parents SHOULD be doing it for whatever reason they aren’t and to ignore the situation doesn’t harm the parents, it’s the kids who go hungry. I’m happy to pay for optional breakfast club if kids get to eat. Of course their parents should, of course if they don’t there should be a punishment but that isn’t happening, so at least this way the children aren’t hungry.

Often even if ssd get involved - unless child is removed into care where they will be properly fed-the school will end up taking up slack...

Unacceptable but at least the child is fed!

Also as others have said... Also cleaning uniforms where no one ensures child has a washed uniform.

It's horrific and lacking any dignity... If they wait for ssd to do anything positive in the meantime the child will have been tolerating no food and smelling clothes.

I've worked in social services in several different regions... Often very good people but massively under resourced.

Yeah exactly I don't get how anyone believes it. Did you know over 25s get way more benefits than under 25s regardless of circumstances? Like damn if I managed to feed my kids breakfast while jobless from 16-22 you want me to believe these older parents can't afford it? 🤔 Even the unemployed ones have way more money than I had theyre just too busy buying drinks and vapes. Who actually believes this shit that anyone can't afford 70p cornflakes

Here in wales my primary school has a free breakfast club, starts at 8:05am - but there is no food it’s just an early drop off (which is a godsend in terms of the commute to the office in time for work). Food (any) would be a lovely extra. They are not even allowed an apple to take in there, it’s strictly no food.

I agree. It's very obvious that some pp's are more used to how private schools work!

My child's school has one hall for assembly, PE and lunch. Lunch times are staggered because the hall is tiny and it is a squeeze as it is with assemblies. It would be impossible and dangerous with children carrying food trays, drinks etc around, just not enough room.

I’m in the North and work in the primary school kitchen and we have a salad bar with 5 different types of salad then two types of veg on the hot counter then a selection of fresh fruits to choose from for desert or a homemade biscuit.

It must be school and area dependent I would imagine and alot of schools have private catering now and the cook can only work with the budget they are given.

To be honest, the children who have parents who can’t even be arsed to buy them a cheap box of cereal and give them breakfast in the morning are fucked anyway, no matter what the school does. It’s pretty rare to be able to turn your life around from such a shit start. So eating UPF is the least of their concerns.

Any decent parent gives them breakfast at home and makes them a healthy packed lunch as school food is shite - and I’ve worked in hundreds of schools.

Our private school charges £400 a term for lunches so about £8 a day. They have local fresh salad and veg, bagette and omelette bar and food cooked on the premises by a qualified chef. That’s the sort of level the government needs to fund lunches at if they want anything decent.

Some schools have halls which are classrooms. The hall often cannot hold all the school as usually lunch servings are staggered. Kitchens do not exist in some nor do dishwashers! ha! What a luxury. Hands are for washing dishes in most schools. Also some have kitchens or serveries in the classrooms.

Also you cannot have kids with 1 member of staff in the hall and one washing up. Who supports the kids when they are finished? What do they do? How are they supervised?

People do not understand how each school is different and in some there isn't a usual hall, classroom, kitchen set up in all schools. In others there are multiple halls which would require staffing but you can't hire staff if you don't know how many kids need supervising. It is a logistical nightmare.