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How much are your school dinners?

21 replies

twistytwin · 07/01/2026 17:21

Ours have gone up again and are now £4 (secondary). This seems a lot to me so wondered how much everyone else is paying? Ours are a flat rate, no matter what is eaten.

OP posts:
Trinity69 · 07/01/2026 17:21

£2.50, SEN school.

mindutopia · 07/01/2026 17:26

Primary meals are £2.61, this includes a pudding. Secondary is like a cafe. They pay for what they buy, but the ‘main meals’, which are things like fish and chips, roast dinner, etc are £2.53. Drinks and pudding are extra.

twistytwin · 07/01/2026 17:27

Ok so our £4 does a main and a pudding (whether they eat the pudding or not)

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xyzandabc · 07/01/2026 17:28

£4.15 for a meal deal which is main meal (pretty small portions) or sandwich, a tray bake or cookie, and a small bottle of water. A piece of fruit is free

However if you buy individual items rather than a meal deal (which most kids seem to), or things that aren't included in the meal deal (popcorn, Radnor fizz, other drinks etc) it's going to be more.

Twasasurprise · 07/01/2026 17:28

Meal Deal looks like £3 including a drink and cookie/ cake. £2.30 for a hot meal only. (A secondary in SW England.)

Crumbelina · 07/01/2026 17:31

They're free for everyone (London primary).

Tinkers2021 · 07/01/2026 18:02

sons secondary is £2.95 for meal deal which is the main meal or baguette or sandwich or jacket potato and a dessert and a bottle of water.
he can also buy fizzy drinks (Radnor) or pizza or desserts etc separately.

ClassicStripe · 07/01/2026 18:11

£2.61. KS2 in Primary.

Grumblies · 07/01/2026 18:13

£2.60 for nursery children
Free in KS1
£2.70 for KS2 children

Although they will probably be increasing in price again in April.

QuirkyBrickSwan · 07/01/2026 18:31

£2.75 for main and dessert meal deal (secondary se England). £4 is high!! My son gets £3 a day and any extra snacks or drinks he has to buy.

WittyJadeStork · 07/01/2026 18:33

3.52 primary. Expensive but they do like them

LakeGeneva1 · 07/01/2026 18:35

Free up until ks2, then it is £3.20. Herts area. Can get really expensive but Id rather they had a hot meal than a packed lunch.

Gagamama2 · 07/01/2026 18:37

£2.70 at a south west primary.

my kids haven’t got to secondary yet and I’m shocked fizzy drinks are still being sold at schools! I remember my Y8 lunches consisting of a a can of lilt and a cadburys fuse bar out of the vending machines…had hoped things would have changed 30 yrs later

MouseCheese87 · 07/01/2026 18:37

Kids in primary dinners are £2 a day. In secondary school I top up on an app and they can pay for individual items. They can easily spend £5 or £6 a day if they're constantly going up buying drinks, a meal, snacks, breakfast items so I have to watch what they're buying.

LittleMidlander · 07/01/2026 18:41

£3.16, primary. There has been uproar recently because of the tiny portions sizes and the children coming home ravenous. It’s not the cook’s fault - they are sent meagre rations by the LA. For 84p more, dc could fetch a meal deal on the way to school!

KatieKat88 · 07/01/2026 18:49

Gagamama2 · 07/01/2026 18:37

£2.70 at a south west primary.

my kids haven’t got to secondary yet and I’m shocked fizzy drinks are still being sold at schools! I remember my Y8 lunches consisting of a a can of lilt and a cadburys fuse bar out of the vending machines…had hoped things would have changed 30 yrs later

If it's Radnor fizz like at my school it's fizzy flavoured water so not as bad as you may be thinking!

Witcherwitcher · 07/01/2026 18:50

My DC got £5 a day 9 years ago. Most of the time they also took in packed lunches. Only ever drank water too never been into cordial or fizzy drinks. They preferred to save their dinner money!

WafflingDreamer · 07/01/2026 19:01

Secondary £2.75 for a basic meal deal which includes a desert. They have the option to buy plenty of other stuff though
Primary
Primary £2.70 for main and desert.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 07/01/2026 19:11

Free, for all primary pupils in Wales. They had gone up to nearly £3 a day before the govt made them free.

GRCP · 07/01/2026 19:20

Free for all primary school kids in London. The secondary school I work in they are £2.70

myusernamewastakenbyme · 07/01/2026 19:29

I work at a high school in Suffolk...ours are £2.61 for a main and a pudding.
Individual things like a slice of pizza are £1.55.

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